User:Akhraranchi

Meghnath (born 29th June 1953) is a activist working in Jharkhand for last 30 years. He has been with the people’s struggle against destructive development. As a film maker he has tried to document the voice of those sections of people who remain unheard. He was a guest faculty of Mass Communication department in St. Xavier's College, Ranchi from 2005 to 2015. Meghnath was awarded prestigious National Film Award in 58th & 65th National Award.

Meghnath and Biju Toppo is the founder of AKHRA group. In the beginning of 90’s some youth sat to evaluate the development in Adivasi (tribal) society. It was felt that although adivasi society has advanced in the field of government services and in sports but we do not have enough presence it the intellectual field, i.e. in the fields of literature and journalism. So, it was decided to develop a group to work in this direction and this is how AKHRA was born in 1996. AKHRA --Traditionally has been an open space in the village for community meeting and entertainment, in old days it was basically a seat of learning. Unlike the traditional Ashram system, where the master used to choose the disciples, AKHRA was accessible to all. AKHRA- Today, is a group of committed persons, mostly indigenous youths, working in the field of culture, communication and human rights issues of indigenous (tribal) peoples in India, in general, and Jharkhand, in particular.

Early and personal life
Meghnath was born on 29th June 1953 in Mumbai, India. Schooling from Mumbai and Graduate from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata in 1977.

Career
•	Started Social work from 1971  in the refugee camps of Bangladesh War

•	Started Rural Development work in NSS under the guidance of Fr G .Beckers.

•	Worked as volunteer for Students Health Home, a co-operative health movement of the students with a members of 3 lakhs. Was elected the Joint Secretary of Health Home 1975-1977.

•	Was organizer of highest Voluntary Blood Donor in 1977 and 1978.

•	Came to Jharkhand in 1981 in Palamu to work on the issue of Bonded labour.

•	Participated in the peoples struggle of save Land, Water Forest.

•	Was part of Jharkhand Movement and was founder member of Jharkhand Co-ordination Committee ( JCC) along with Shree B.P.Kesri, Sanjay BasuMallick. N.E. Horo, Bishop Nirmal Minj, Dr. Ramdayal Munda and others

•	Was part of National Alliance for people’s movement ( NAPM) .and was part of Anti Narmada Dam movement and in 1990 along with Medha Pateker fasted for 22 days in the banks of Narmada.

•	Started discussion and debate on the Pro-people Development Models in predominately Adivasi Area. Was the founder member of Pani Chetna Mancha long with members of Peoples Science Institute.

•	Worked on alternative irrigation model and was part of making 125 small check dams Ahar and pines in Palamu in 1993-95 under Sukha Mukti Abhiyan •	In 1993 formed the group AKHRA to work in the field of Culture and Communication and from then started collaborating  with Dr. Ram Dayal Munda in these Issues.

•	In the last 40 years of Social and Cultural work  I had the opportunity  to work and learn from many great peoples. To name a few

•	Fr G .Beckers, Debabrata Roy, Mother Teresa , Pannalal Das Gupta, Bishop George Sopien , B.P.KesriTapan Bose, Suhasini Mulley. SatishBahadur, P.K.Nair, Baba Amte, Sundarlal Bahuguna , Medha Pateker and Dr. Ramdayal Munda.

•	Film making is the extension of my social and cultural work. Along with Biju Toppo we have made more then 30 films which has received National and International recognition.

Filmography
Development flows from the Barrel of the Gun(2003)

100 Din Milega Kaam (100 days of work for you) (2009)

Iron is Hot (2010)

Gadi Lohardaga Mail (2010)

Ek Ropa Dhan (2010)

Mukta Gyana Kutir (2010)

Taking Side (2015)

Accumulated Injustice (2016)

Naachi Se Baanchi (2017)

Mundari Srishtikatha (2019)

Gaon Chodab Nahi

Awards
1.Traveling Film South Asia, 2004, for the film Development flows from the Barrel of the Gun(2003)

2.Star Best Documentary VATAVARAN, 2005 for the film Development flows from the Barrel of the Gun(2003)

3.Navatarangam award, Karimnagar for the film Iron is Hot

4.Best Environment film, IDPA, for the film Iron is Hot

5.National Award, Best Environmental film, 2010 for the film Iron is Hot

6.Nepal Folk Music International Film Festival for the film Gadi Lohardaga Mail (2010)

7.Best Film : Theme, IDPA for the film Ek Ropa Dhan

8.National Film Award, Best promotional film,2010 for the film Ek Ropa Dhan

9.Best judges choice award, 7th IFMFFK, Nepal 2017 for the film Nachi Se Baanchi

10.Jury Mention Award 15th MIFF, Mumbai, 2018 for the film Nachi Se Baanchi

11.Rajat Kamal, 65th National Award 2018 for the film Nachi Se Baanchi

12.Special judges mention award, Shimla 2018 for the film Nachi Se Baanchi