Narmada Bachao Andolan
<p>Medha Patkar, founder of the Narmada Bachao Andolan on the Narmada river. The movement inspired thousands of <em>adivasis</em>, farmers, environmentalists and human rights activists to protest against a series of large dam projects across the waterbody. In <a href="https://www.sanctuarynaturefoundation.org/article/narmada-the-soul-of-india">'Narmada, the Soul of India'</a> (<em>Sanctuary Asia</em>, Vol. 20, No. 2, April 2000), Rainer Horig wrote of the Narmada:</p>
<p>“The mighty river is raped, its holy waters pressed through pipes and turbines and all living creatures in it crushed. Will Narmada Mai tolerate such blasphemy? Is India really prepared to sacrifice its natural wealth, its history, its people and its soul? One thing I know for sure: the struggle over this river will continue for many years to come. And people of faith will always be there to tell the true story.”</p>
<p><em>Image: Rainer Horig</em></p>
