Oral History Interview : Lalji Desai

Content Description

This oral history records the life of Lalji Desai, a Rabari pastoralist and environmental activist from Gujarat. It reflects on his childhood in a pastoral household, involvement in water conservation projects in the 1990s, and decades of activism related to land, forests, rivers, commons, and grasslands. The narrative also explores his role in the Narmada Movement, its influence on other environmental struggles, and his contributions to forming national and international pastoral alliances. The recording offers rare insight into the challenges faced by pastoral communities and grassroots leaders, preserving their knowledge, resistance, and vision for ecological justice in India’s semi-arid landscapes.

Condition Description

The audio volume might be compromised.

Accession Date

2025-05-03

Dispostion

The oral history audio record has been shared with Archives at NCBS.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

The recording will be in custody of Ci and shared with Archives at NCBS.

Retention Rule

Permanent Retention. Ci will keep a copy of the audio file for future research references.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for access unless mentioned in specific folders of the finding aid.

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not have been assigned to Archives at NCBS. Permission for reproduction or distribution must be obtained in writing from the Archives at NCBS (archives@ncbs.res.in). See access guidelines for more information (https://archives.ncbs.res.in/access). The Archives at NCBS makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its collections. The user must obtain all necessary rights and clearances before use of material and material may only be reproduced for academic and non-commercial use.