Anagh - Champion - Social Volunteer Awards 2020

A very social person and a happy soul, who uses the privilege that he has to up-bring the underprivileged within his available space, Anagh is a passionate researcher of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, who is researching on State Policy for Transgenders in Kerala, 2015. He is a Post Graduate in International Relations from Central University of Kerala. He is currently the Vice President of Dhisha, Mentor at Green Army International and also the Project Head of Bring Back Green. A person who keeps to talk in his social media platform and the spaces that he is participating in for political correctness and gender equal space and wants all the people belonging to all gender to receive equal opportunity. In all the activities he is participating in, he uses equal gender participation and talks about the marginalised. He is one among the course coordinators of very first attempt of giving legal literacy to the society of Dhisha. Above all, Anagh is ready to volunteer and learn more on anything and everything that he finds interesting upon.

VOLUNTEERING STORY

As a fact, my mind’s eye dates back to my school days – when volunteering in me was confined merely volunteers in club activities, etc. But here it is to be mentioned that there exists, indeed, a wide gap between the nature of volunteering done by me in my school days and the volunteering services extended by me during the past five years. When I was in the tenth standard I was part of a demonstration in protest of the infamous Nirbhaya Rape in Delhi. This demonstration was organised by my friend Gadha’s mother Adv Asha Unnithan’s organisation named ‘Aarcha’. My presence in this demonstration inspired me to being a part and parcel of an NGO. I was delighted at the prospect being born and brought up as a male and the desire to extend the privileges enjoyed hitherto by me to the underprivileged as well. Apart from that, I came to know that the ribbon and the dolls used for this protest were creations of survivors of tsunami. This further kindled in me the earnest desire to render all possible services to the underprivileged. This was a mere beginning. Thereafter I grew up as an elitist student during my 11th and 12th which contained merely political activities apart from academic performances. Our school did not arrange club activities for 11th and 12th students, the reason being that it was meant only for students upto 10th standard. I was a part of Rajyapuraskar for Scout and Guides activities as school level which I consider a path towards nation building. Thereafter I proceeded to Thiruvananthapuram to undergo Integrated MA in International Relations. Herein lay the turning point in my life bringing about an, abrupt change in my perceptions. My classmate Arathi Aneesh discussed about her new initiative as a vice president of a state level organisation called Dhisha and sought my services as a member. I expressed my affirmative opinion, with a positive outlook in this regard. I was sure that this would be a turning point as college life in Thiruvananthapuram was merely confined the usual campus friendships, academic activities and so on. I had a clear insight on anti-racism, gender neutrality and anti-casteism. This insight in me persuaded to conceive in favour of the underprivileged who are the marginalised community from dalits, tribals and gender and sexuality minority. If I am a gender activist who speak and work for the women and SOGIESEC today, the credit goes to ‘Dhisha’ beyond any shadow of doubt. I perceive that I as Vice President of Dhisha I am in a position to act in favour of dalits, the tribals and the underprivileged classes of the society.

Apart from activities relating to Dhisha, I had joined the United Nations University Regional Centre of Expertise, Thiruvananthapuram as an intern during my under graduation days itself. During my days there, I was delighted to gain better knowhow on Sustainable Development Goals. I was fortunate to get in touch with noted activists like Vandana Shiva, and thereby had the golden chance to conduct programmes like Campus Development Programme in 2017, a national level Conference in 2018 held at College of Engineering Trivandrum and many more. After the completion of one year internship over there, I had the chance to volunteer several programmes relating to Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action like Kerala State Agri Fest 2019, held at Palakkad, Tech Meet, held at Institute of Engineers, Thiruvananthapuram at 2019 and many more and still do so.

I extend my voluntary services in the field of environment too. After my post-graduation I had the chance to get an insight into the ‘Green Army’, an organisation involved in Green Protocol, Climate Education and Decentralised Waste Management. I joined the Green Army as a fellow and, thereafter, continued in Green Army as Green Army Coordinator. I was part of organising a camp for school students in 2019, the programme names as ‘Harithanagrotsavam’, was intended to spread awareness on the ill effects of Single Use Plastics and Decentralised Waste Management. During my services of mentor of Green Army, till today, I have the chance of implementing the message in my life to a large extend and in addition, create awareness on the same to other opportune participants. The credit for my transformation as a climate educator or as an environmental activist – whichever the case may be, can be attributed to none other than the Green Army. I am fortunate enough to be a part of project entitled Plastic Task Force Kerla of Thanal Trust, a Stake Holder of Green Army, and now I am a core team member of Plastic Task Force Kerala – Thrissu Chapter. I was also fortunate enough to be part and parcel of BBG – Bring Back Green, founded organisation founder by friends Fahad T and Akhilesh Anilkumar and I could implement several projects as a project head from the training from which I acquired from Green Army like Green Protocol in several state and national level events across the states, climate curriculum formulations, climate education and many more. During this Corona Period, I have rendered selfless service to Corona Patients and thereby I was declared Corona Positive (and thereafter negative, after that) at Covid Frontline Treatment Centre. This is apart from my services during flood to the flood victims in Kasargod and Capital City in either of the flood times.