Rajagopal P. V.


Rajagopal Puthan Veetil is an Indian Gandhian activist, former Vice Chairman of the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi, and a founding member of Ekta Parishad, a movement advocating for land and resource rights for landless communities. Rajagopal was born in Kerala, India, into a family influenced by Gandhian values and traditions of community service. Through his exposure to local Gandhian institutions and ashrams during his childhood, he developed an early interest in nonviolence, rural development, and social justice.
His background in agricultural engineering led him to participate in community development initiatives across India. In the 1970s, Rajagopal worked in the Chambal region of central India, participating in nonviolent rehabilitation programs for former dacoits. In 1972, he joined an initiative with J.P. Narayan and Subba Rao to facilitate the surrender and rehabilitation of approximately 500 dacoits in the region. These experiences in rural conflict zones and grassroots development shaped his long-term commitment to nonviolent activism and the rights of marginalized communities.
In 2012, he led a march of approximately 100,000 supporters to New Delhi to demand land and resource rights for the landless. The movement ended with the signing of an agreement with the Government of India.
Rajagopal was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2023 for his work.

Early life

Biography

Rajagopal was born in 1948 in Thillenkery, Kerala, the fourth of five children. He attended Seva Mandir School and completed his education in agricultural engineering at Sevagram, Gandhi's ashram in Maharashtra, where he also learned English.
In the early 1970s, he worked in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh for the rehabilitation of individuals involved in dacoity. Since 2001, Rajagopal has been married to Canadian social activist Jill Carr-Harris.

Activism

Under Rajagopal's leadership, Ekta Parishad grew to include 200,000 members across six states, consisting primarily of women.

Janadesh 2007

In 2007, Rajagopal led a 340-kilometer march, known as Janadesh, from Gwalior to Delhi. This march, utilizing non-violent methods such as foot-marches championed by Gandhi, called on the government to address land and forest rights.

Jan Satyagraha 2012

The Jan Satyagraha 2012 march began in Gwalior on 2 October, with the aim of reaching Delhi by 28 October if no agreement was reached with the government. Approximately 35,000 participants joined the march.

Jan Andolan 2018

In October 2018, Rajagopal led a march of approximately 25,000 people from Gwalior to Morena, demanding land and tribal rights. The march was initially planned to extend from Haryana to New Delhi. This demonstration took place during the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Legislative election and several months before the 2019 national elections. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed the marchers in Gwalior before their departure, promising to establish a committee to address land rights issues. However, according to Ekta Parishad, the marchers were not satisfied with these proposals and decided to proceed. In Morena, leaders from the Indian National Congress, the main opposition party, addressed the marchers, promising to meet their demands if elected. Ekta Parishad expressed satisfaction with these commitments, deciding to halt the march in Morena instead of continuing to New Delhi as initially planned.

Jai Jagat 2020

In 2015, Rajagopal and Ekta Parishad launched the Jai Jagat 2020 campaign as an international movement for justice and peace, aiming to involve civil society organizations and grassroots communities beyond India and Europe.
The 2019–2020 Jai Jagat Global Peace March from Delhi to Geneva expanded outreach to new international organizations and established initiatives in multiple countries.
The march was suspended in Armenia in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A few marches to Geneva at the end of September 2020 marked the last significant mobilization under the umbrella of Jai Jagat, outside India. Since then, local and regional groups have undertaken initiatives such as organizing marches or cartoon exhibitions.

Advocacy

impact and philosophy

Observers have described Rajagopal's leadership of Ekta Parishad, which includes the mobilization of tribal peoples, women, and youth, and its advocacy for land reform, as an alternative to violent movements like Naxalism in central rural India.

New land reforms, 2014 and conflicts

Criticism of Government Policies

In response to proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act by the Modi government, Rajagopal stated that Modi was pro-corporate and that these changes would further aggravate the disparities between the rich and the poor in the country.
  1. It seeks to dilute provisions such as the mandatory consent of 70% of those affected in the case of public-private partnership projects.
  2. It removes the provision requiring a time-bound Social Impact Assessment for land acquisitions.

Selected works

Articles

  • Voice of Hope and Voice for Change - A collection of articles by Rajagopal P.V. published by the National Center for Advocacy Studies, Pune.
  • Land for Life - A collection of village data during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by the National Center for Advocacy Studies, Pune.
  • Main ne Dekha Hain - A collection of village stories during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
  • Pagdandiyom par paav - A collection of village people's story during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
  • Gulamon ki Basti se Gujar raha hoon - A collection of village based stories during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
  • Jo Ghar Khoya Apana - A collection of village data during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
  • Sab ki apani Ho Zameen - A collection of village data during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
  • Journey to the other India - A collection of articles in English during the year-long samwad yatra in 2011–2012.
  • The legacy of Gandhi, Rajagopal P.V. - A life for non-violent resistance by Carmen Zanella of Switzerland.
  • Biography of Rajagopal by Dr. Julius Ruibke of Germany.

Audio-Visual

  • "Janadesh" A film on 25,000 people on foot in 2007 from Gwalior to Delhi Film makers from France, Switzerland, Spain, and India.
  • "Land First" A Film on Orissa foot march by Amanda, England.
  • "Is Small still Beautiful" A Film Broadcast on BBC News, Traccy Winchester, England.
  • "Raja's Raise" A Film based on a story of Elephant, Karl Saurer from Switzerland.
  • "Ahimsa", Karl Saurer from Switzerland.
  • "Jansatyagrah" Rajagopal and his initiatives, Vikram Nayak, New Delhi.
  • "Peoples Movement Processes", Praveen Pagare, Nasik.
  • "Jan Chetana Ka Uday" Struggle of Peoples Movement, Ritu Datta, New Delhi.
  • "Manzil ki Aur" Community based Nonviolent Struggle for right, Ritu Datta, New Delhi.
  • "Millions can walk" Film on Jansatyagraha by Christoph Schaub, Switzerland.
  • Nari Shakti Zindabad, Praveen Pagare, Nasik.
  • Interview on DD National - Aaj Savere Program, DD National.

Awards

In 2014, Rajagopal received the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration, an award granted annually by the Indian National Congress party.
YearAwardPresenter
2008Friend of the Poor awardOrissa Culture & Youth organization
2008K. Janardhanan Pillai Endowment awardGandhi Bhawan, Trivadrum, Kerala
2010Swaraj Millenium AwardSwadeshi, Kerala
2011Shri. Kumarapilla Velayudhan Master Award for achievements in the social fieldPurnodaya Trust in Trissur, Kerala
2012Krishi Gaurav AwardPatanjali Pratishthan, Uttarakhand
2012Gareeb Bandhu AwardOrissa Culture & Youth organization
2012Human Rights AwardHuman Rights Chapter of Geneva, Switzerland
2013Professor N.A. Karim Award for outstanding Public Service – 2012Vakkom Moulavi Foundation Trust, Trivandrum, Kerala
2014Anuvrat Ahimsa Award for International Peace for the year 2013Anuvrat Global, New Delhi
2015Spirit of Assisi National AwardAssisi Shanti Kendra, Angamally, Kerala
2015Indira Gandhi Award for National IntegrationIndian National Congress
2016Honored Jeewan Rakshak Award for his life in service of humanityJeewan Rakshak Trust, Rajasthan
2017Krishi Yoddha AwardIndian Students Parliament
2023Niwano Peace PrizeNiwano Peace Foundation