Rajagopal P. V.

Rajagopal Puthan Veetil (born 1948) 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.^[1][2]

Rajagopal P. V. was born in 1948 in Kerala, India, into a family influenced by Gandhian values and traditions of community service. During his childhood, he was exposed to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi through local Gandhian institutions and ashrams, where he developed an early interest in nonviolence, rural development, and social justice.

He later trained in agricultural engineering, a background that led him to participate in community development initiatives in different parts of India. In the 1970s, Rajagopal worked in the Chambal region of central India, where he took part in rehabilitation programs for former dacoits using nonviolent approaches. His experiences in rural conflict zones and grassroots development shaped his long-term commitment to nonviolent activism and the rights of marginalized communities.

In 1972, Rajagopal joined an initiative alongside J.P. Narayan and Subba Rao to facilitate the surrender and rehabilitation of around 500 dacoits (bandits)^[3] in the Chambal region of central India.^[4]

In 2012, he led a march of approximately 100,000 supporters to New Delhi, demanding land and resource rights for the landless. The movement ended with the signing of an agreement with the Government of India.^[4]

In recognition of his work, Rajagopal was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2023.^[5]

Rajagopal was born in 1948, in Thillenkery, Kerala, as 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.^[6]

In the early 1970s, he worked in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh for the rehabilitation of individuals involved in dacoity.^[7] Since 2001, Rajagopal has been married to Canadian social activist Jill Carr-Harris.^[8]

Under Rajagopal's leadership, Ekta Parishad reached 200,000 members across six states, consisting primarily of women. Using non-violent methods championed by Gandhi, such as foot-marches (Padayatra), he led a 340-kilometer march from Gwalior to Delhi calling on the government to address land and forest rights.^[9]

The Jan Satyagraha 2012 march (Yatra) began in Gwalior on 2 October, with the aim of reaching Delhi by 28 October if no agreement was reached with the government. The march was joined by approximately 35,000 participants.^[10]

In October 2018, Rajagopal led a march from Gwalior to Morena with around 25,000 people demanding land and tribal rights. The march was initially planned from Haryana to New Delhi.^[11] The march occurred in the context of the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Legislative election and some months ahead of the 2019 national elections. Political leaders such as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed the marchers in Gwalior before their departure, promising to create a committee to address land rights issues.^[12] According to Ekta Parishad, the marchers were not satisfied with the proposals and decided to proceed with the march.^[13] In Morena, leaders from the Indian National Congress, the main opposition party, addressed the marchers and promised to satisfy their demands if elected.^[14][15] Ekta Parishad indicated that they were satisfied with these commitments and decided to halt the march rather than continue to New Delhi as initially planned.^[13]

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 Global Peace March (Delhi-Geneva) connected with individuals and organizations beyond Ekta Parishad's usual networks and generated activity in several countries.

The March was suspended halfway in Armenia in March 2020 due to COVID-19. 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.

Observers have described^[16] Rajagopal's leadership of Ekta Parishad, including 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.^[17]

The Modi government has proposed two major changes to the Land Acquisition Act:

1. It seeks to dilute provisions such as the mandatory consent of 70% of those affected in the case of public-private partnership (PPP) projects.^[18]
2. It removes the provision requiring a time-bound Social Impact Assessment for land acquisitions.

Rajagopal has stated that Modi is pro-corporate and that these changes will further aggravate the difference between the rich and the poor in the country.^[19]

• Voice of Hope and Voice for Change (English) - A collection of articles by Rajagopal P.V. published by the National Center for Advocacy Studies, Pune.
• Land for Life (English) - 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 (Hindi) - A collection of village stories during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
• Pagdandiyom par paav (Hindi) - 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 (Hindi) - A collection of village based stories during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
• Jo Ghar Khoya Apana (Hindi) - A collection of village data during the foot march by Rajagopal P.V. published by Ekta Parishad.
• Sab ki apani Ho Zameen (Hindi) - 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.

• "Janadesh" (People's Verdict) A film on 25,000 people on foot in 2007 from Gwalior to Delhi (English, Hindi, Spanish, German, and French) 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"(based on Non-Violence training and Social action), Karl Saurer from Switzerland.
• "Jansatyagrah" (Truth Force) 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 (Women Empowerment & Leadership), Praveen Pagare, Nasik.
• Interview on DD National - Aaj Savere Program, DD National.

In 2014, he received the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration, an award granted annually by the Indian National Congress party.^[20][21][22]