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Noted social worker, Padma awardee Avdhash Kaushal dies in Dehradun
Noted social worker and Padma Shri awardee Avdhash Kaushal died on Tuesday morning at a private hospital here following a prolonged illness.
Noted social worker and Padma Shri awardee Avdhash Kaushal died on Tuesday morning at a private hospital here following a prolonged illness. He was 84.
He is survived by his wife and three children.
Kaushal founded the NGO, Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), in the late 1970s for development work among tribal hill communities in the areas of Jaunsar-Bawar, a predominantly tribal belt of Dehradun district.
Over the years, he led RLEK’s work on various initiatives including protecting the fragile eco-system of Doon valley, abolition of the bonded labour system in Jaunsar-Bawar area of Dehradun and securing the rights (right to education, right to vote and livelihood rights) of marginalised communities.
One of the NGO’s major victories was in the limestone quarries case it fought in the 1980s. In its the final judgment in the case, the Supreme Court had ordered the closing of the 101 mines in the Doon Valley.
In 2003, Kaushal was invited by the United Nations to the World Summit in Geneva, to chair the panel on a discussion on the importance of local content within information and communication technology. Kaushal was also nominated as a member of the international committee to probe into war crimes and disappearances in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the civil war in that country.
Expressing condolences, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said Kaushal was a symbol of vitality and lifelong- struggle. The chief minister prayed for peace to the departed soul and patience to the bereaved family members.
Kartikeya Hari Gupta, an advocate in the Uttarakhand High Court who has been the counsel in the many legal battles of Kaushal, said: “As a chairperson of NGO Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), he contributed to society in a very positive manner. We remember him as a man of his words. Kaushal remained eager to raise the public cause before the high court and Supreme Court. It was his public interest litigations in the Supreme Court which resulted in the banning of limestone mining in the Doon Valley area.”
Gupta said Kaushal was a firm supporter of sustainable development and throughout his life, raised the cause of hydropower projects in Uttarakhand.
“He always fought against the closure of hydropower projects in the State. It was the winter of 2010 when he first discussed the cause of removing Ex-Chief Ministers from the public properties. It was only because of his constant motivation and support, we were able to fight a long more than ten years of litigation and finally, HC held that the occupation of government bungalows by ex-Chief Ministers of the State is illegal and also issued recovery against them”.
Dehradun-based social activist Anoop Nautiyal said, “In the passing away of Avdhash Kaushal, Uttarakhand has lost one of its finest and bravest who dedicated his life for the protection of the downtrodden and preservation of the environment”.
“Kaushal leaves behind a rich legacy of judicial activism, for raising his voice in support of the hydropower projects in the hill state and in doggedly pursuing the stoppage of various benefits accorded to the former Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand”, he said.
Pallavi Bahuguna, who works with RLEK, said a crusader of public rights had departed this world. “Kaushal took RLEK to the heights of a United Nations-recognized NGO in India. Under his supervision, RLEK maintained various schools for the tribal areas in Uttarakhand. Kaushal fought for the rights of Van Gujjars. He was even slapped with frivolous criminal prosecution. In the blink of an eye, he was ready to go to jail for the fight for the rights of the Van Gujjar community. It is with a very heavy heart, that we say goodbye to him however, I am certain that what he has done for the state and its people shall be remembered till eternity,” she said
