>Oronsay at 02:42, 18 April 2021

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{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anupam Mishra
| image = Anupam Mishra.png
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 1948
| birth_place = [[Maharashtra]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and given age|df=yes|2016|12|19|68}}
| death_place = New Delhi
| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for = [[water conservation]], [[rainwater harvesting]]
| occupation = environmentalist
}}

'''Anupam Mishra''' (1948 – 19 December 2016) was an Indian [[Gandhian]], author, journalist, environmentalist, TED speaker, and [[water conservationist]] who worked on promoting water conservation, water management and traditional [[rainwater harvesting]] techniques.<ref>[http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/people/Ruraljy.htm Rural Jal Yodhas:Anupam Mishra] rainwaterharvesting.org.</ref> He had been awarded the 1996 ''Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar'' (IGPP) award instituted by the [[Ministry of Environment and Forests]], [[Government of India]].<ref name=en>[http://envfor.nic.in/citizen/award/igpp.html#LIST List of Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Purashkar Awardees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925202903/http://www.envfor.nic.in/citizen/award/igpp.html#LIST |date=25 September 2010 }} Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar, Official website.</ref> He travelled to villages across several Indian states, especially Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, describing the value of time-tested systems of water harvesting. He advocated conservation of traditional water structures in India as well as abroad.<ref name=out /><ref>{{cite news |title=Are you a water evangelist?|url=http://www.livemint.com/2008/11/06234659/Are-you-a-water-evangelist.html |publisher=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] | date=6 November 2008}}</ref> He wrote books like ''Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab'' (Ponds Are Still Relevant, 1993) and ''Rajasthan Ki Rajat Boondein'' (Radiant Raindrops of Rajasthan, 1995), landmark works in the field of water conservation.<ref name=waterport /><ref>{{cite news |title=Water conservation projects a big success |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-03-23/jaipur/28129779_1_water-conservation-traditional-water-current-water-crisis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217223949/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-03-23/jaipur/28129779_1_water-conservation-traditional-water-current-water-crisis |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 December 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] | date=23 March 2010 }}</ref><ref name=tele /> An extensive interview with Mishra about the history and future of the [[Yamuna River]] occupies the last chapter of [[Rana Dasgupta]]'s book ''[[Capital: The Eruption of Delhi]]''.

==Biography==
Mishra was born in [[Wardha]], [[Maharashtra]] state, [[India]] in 1948. He worked at the [[Gandhi Peace Foundation]] in New Delhi in varying capacities since completing his college education in 1969. He promoted the use of indigenous or [[traditional knowledge]] to solve water problem via preservation, maintenance and regeneration of ponds, [[water management]] and rain water harvesting.<ref name=tele />

Working with [[Chandi Prasad Bhatt]], he was one of the early chroniclers of the [[Chipko movement]] that flourished through the 1970s in [[Uttarakhand]], and published ''Chipko movement: Uttarakhand women's bid to save forest wealth'' in 1978.<ref>{{cite book |title=An anthropologist among the Marxists and other essays|author=Ramachandra Guha|author-link=Ramachandra Guha|publisher=Orient Blackswan|year=2001|isbn=81-7824-003-3 |page=33 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AEHYMg5g0CQC&q=Anupam+Mishra&pg=PA33 }}</ref>

In 1993, he published ''Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab'' (''[[Ponds Are Still Relevant]]''), written after eight years of field research on traditional pond and water management. Soon, it became a handbook for many [[non-governmental organizations]] (NGOs) working on water-harvesting projects. Subsequently, it was translated into 19 languages, including [[Braille]], and sold over 100,000 copies, out of which the [[National Book Trust]] published 13 languages, including English. His next book, ''Rajasthan Ki Rajat Boondein'' (''The Radiant Raindrops of Rajasthan''), also documented water harvesting and water management in Western [[Rajasthan]]. All his books are copyright free.<ref name=waterport>{{cite web|title=Gandhi Peace Foundation: Rajasthan Ki Rajat Boondein by Anupam Mishra |url=http://www.indiawaterportal.org/node/7354 |publisher=India Water Portal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628031806/http://www.indiawaterportal.org/node/7354 |archive-date=28 June 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name=tele>{{cite news |title= Little drops of water|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1041107/asp/look/story_3960663.asp |publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)]] | date=7 November 2004 }}</ref>

Mishra was awarded the 'Amar Shaheed Chandrasekhar Azad National Award' of 2007–08, instituted by the [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]], Culture Department to "propagate and publicise ideals of freedom struggle, patriotism and social service".<ref name=out>{{cite web|title=Anupam Mishra to be bestowed with Chandrasekhar award |url=http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?609781 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131131600/http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?609781 |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2013 |date=20 September 2008 |publisher=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] }}</ref>

He spoke on the topic "The ancient ingenuity of water harvesting"<ref>{{cite web |title=TED Talk – Anupam Mishra: The ancient ingenuity of water harvesting |url=http://www.ted.com/talks/anupam_mishra_the_ancient_ingenuity_of_water_harvesting.html |publisher=TED Conferences}}</ref> in 2009 [[TED (conference)|TED]] conference.

He is the recipient of [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]] for the year 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jamnalal Bajaj Awards Archive |url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/awards/archives/2010 |publisher=[[Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The water warrior|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111113/edit.htm|newspaper=The Tribune|date=13 November 2011|location=Chandigarh, India}}</ref>

He was editor of the bi-monthly Gandhi Marg, published by the [[Gandhi Peace Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Gandhi Marg: Hindi bi-monthly|url=http://www.gandhipeacefoundation.org/hindi.php|publisher=Gandhi Peace Foundation, Delhi|access-date=28 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329194531/http://www.gandhipeacefoundation.org/hindi.php|archive-date=29 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Mishra was a true Gandhian in philosophy and practice. Known to be warm and engaging in his demeanor and maintaining his principles throughout his life, he was a role model to many. He died on 20 December 2016 after a 10-month battle with cancer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eco-activist Anupam Mishra passes away|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/eco-activist-anupam-mishra-passes-away/articleshow/56075452.cms |publisher=Times of India}}</ref>

==Works==

* ''Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab'' (in Hindi), (English title: ''Ponds Are Still Relevant''), published by Gandhi Shanti Pratishthan, New Delhi [https://web.archive.org/web/20111202230009/http://www.indiawaterportal.org/node/902 On line text], 1993.
* ''Radiant Raindrops of Rajasthan'', translated by Ms. Maya Jani, Research Foundation for Science Technology and Ecology, 1995 [https://web.archive.org/web/20120628031806/http://www.indiawaterportal.org/node/7354 On line text].
* ''Chipko movement: Uttarakhand women's bid to save forest wealth'', with Satyendra Tripathi. People's Action, 1978.
* '' Safa Mathe Ka Samaja '', Penguin India (3 October 2006)

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{TED speaker}}
* [http://www.gandhipeacefoundation.org/ gandhipeacefoundation] at [[Kerala]]
* [https://mansampark.in/author/anupammishr/ Select writings and speeches] at [https://mansampark.in/author/anupammishr/ मनसंपर््क]
* A few articles relating Anupam Mishra at [http://panipost.in/?s=अनुपम Pani Post]
{{Jamnalal Bajaj Award winners}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mishra, Anupam}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian conservationists]]
[[Category:Writers from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Indian non-fiction environmental writers]]
[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:Sustainability advocates]]
[[Category:Water conservation in India]]
[[Category:People from Wardha]]
[[Category:Activists from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Indian editors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian non-fiction writers]]

Anupam Mishra - Revision history

>Oronsay at 02:42, 18 April 2021