Press Release
Narayani Bhatnagar
“Work of a cause, not for applause. Live life to impress but to express. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed. Just make your absence felt.”
IMPRI IMPACT AND POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE TO HOST #INMEMORIUM REMEMBERING MANOJ MISRA
New Delhi, Delhi, June 28, 2022- IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute will organize an #InMemoriam Remembering Manoj Misra this Wednesday, June 28, 2022. This initiative was organized by the #IMPRI Center for Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (CECCSD), IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi.
Manoj Misra, Convener, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (Campaign for a Living Yamuna River), a Civil Society Consortium & former Indian Forest Service Officer, is a passionate social ecologist focused on river development and rejuvenation throughout his career as an active environmental scholar, activist, and policy researcher.
The program commenced with a video of a tribute to Mr. Manoj Misra. Ms. Simi Mehta, CEO of IMPRI, initiated the event by announcing the publication of an E-book based on Manoj Misra’s IMPRI lectures on Environment and Public Policy, highlighting the problems surrounding the river Yamuna, including the urgent need for its restoration in order to comprehend the intricacies of conserving the environment.
Mr. K J Joy, the chair, began by acknowledging Ms Simi Mehta and the numerous collectives that had joined. Mr. Joy shared his first encounter with Manoj sir, back in 2011, from which he remembers, “The rivers are the arteries of our planet, and any type of blockages of the arteries could have a detrimental effect.”
In the water industry, Manoj sir was the principal point of contact for queries and politically sensitive issues and was known to be the kind voice always guiding you in the correct direction.
“Manoj is Yamuna,” Mr. Joy explained. Manoj Misra was the name that comes to mind when someone mentions the Yamuna and its rehabilitation. Mr. Joy carried on his lecture by recounting Mr. Misra’s tryst with the government’s dilution of the environmental impact assessment, a letter to the Prime Minister for the Kembethua project, and lastly, the drafting of the National Water Policy in 2019.
Our next speaker, Mr V R Raman, personified Manoj sir in Gramsci’s idea of organic intervention and recounted their first interaction when he learned about environmental literacy from him. Mr. Raman shared in his speech, “Manoj sir was both a social ecologist and a social activist.”
The following panelist, Mr. Lokendra Thakar regarded Mr. Misra as his source of inspiration. He stated Mr. Manoj possessed a rich trove of information on rivers, water, animals, and the forest, and he was willing to oppose government authorities when it comes to the environment.
The following panelist for the event, Ms. Nivedita Khandekar shared her first interaction with Mr. Misra, in 2007. She added that he groomed and respected journalists and would acknowledge the journalists’ work and offer honest criticism. She respected him for his optimism and relentless pursuit of Yamuna and rehabilitation. She recalled his statement from Living Rivers and Dying Rivers talks, “Fortunately, unlike us, rivers can be restored from the state of almost death”.
Mr. Ranjan Panda was the next panelist, he stated, Mr Misra helped him understand the interaction between forest and water and instilled in him an unwavering belief that science and technology can do much more than raise societal awareness of water. He also shared in his speech, “Mr. Misra was an encyclopedia on Yamuna and river understanding, and I was just a learning Maharathi.” Mr. Panda concluded his talk by sharing that Manoj sir’s interactions were typically engaging as well as informative. He had trust in government entities and thought it was critical to work with them.
Ms Mallika Bhanot, our next panelist, shared he functioned like a system, that was pairing the right people at the right moment. He would stand out in a setting full of turmoil and instability, she asserted.
She and Mr. Misra collaborated on several resolutions, including the Chardham road extension, when the full environmental impact analysis was omitted, and they drafted the People’s Ganga Act.
She concluded her address with a poem she wrote about how much Manoj sir meant to her.
The event’s next speaker, Mr. Suresh Babu, discussed Mr. Misra’s creation of the People’s Health Index and created the first of its type, “Nadi Mitr Mandil” to bring people together and critically examine the river and the river’s health.
Mr. Siddharth Agarwal, our next speaker, described Mr. Misra as a respectful individual and mentor who acted as the bond and catalyst in every situation that was thrown at him and stated that Manoj sir had the potential to become a mentor without conceit and was never condescending.
The event’s last speaker was Ms. Shraddha Bakshi, Mr. Manoj Misra’s sister. She expressed her admiration, saying that seeing how many people admire her brother meant a lot to her. She revealed details about his personal background, saying that he was always determined to become an Indian Forest Services officer and change the system from within.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Nayana, a Researcher at IMPRI, who thanked all the speakers and the chair for making the session an enriching experience for all the viewers and participants.
Mr. Manoj Misra’s lecture at IMPRI, on The State of the Environment focused on Environment & Public Policy and Interlinkages of River Avoidable and Flawed Concepts.
Acknowledgment: Narayani Bhatnagar, a researcher at IMPRI
VIDEOS & AUDIOS
YouTube Live Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RIi4n8-6hk
YouTube HQ Video: https://youtu.be/dHrf2OxRCWw
Read eBook Voice of Yamuna: Manoj Misra – Tribute to an Environmental Hero | IMPRI BOOKS
https://books.impriindia.com/product/voice-of-yamuna-manoj-misra-tribute-to-an-environmental-hero/
Manoj Misra | Environment & Public Policy | IMPRI #WebPolicyLearning
https://youtu.be/vmzTpBU7fwo
Manoj Misra | Interlinkages of River Avoidable and Flawed Concept | IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk
https://youtu.be/_G3hH2m6z3o
Event Report: https://www.impriindia.com/event-report/remembering-manoj-misra/
