JudithBehan6 at 19:34, 7 February 2026

2026-02-07T19:34:42Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian social worker and tribal rights activist}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Hanumappa Sudarshan
| image = H_Sudarshan.jpg
| caption = Dr. Sudarshan, a well-known social worker and tribal activist recognised for his work with the [[Soliga tribe|Soligas]] in [[BR Hills]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1950|12|30}}<ref name=biodata>Bio-data of Dr. Sudarshan from the website of Karuna Trust [http://karunatrust.org/files/biodata DOC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726213226/http://karunatrust.org/files/biodata |date=26 July 2011 }}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Yemalur]], Karnataka, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
|awards = [[Right Livelihood Award]]
| death_cause =
| other_names = Dr. Sudarshan
| known_for = [[Public health|Public Health]], Tribal rights, Activism, [[Gandhism]]
| education =
| occupation = Doctor
| spouse =
| children =
| organization = Sudarshan Army, [[Karuna Trust (India)]]
}}

'''Dr. Hanumappa Sudarshan''' (born 30 December 1950) is an Indian social worker and tribal rights activist. He is known for his contributions to the upliftment of the forest dwelling tribes (mainly [[Soliga tribe|Soligas]]) in the [[Chamarajanagar district]] of Karnataka. He is also a recipient of the [[Right Livelihood Award]] and the [[Padma Shri]].<ref name="liveli">Roll of Honour for Dr. Sudarshan on his receiving the Right Livelihood Award is presented by {{cite web|url=http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/sudarshan.htm|title=Roll of Honour|work=Online Webpage of the Right Livelihood Awards Organisation|publisher=Right Livelihood Awards Organisation|access-date=17 April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041228045058/http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/sudarshan.htm|archive-date=28 December 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="padmashri">A biography of Dr. Sudarshan is provided by {{cite web|url=http://www.vgkk.org/Dr.H.Sudarshan.htm|title=Dr. H Sudarshan|work=Online Webpage of Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra(VGKK)|publisher=2006, Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra|access-date=17 April 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208033303/http://www.vgkk.org/Dr.H.Sudarshan.htm|archive-date=8 February 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Sudarshan was born in [[Yemalur]] on the outskirts of [[Bangalore]]. He graduated from [[Bangalore Medical College]] and became a medical doctor in the year 1973. He is also an [[adjunct professor]] at [[IGNOU]].<ref name=biodata />

==Career==
After graduation, he joined the health institutions of [[Ramakrishna Mission]] which took him to the [[Himalayas]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Belur Math]] in West Bengal and [[Ponnampet]] in Karnataka as part of the job.<ref name="ihs">A biodata of Dr. Sudarshan is presented by {{cite web|url=http://www.ihsnet.org.in/PHL_180803/SudershanBiodata.PDF|title=Bio-data|work=Online Webpage of the Institute of Health Systems|publisher=Institute of Health Systems|access-date=17 April 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009071435/http://www.ihsnet.org.in/PHL_180803/SudershanBiodata.PDF|archive-date=9 October 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Instead of pursuing a medical practice in the cities, he decided to work with tribal communities and in 1980, he started the Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra for the integrated development of the tribals in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka.<ref name="liveli" /> He is also the founder and Honorary Secretary of the ''Karuna Trust'', which is dedicated to rural development in the states of Karnataka and [[Arunachal Pradesh]]. He claims inspiration from the man-making and nation-building ideals of [[Swami Vivekananda]]. He advocates [[Gandhi]]an ideals for rural development.<ref name=hindu>Urs, R. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071028184633/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/08/26/stories/2005082603320300.htm "On an untrodden path"] ''The Hindu'', Bangalore, 26 August 2005.</ref>

==Sudarshan Army==
Indian poet Shaunak Chakraborty got impressed by his ideology and work towards society so he decided to establish a non profit organization named ''Sudarshan Army'' on 30 July 2019 which got its name from him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sudarshanarmy.co.in/p/about-us.html|title=About us|access-date=2020-04-10|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414085714/https://www.sudarshanarmy.co.in/p/about-us.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra (VGKK)==
VGKK is an organisation with a mission of ''Sustainable development of tribal people through rights-based approaches to health, education, livelihood security and biodiversity conservation''.<ref name="miss">Overview of Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra is provided by {{cite web|url=http://www.vgkk.org/|title=Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra|work=Online Webpage of the Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra|publisher=2006, Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra|access-date=17 April 2007|archive-date=18 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418055721/http://www.vgkk.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Founded in October 1981 by Dr. Sudarshan, VGKK has worked with tribals in the Chamarijanagar district and [[Mysore district]] of Karnataka and also with tribals in the states of [[Tamil Nadu]], Arunachal Pradesh and the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]] and has interacted with about 20,000 people. The organisation has always had a tribal youth as its President. Jadeya Gowda, one of the first few children who was taught by Dr. Sudarshan, is the President. He did a graduation and post-graduation in agriculture and has completed his PhD from the [University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore], Presently working as Associate Professor at College of Forestry, Ponnampet.

VGKK runs a 450 pupil school for the tribes of [[B R Hills]] where the students are provided education equivalent to that provided in the urban areas. Subjects related to the tribal welfare such as environmental issues, tribal values and culture are also a part of the curriculum. VGKK also has a vocational training institute where 16 crafts are taught. As a result of the efforts of VGKK, about 60% of the Soliga tribe now get a minimum of 300 days of employment per year from the Forest Department of Karnataka and other agencies.<ref name="padmashri" />

==Karuna Trust==
Started in the year 1986 by Dr. Sudarshan, [[Karuna Trust (India)]] is an organisation involved with integrated rural development and is affiliated to VGKK.<ref name="karu">Overview of Karuna trust is provided by {{cite web|url=http://www.karunatrust.org/|title=Karuna Trust|work=Online Webpage of the Karuna Trust|publisher=2006, Karuna Trust|access-date=17 April 2007}}</ref> The prevalence of [[leprosy]] in [[Yelandur]] Taluk of Chamarajanagar district was the motivation to start this trust. Another focus area for this trust is education and livelihood improvement. Karuna Trust runs 72 Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres in all the districts of the state of Karnataka and Arunachal Pradesh.

==Positions held==
Dr. Sudarshan has held many positions in his career such as the chairmanship of the ''Task Force on Health and Family Welfare'' organised by [[Government of Karnataka]], the ''Task Force on Public Private Partnership'' organised by National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) of [[Government of India]] and Institute of Health management & Research (IHMR), Bangalore.<ref name="ihs"/> He was also associated as a member of ''Working Group 6 on Macro-economics & Health'' organised by the [[World Health Organization]] and was also a Steering Group member of the Planning Commission on the Empowerment of [[Scheduled Tribes]] in India's 11th [[Five-year plans of India|Five Year Plan]]. He has also been the Vigilance Director for the Karnataka Lokayukta, an [[ombudsman]] organisation. During his tenure, he adopted a method of regular visits and raids to several Government departments and earned critical acclaim for this.<ref name="raid">Lokayukta's surprise visits {{cite web|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/raids.htm|title=Article on Lokayukta raids|work=From website of Our Karnataka|access-date=22 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029093205/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/raids.htm|archive-date=29 October 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Right Livelihood Award]] (1994), ''for showing how tribal culture can contribute to a process that secures the basic rights and fundamental needs of indigenous people and conserves their environment.''<ref name="liveli" />
* [[Padma Shri]] Award (2000)
* [[Rajyotsava]] State Award for social work (1984) – Government of Karnataka.<ref name="ihs"/>
* [[Ashoka: Innovators for the Public#Notable Fellows|Ashoka Fellow]].<ref>Profile of Dr. Sudarshan on the Ashoka Fellows Website [http://www.ashoka.org/node/2539 LINK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224151646/http://www.ashoka.org/node/2539 |date=24 February 2009 }}</ref>
* [[Mother Teresa Awards]] for Social Justice in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Harmony Foundation to host Mother Teresa awards on Nov 9|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-harmony-foundation-to-host-mother-teresa-awards-on-nov-9-2033089|date=8 November 2014|work=dna|publisher=Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.|access-date=11 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mother Teresa Awards given to promoters of social justice|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/28458/mother-teresa-awards-given-to-promoters-of-social-justice|publisher=Catholic News Agency|access-date=14 December 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Right Livelihood Award]]
*[[Albert Schweitzer]]
*[[Prakash Amte]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.vgkk.org Website of the Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418055721/http://www.vgkk.org/ |date=18 April 2019 }}
*[http://www.karunatrust.com Website of Karuna Trust] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508095729/http://www.karunatrust.com/ |date=8 May 2021 }}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Social Work}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sudarshan, Hanumappa}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Indian environmentalists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:Indian social entrepreneurs]]
[[Category:People from Bengaluru Urban district]]
[[Category:Members of the Planning Commission of India]]
[[Category:Medical doctors from Bengaluru]]
[[Category:Social workers from Karnataka]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:Educators from Karnataka]]

Hanumappa Sudarshan - Revision history

JudithBehan6 at 19:34, 7 February 2026