Message from National Alliance for People’s Movements
Dear Friends
It is with a very heavy heart that we have to announce the passing away of our dear friend and comrade G Narendranath who passed away at 12.30 pm, today, 5th July 09. Aged only 55 years and battling brain tumour his last 3 months had been a struggle he went through with tremendous fortitude. Uma Shankari and his daughters Samyuktha and Lakshmi have also been known to NAPM and other activists across the country.He had dedicated himself to the cause of People’s Movements, the quest for alternatives, especially organic farming, promoting biodiversity and organising farm workers for the last 25 years after he resigned his comfortable bank job. He personified the values of समता , सादगी, स्वावलंबन, (Samata, Sadagi, Swavalamban), and though the son of an IAS officer he chose to live the life of an ordinary farmer in his village Venkataramapuram (Dist. Chittoor)
He was actively involved in civil rights movements in Andhra Pradesh and was the Vice President of Human RIghts Forum (HRF) until his last breath.
A founding member of NAPM he worked hard for the the development of NAPM in Andhra Pradesh. Naren inspired many a movement in Andhra Pradesh, living as role model to farmers’ struggles, agricultural workers and those engaged in the struggle against untouchability. He undertook foot marches to every nook and corner of CHITTOOR district,
His leadership for the Bhu Samskranala Karyacharana Udyamam( Forum for Land Reforms ) in CHITTOOR district has brought a lot of organizations together for the implementation of landforms in CHITTOOR district, distributing thousands of acres of land to landless poor. He led the farmers movement against the electricity charges in CHITTOOR district which resulted in the sanction of free electrify to the farmers in Andhra pradesh. Narendranath wrote a number articles and books on farmers and workers’ problems both in Telugu and English.
He was actively involved in all campaigns against displacement in Andhra pradesh such as in the Srisailam and also Nagarjuna Sagar dams in late seventies as also the current struggle against the Polavaram dam, SEZ struggles in Nellore,. CHITTOOR and also East Godavari districts.NAPM is proud to have had him as one of our comrades and we shall dearly miss him. We trust Umaji, Samyuktha, Lakshmi have the strength to withstand this terrible tragedy.
Chennaiah Medha Anand Gabriele Sanjay Mukta Suniti Celia Sudhir Hussain Rajendra Ravi Sandeep Ajit
See also Tribute to Narendranath written by Dr. Shambu Prasad, Xavier Institute of Rural Management, Bhubaneshwar and http://www.kicsforum.net/
On Narendranath - Balagopal’s article in Andhra Jyoti
This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 9:35 am and is filed under Living.
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