Common Space Dialogue Participants
(as of June 10th June 2016)
(as of June 10th June 2016)
Piyush Manush
Based in Salem
Brief Profile
Piyush Manush has been exploring sustainable development paths thru conservation and green livelihood generating businesses from 1997 onwards,, A chance meeting with Nity and activism took a pivotal role the scheme of things to follow. Proud to have several victories to his credit against mining giants like vedanta, JSW and also won many a battle against the scheming state,
"Pursuit of Justice remains the only way to achieve Peace" is the firm belief of the 40 year old Activist, Farmer, Green Educator and Entrepreneur.
Convenor of Salem Citizens Forum, a coming together of citizens who have then undertaken restoration of many water bodies in Salem & Chief Laborer of Coop Forest. Coop Forest is a cooperative effort to create a forest for profit based on sustainable principles and also home to many wonderful initiatives which includes a camp site for children.
Organisation
Salem's Citizens Forum
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Prof. Samuel Asir Raj
Based in Tirunelveli
Brief Profile
Dr. S. Samuel Asir Raj, apart from teaching in the Department of Sociology in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University,Tirunelveli, is active in environment, migrant labour, and human rights issues. Sam was involved in making a documentary film in 1999 on the Tampirabarani massacre of dalit labourers and bring it to the purview of the public.He also promoted a group 'Pachayam' which desilted and helped to reclaim the Nainarkulam near Tirunelveli Town.In the immediate aftermath of Tsunami, he helped in providing relief to the affected environmental refugees in Melamanakudi by organing medical and food aid camps. Working with the forest department he assisted in the formation of Village Forest Committees (VFC) to protest the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.Being an active anti nuclear campaigner, he helped to educate and encourage public debate by college students, farmers and public on the perils of nuclear energy and also focused on the issues of disaster management. He has also been working on the migrant textile workers issues.
Organisation
Centre for Diaspora Studies, Department of Sociology
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University
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Dr. R.Kurinjivendan
Based in Pondicherry
Brief Profile
Kurinjivendan is Assistant Professor of Tamil at the Govt. College of Pondicherry . He obtained his doctoral degree from University of Madras in the field of Colonial Malaysian Tamil Emigrants Life & Literature. Presently, his main research focus is Overseas Indian Tamil community of SriLanka, Myanmar, Mauritius and South Africa. He has presented paper on the above topic at various international conferences and seminars since the year 2000. To date, he has 20 years of teaching and research experience. He has released 8 books on various subjects so far. Additionally, he released a documentary film about World War II, Siam-Burma Death Railway, which bagged 2 international film awards recently.
Organinsation
Department of Post Graduate Tamil Studies, Arignar Anna Govt. Arts & Science College
(Affiliated to Pondicherry Central University), Karaikal, Pondicherry State.
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R.S. Lal Mohan, Ph.D.
Based in Nagercoil
Brief Profile
Completed B.Sc., (Zoology), M.Sc., (Zoology), Ph.D., (Fisheries) Diploma YALE University, USA, Radiation Biology (B.A.R.C),, Trombay, Diploma in Fisheries, Calcutta, Administrative Management, ICAR, Hydrabad. Principal Scientist in ICAR,(Rtd), visited USA, England, Japan, Honkong, Singapore, Netherland, Arjaindina, Kenya, China to submit research paper on Whales & Dolphins, Specialist group of IUCN Ganeva: published 7 books on Environment and field 12 Public Interest Litigations to protect natural resources and against plundering of Natural Resources illegally. Convenor INTACH (Nagercoil Chapter), Chairman, Conservation of Nature Trust, Nagercoil , Secretary, Nagercoil Citizen's Welfare Council, Park Protection Committee, President, Alumni Association of Scott Christian High School, and Alumni Association of the Kanyakumari District
Organisation
INTACH (Nagercoil Chapter)
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Ms. Sujata Mody
Based in Kilpauk, Chennai
Brief Profile
I have worked with independent, non-party affiliated trade unions from 1991. I have experience of organising and campaigning on workers rights. I have a good understanding of labour laws and challenges to implementation.
I have also worked with communities - as a trade unionist, I am as concerned about the lives, housing, education, transport and health of the working people. I also have an experience of working with children from the working class, and also concerns relating to family and domestic violence. My work is largely with women workers. I have a school going daughter.
Organisation
President of Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam and Garment and Fashion Workers Union.
Also, National Secretary New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
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Ananthoo (Ananthasayanan)
Based in Chennai
Brief Profile
I am (was?) a Telecom Engineer by profession worked in Telecom and IT sector...After coming back to India (from Europe - last stint was 6 years in Switzerland) since 2006, I don't work on any monetarily gainful employment. I now work only on social causes…working predominantly on safe food and sustainable agriculture.
Along with a few friends, I work with small and marginal farmers helping them move to sustainable farming and run a not-for-profit organic retail outlet in Chennai - restore (www.restore.org.in). As an extension of this and to take the safe organic food to more places esp middle class. we have started OFM- Organic Farmers Market (http://www.ofmtn.in/). OFM is a collective thru which we work with many organic farmers on one side and youngsters interested to take the movement and organic markets on the other side.
I am the coordinator of Safe Food Alliance -- a group of volunteers and consumers who promote safe and organic food. Safe Food Alliance is the alliance of physicians, lawyers, traders, human rights activists, farmers, consumers, celebrities and academicians, who want to ensure safe and secure food to all, to make food safe and nourishing, to grow food that makes our soil fertile, restores our environment and secures farmers livelihoods. Am also associated with ASHA- Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture which is a national network of farmers organisations, unions, NGOs, activists and individuals working on sustainable agriculture and farmers livelihoods. There I coordinate and convene the market related activities and work towards setting up an organic market for organic produce from small farmers across the nation. (www.kisanswaraj.in)
My work extends to other areas and issues too. I am working with cotton farmers and help them grow cotton organically, then we procure it, hand spin, hand weave, natural dye, manually stitch and sell the garments and plough the margins back in to these livelihoods. Web presence: (tula.org.in) and (facebook.com/tulaIndia)
Organisation
Safe Food Alliance, Organic Farmers Market and
ASHA- Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fr. Manu Alphonse
Based in Vettavalam, Tirunelveli District
Brief Profile
Have been involved in Public Policy monitoring, research and advocacy.
Organisation
Loyola Institute of Social Research, Vettavalam,
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Minhaj
Based in Pondicherry
Brief Profile
Minhaj is a Mechanical Engineer and got an MBA from the Manchester Business in the UK. He left is job in the UK 10 years ago and is now working to promote sustainable living in collaboration with a network of partners. He is convinced that we can lead fulfilling and joyful lives without having to consume the planet in the process. His passion is to research, practice, teach and consult about sustainable living.
Minhaj currently leads earth&us, a consultancy and implementation organisation that is focused on promoting sustainable living. He also manages a social enterprise amrutDhara that he co-founded to provide low cost safe drinking water in public places to reduce plastic waste generated from bottled water.
Organisation
Earth&Us, Aurmomode, Auroville,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M.A. Britto
Based in Tirunelveli
Brief Profile
I, M. Arockiasamy Britto (M.A. Britto), am an advocate by profession and human rights activist by choice, working with Vaan Muhil, a rights based advocacy group in Tirunelveli, focusing on child rights, labour rights and dalit rights for the past 15 years. Vaan Muhil has been involved in campaign and advocacy on the rights of young women migrant workers, particularly those adolescent girls working in Textile sector in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Vaan Muhil is a Coordinating NGO for the Campaign Against Camp Coolie System, a state level campaign body focusing on the issue. I am also the Convenor for the Campaign on Informal Sector Workers’ Rights, which released Madurai Declaration Working People’s Charter 2016, in Madurai on 26th April 2016.
As a human rights activist, I have organized a series of training programs for grassroots level activists, school teachers, college students and school students on human rights education, child protection, constitutional rights, dalit rights and SC / ST (PoA) Act. I have co-authored a book on social analysis (in Tamil). Translated a book titled Adivasis Speak Out, (Atrocities on the Adivasis in Tamil Nadu), published by the Books for Change, Bangalore (2007), undertaken a research on the implementation of SC / ST (PoA) Act 1989 and Rules 1995 in Southern Tamil Nadu (2008). Vaan Muhil conducted a study on the labour right violations in Textile mills and the impact of Sumangali Scheme on the adolescent girls working in Textile mills in Tamil Nadu in 2011. I have taken part in a quite a few state level campaigns specific human rights issues in Tamil Nadu, such as Right to Education, Child Protection, Custodial Torture, Death Penalty, Caste discrimination amounts to racial discrimination, and Eelam Tamils issue.
Organisation
Vaan Muhil Trust
Based in Salem
Brief Profile
Piyush Manush has been exploring sustainable development paths thru conservation and green livelihood generating businesses from 1997 onwards,, A chance meeting with Nity and activism took a pivotal role the scheme of things to follow. Proud to have several victories to his credit against mining giants like vedanta, JSW and also won many a battle against the scheming state,
"Pursuit of Justice remains the only way to achieve Peace" is the firm belief of the 40 year old Activist, Farmer, Green Educator and Entrepreneur.
Convenor of Salem Citizens Forum, a coming together of citizens who have then undertaken restoration of many water bodies in Salem & Chief Laborer of Coop Forest. Coop Forest is a cooperative effort to create a forest for profit based on sustainable principles and also home to many wonderful initiatives which includes a camp site for children.
Organisation
Salem's Citizens Forum
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prof. Samuel Asir Raj
Based in Tirunelveli
Brief Profile
Dr. S. Samuel Asir Raj, apart from teaching in the Department of Sociology in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University,Tirunelveli, is active in environment, migrant labour, and human rights issues. Sam was involved in making a documentary film in 1999 on the Tampirabarani massacre of dalit labourers and bring it to the purview of the public.He also promoted a group 'Pachayam' which desilted and helped to reclaim the Nainarkulam near Tirunelveli Town.In the immediate aftermath of Tsunami, he helped in providing relief to the affected environmental refugees in Melamanakudi by organing medical and food aid camps. Working with the forest department he assisted in the formation of Village Forest Committees (VFC) to protest the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.Being an active anti nuclear campaigner, he helped to educate and encourage public debate by college students, farmers and public on the perils of nuclear energy and also focused on the issues of disaster management. He has also been working on the migrant textile workers issues.
Organisation
Centre for Diaspora Studies, Department of Sociology
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. R.Kurinjivendan
Based in Pondicherry
Brief Profile
Kurinjivendan is Assistant Professor of Tamil at the Govt. College of Pondicherry . He obtained his doctoral degree from University of Madras in the field of Colonial Malaysian Tamil Emigrants Life & Literature. Presently, his main research focus is Overseas Indian Tamil community of SriLanka, Myanmar, Mauritius and South Africa. He has presented paper on the above topic at various international conferences and seminars since the year 2000. To date, he has 20 years of teaching and research experience. He has released 8 books on various subjects so far. Additionally, he released a documentary film about World War II, Siam-Burma Death Railway, which bagged 2 international film awards recently.
Organinsation
Department of Post Graduate Tamil Studies, Arignar Anna Govt. Arts & Science College
(Affiliated to Pondicherry Central University), Karaikal, Pondicherry State.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R.S. Lal Mohan, Ph.D.
Based in Nagercoil
Brief Profile
Completed B.Sc., (Zoology), M.Sc., (Zoology), Ph.D., (Fisheries) Diploma YALE University, USA, Radiation Biology (B.A.R.C),, Trombay, Diploma in Fisheries, Calcutta, Administrative Management, ICAR, Hydrabad. Principal Scientist in ICAR,(Rtd), visited USA, England, Japan, Honkong, Singapore, Netherland, Arjaindina, Kenya, China to submit research paper on Whales & Dolphins, Specialist group of IUCN Ganeva: published 7 books on Environment and field 12 Public Interest Litigations to protect natural resources and against plundering of Natural Resources illegally. Convenor INTACH (Nagercoil Chapter), Chairman, Conservation of Nature Trust, Nagercoil , Secretary, Nagercoil Citizen's Welfare Council, Park Protection Committee, President, Alumni Association of Scott Christian High School, and Alumni Association of the Kanyakumari District
Organisation
INTACH (Nagercoil Chapter)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. Sujata Mody
Based in Kilpauk, Chennai
Brief Profile
I have worked with independent, non-party affiliated trade unions from 1991. I have experience of organising and campaigning on workers rights. I have a good understanding of labour laws and challenges to implementation.
I have also worked with communities - as a trade unionist, I am as concerned about the lives, housing, education, transport and health of the working people. I also have an experience of working with children from the working class, and also concerns relating to family and domestic violence. My work is largely with women workers. I have a school going daughter.
Organisation
President of Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam and Garment and Fashion Workers Union.
Also, National Secretary New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ananthoo (Ananthasayanan)
Based in Chennai
Brief Profile
I am (was?) a Telecom Engineer by profession worked in Telecom and IT sector...After coming back to India (from Europe - last stint was 6 years in Switzerland) since 2006, I don't work on any monetarily gainful employment. I now work only on social causes…working predominantly on safe food and sustainable agriculture.
Along with a few friends, I work with small and marginal farmers helping them move to sustainable farming and run a not-for-profit organic retail outlet in Chennai - restore (www.restore.org.in). As an extension of this and to take the safe organic food to more places esp middle class. we have started OFM- Organic Farmers Market (http://www.ofmtn.in/). OFM is a collective thru which we work with many organic farmers on one side and youngsters interested to take the movement and organic markets on the other side.
I am the coordinator of Safe Food Alliance -- a group of volunteers and consumers who promote safe and organic food. Safe Food Alliance is the alliance of physicians, lawyers, traders, human rights activists, farmers, consumers, celebrities and academicians, who want to ensure safe and secure food to all, to make food safe and nourishing, to grow food that makes our soil fertile, restores our environment and secures farmers livelihoods. Am also associated with ASHA- Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture which is a national network of farmers organisations, unions, NGOs, activists and individuals working on sustainable agriculture and farmers livelihoods. There I coordinate and convene the market related activities and work towards setting up an organic market for organic produce from small farmers across the nation. (www.kisanswaraj.in)
My work extends to other areas and issues too. I am working with cotton farmers and help them grow cotton organically, then we procure it, hand spin, hand weave, natural dye, manually stitch and sell the garments and plough the margins back in to these livelihoods. Web presence: (tula.org.in) and (facebook.com/tulaIndia)
Organisation
Safe Food Alliance, Organic Farmers Market and
ASHA- Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fr. Manu Alphonse
Based in Vettavalam, Tirunelveli District
Brief Profile
Have been involved in Public Policy monitoring, research and advocacy.
Organisation
Loyola Institute of Social Research, Vettavalam,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minhaj
Based in Pondicherry
Brief Profile
Minhaj is a Mechanical Engineer and got an MBA from the Manchester Business in the UK. He left is job in the UK 10 years ago and is now working to promote sustainable living in collaboration with a network of partners. He is convinced that we can lead fulfilling and joyful lives without having to consume the planet in the process. His passion is to research, practice, teach and consult about sustainable living.
Minhaj currently leads earth&us, a consultancy and implementation organisation that is focused on promoting sustainable living. He also manages a social enterprise amrutDhara that he co-founded to provide low cost safe drinking water in public places to reduce plastic waste generated from bottled water.
Organisation
Earth&Us, Aurmomode, Auroville,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M.A. Britto
Based in Tirunelveli
Brief Profile
I, M. Arockiasamy Britto (M.A. Britto), am an advocate by profession and human rights activist by choice, working with Vaan Muhil, a rights based advocacy group in Tirunelveli, focusing on child rights, labour rights and dalit rights for the past 15 years. Vaan Muhil has been involved in campaign and advocacy on the rights of young women migrant workers, particularly those adolescent girls working in Textile sector in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Vaan Muhil is a Coordinating NGO for the Campaign Against Camp Coolie System, a state level campaign body focusing on the issue. I am also the Convenor for the Campaign on Informal Sector Workers’ Rights, which released Madurai Declaration Working People’s Charter 2016, in Madurai on 26th April 2016.
As a human rights activist, I have organized a series of training programs for grassroots level activists, school teachers, college students and school students on human rights education, child protection, constitutional rights, dalit rights and SC / ST (PoA) Act. I have co-authored a book on social analysis (in Tamil). Translated a book titled Adivasis Speak Out, (Atrocities on the Adivasis in Tamil Nadu), published by the Books for Change, Bangalore (2007), undertaken a research on the implementation of SC / ST (PoA) Act 1989 and Rules 1995 in Southern Tamil Nadu (2008). Vaan Muhil conducted a study on the labour right violations in Textile mills and the impact of Sumangali Scheme on the adolescent girls working in Textile mills in Tamil Nadu in 2011. I have taken part in a quite a few state level campaigns specific human rights issues in Tamil Nadu, such as Right to Education, Child Protection, Custodial Torture, Death Penalty, Caste discrimination amounts to racial discrimination, and Eelam Tamils issue.
Organisation
Vaan Muhil Trust
Dr. Sundara Babu Nagappan
Sundara Babu Nagappan is a public policy analyst, a peace researcher and a grassroots civil society worker. He has been involved in several ongoing studies and action researches with particular focus on land relations, water politics, agricultural wages, caste violence, and conflict transformation. He has also been associated with various community-based groups, geo-cultural movements and public welfare organisations across India for last 15 years. Since 2004, he has been involved in various initiatives associated with research, documentation and publication leading to effective campaigning, lobbying and advocacy. Moreover, since 2009, he has been actively involved with land and water issues in the states of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Maharashtra.
Organisational Location
Freelance / Activism News Network
Sundara Babu Nagappan is a public policy analyst, a peace researcher and a grassroots civil society worker. He has been involved in several ongoing studies and action researches with particular focus on land relations, water politics, agricultural wages, caste violence, and conflict transformation. He has also been associated with various community-based groups, geo-cultural movements and public welfare organisations across India for last 15 years. Since 2004, he has been involved in various initiatives associated with research, documentation and publication leading to effective campaigning, lobbying and advocacy. Moreover, since 2009, he has been actively involved with land and water issues in the states of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Maharashtra.
Organisational Location
Freelance / Activism News Network
K. Elangovan
Based in Chennai
A lawyer for sustenance. An individual striving for right living with the rights guaranteed in the Constitution. A dispute resolution mechanic, working to create a better mechanism for dispute resolution. A political scientist by training.
Organisational Location
Self.A practising Lawyer in criminal jurisprudence for 25 years based in Chennai
Based in Chennai
A lawyer for sustenance. An individual striving for right living with the rights guaranteed in the Constitution. A dispute resolution mechanic, working to create a better mechanism for dispute resolution. A political scientist by training.
Organisational Location
Self.A practising Lawyer in criminal jurisprudence for 25 years based in Chennai
Augustine Loorthusamy
(Based in Kuala Lumpur, Trichy and Chennai)
Augustine (Augy) Loorthusamy is the President Emeritus of Signis, the World Catholic Association for Communication, with offices in Brussels, Belgium, and Rome, Italy. Augy was a member of the Vatican-based Pontifical Council for Social Communication, the papal international advisory group on communications issues, from 2005 t0 2013. He is a founder member of the Asian Communication Network, based in Bangkok, and also a member of the World Association for Christian Communication, based in Toronto, Canada. He holds a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Leicester, UK, and has more than 30 years’ experience and expertise in the field of social communications.
Augy is a visiting lecturer in communications for religious institutions, Ngo’s and seminaries in Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan,Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga and Vietnam. He was the Special Assistant and communications consultant for the Jesuits in Communication in East Asia and Oceania (JESCOMEAO), and a trainer in media education, film appreciation and media analysis from 2000 – 2010. He is the founder director of the Department of Communication of the Asian Social Institute in Manila, and held that position from 1977 – 1997. He is an international speaker on the art of public speaking, and is the author of Talking Straight, a guidebook on effective public speaking. He also regularly gives talks on ‘Power Parenting in the Cyber Age’ for parents. On the 28th. of February 2014, at the Vatican, the Holy Father Pope Francis conferred on Augy the title Papal Knight of the Equestrian order of St.Sylvester, Pope and Martyr. He was knighted in recognition of his many years of contribution to the field of Social Communication.
Organisational Location
Freelance
(Based in Kuala Lumpur, Trichy and Chennai)
Augustine (Augy) Loorthusamy is the President Emeritus of Signis, the World Catholic Association for Communication, with offices in Brussels, Belgium, and Rome, Italy. Augy was a member of the Vatican-based Pontifical Council for Social Communication, the papal international advisory group on communications issues, from 2005 t0 2013. He is a founder member of the Asian Communication Network, based in Bangkok, and also a member of the World Association for Christian Communication, based in Toronto, Canada. He holds a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Leicester, UK, and has more than 30 years’ experience and expertise in the field of social communications.
Augy is a visiting lecturer in communications for religious institutions, Ngo’s and seminaries in Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan,Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga and Vietnam. He was the Special Assistant and communications consultant for the Jesuits in Communication in East Asia and Oceania (JESCOMEAO), and a trainer in media education, film appreciation and media analysis from 2000 – 2010. He is the founder director of the Department of Communication of the Asian Social Institute in Manila, and held that position from 1977 – 1997. He is an international speaker on the art of public speaking, and is the author of Talking Straight, a guidebook on effective public speaking. He also regularly gives talks on ‘Power Parenting in the Cyber Age’ for parents. On the 28th. of February 2014, at the Vatican, the Holy Father Pope Francis conferred on Augy the title Papal Knight of the Equestrian order of St.Sylvester, Pope and Martyr. He was knighted in recognition of his many years of contribution to the field of Social Communication.
Organisational Location
Freelance
