This tribute was written at the request of the Hindi weekly newspaper Sahara Samay.
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Goodbye, Prof Nanjudaswamy
By Devinder Sharma

His phone call woke me up. "Devinder ji, the Karnataka Agriculture Minister has invited the Karnataka Rajya Rayota Sangha for a discussion on the future of GM crops tomorrow. I am expecting senior bureaucrats, university scientists, and probably representatives of Monsanto to be there, " he said the moment I picked up the phone. "Please come and rescue us. We need to put up a strong defence and we need you." His voice still echoes in my ears.

That was some time early last year. Only a day before, Prof M.D.Nanjudaswamy, leading a KRRS farmers' protest to oppose the planting of Bt cotton, had created such a stir that the State Agriculture Minister had stepped in to announce the withdrawal of the transgenic seeds pending a scientific enquiry. Knowing the importance of the meeting that the State Agriculture Minister had called, I made a veritable dash to Bangalore, flying back in the evening to New Delhi.

Prof Nanjudaswamy was an amazing person. Despite his ill-health, he was there at the airport to receive me the next morning, and within a couple of hours had not only briefed me, but had conferred with his colleagues, addressed the farmers and was ready for the face off. Walking into the Minister's chamber in the State Assembly, I could sense the tension in the air. The top brass of agricultural sciences, including the two vice-chancellors of the State Agricultural Universities, and the director of agriculture, were already seated with anxiety writ clearly on their faces.

The moment the pleasantries were over, Prof Nanjudaswamy gave the floor to me. The next three hours were certainly as heated as could be expected. I took on the agricultural scientists, who were trying vainly to defend the crop experiments and results. It was very easy to challenge the arguments since these were clearly not based on science but on bias in favour of the private company. Prof Nanjudaswamy finally got up, and said: "Mr Minister, let me tell you very clearly. Karnataka farmers will never give up. We will physically uproot Bt cotton plants."

He didn't give up. He led the campaign against the imposition of genetically modified crops till his end came. He gave a new direction to the farmers' anger against the GM crops, knowing that GM would hit the sustainability of farming systems, contaminate the environment, and lead to seed monopolies. Prof Nanjudaswamy was convinced that GM technology is part of the same package comprising the World Bank/IMF and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He devoted his life to fighting for the cause of farmers' pride and their survival against the onslaught of the forces of globalisation that would drive away the farmers from their meager land holdings.

He succeeded in linking the Indian farmers movement internationally. Probably the first farmers' leader from India to be recognized and respected abroad, he gave a new dimension to the farmers' struggle. He effectively used the collective power of the ever-growing anger among the farming communities. Whether it was uprooting Bt cotton plants, or laying a seige around Monsanto's office in Bangalore, or even ransacking the company's office, Prof Nanjudaswamy was always ready to brave the storm. Despite his frail posture, he was never afraid of the police batons nor did a possible jail term intimidate him into backtracking on his conviction.

Prof Nanjudaswamy was an angry man. Angry at the way the international, national and local policies were framed against the interests of the small and marginal farmers. Angry at the unabashed and unashamed manner in which the poor and marginalized were being exploited by the multinational corporations and private companies in league with the powers that be. Angry that people were unable to grasp the real motive behind globalisation and economic liberalization.

Prof Nanjudaswamy was perhaps angry at destiny that did not let him complete the onerous task of restoring farmers' pride in farming which he had taken onto his frail shoulders.

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