Saleem Farook

Saleem Farook was an Indian tribal rights activist and social worker[1] from Karnataka. In 1989 he started the Thuamul Rampur tribal movement in Kalahandi which fought against the issue of land alienation of the tribals in that region. On 9 June 1989 he established the Antodaya society and organisation for the protection of tribal rights and promotion of tribal welfare in Thuamul Rampur block in Odisha.[2][3][4]

Saleem Farook
Born
Saleem Basheer Farook

(1964-02-20)20 February 1964
Somwarpet, Coorg, Karnataka
Died4 July 2000(2000-07-04) (aged 36)
Kalahandi, Odisha
Resting placeQadam e Rasool, Cuttack
NationalityIndian
Alma materMaharaja's College, Mysore
Occupationsocial activist
Years active1987-2000
OrganisationAntodaya
MovementThuamul Rampur tribal movement
Spouse(s)Farhat Amin
Children1
Parent(s)
  • Patel Basheer Farook (father)
Relatives
Websitehttp://www.antodaya.org.in

Early life and education

Saleem Farook was born in 1962 into the Munshi Patel family of Somwarpet to Basheer Patel Ahmed and his wife Rahmath Basheer. He did his schooling from O.L.V convent school in Somwarpet. He later graduated in Economics from Maharaja's College, Mysore. He did a diploma in Rural development and management from Mysore University.[5][6]

Career

Farook was appointed as a campaign manager for a state based NGO in Maharashtra. Later he was shifted to Kalahandi, Odisha where he started working for the tribals.[7] He and his team started a movement fighting against this issue of land alienation of tribals of this block.[8] During this period the local government made an attempt to interact with the people of Thuamul Rampur block and Sri R.B. Pattanaik who was the then collector of Kalahandi advised the group led by Farook (which was later to become Antodaya) to explore the possibilities of initiating community development work in either Lanjigarh or Thuamul Rampur block. Farook opted to explore possibilities in Thuamul Rampur block as there were no NGOs there at that time. The initial strategy was to gain experience by living with the tribal community and to address the issues and the possible solutions which could improve the living conditions of the tribal population. In a survey in 1985 it was found that a large number of tribals were either selling or mortgaging their lands in spite of the benefits that were provided to them under the "Land Reforms Act" (Art-22, 23,23A of regulation 2).[9][10]

It took almost two years to take up the issue of land alienation to the higher authorities, the district administration then came forward to help the tribals get back their lands. A public interest litigation was filed in the Odisha high court by Farook which led to a Commission of Inquiry by Justice Baidyanath Mishra. The High Court advised the administration to allow tribals to plead without the services of advocates. More than 175 acres of alienated lands were restored to the tribals.[9][11][12]

Farook founded an organisation called Antodaya which he registered as a society in 1989. He took active steps to stop child selling, starvation, land alienation and killings due to superstitions in the area. He wrote a paper titled 'Ascertaining Basic Rights over Collecting, Processing and Marketing of minor forest products produced by Tribal Women', which examines the tribal economy and the role of the organization in linking the poor tribals to the market. He served as the founder and chairman of the organisation until his death in 2000.[9][13]

The Saleem Farook Janasikhya Pathagar at Mohangiri, Kalahandi is named after him.[14]

References
  1. Kumbhar, Sitaram (2010). "The Political Economy of Mining-Mediated Development and the Livelihood Movements Against Mining in Orissa". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 71 (4): 1213–1222. ISSN 0019-5510. JSTOR 42748948.
  2. "AboutUs". www.antodaya.org.in. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  3. "Home". www.antodaya.org.in. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  4. Choudhary, Kameshwar (11 December 2007). Globalisation, Governance Reforms and Development in India. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-0162-8.
  5. "Detailed Information". #GivingTuesdayIndia. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  6. "Blue Planet Network". dashboard.blueplanetnetwork.org. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  7. Jenamani, Suvendra (2005). Poverty and Underdevelopment in Tribal Areas: (a Geographical Analysis). Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-8069-169-0.
  8. "Orissa govt plans Bailey bridges in tribal districts - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  9. "NGO Darpan". ngodarpan.gov.in. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  10. "NGO Darpan". ngodarpan.gov.in. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  11. Choudhary, Kameshwar (11 December 2007). Globalisation, Governance Reforms and Development in India. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-0162-8.
  12. Choudhary, Kameshwar (11 December 2007). Globalisation, Governance Reforms and Development in India. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-0162-8.
  13. Choudhary, Kameshwar (11 December 2007). Globalisation, Governance Reforms and Development in India. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-0162-8.
  14. "Saleem Farook Janasikhya Pathagar" (PDF).
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