Theater personality Prasanna speaking at a meeting on Badanaval Satyagraha in Mysuru. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
A consultative meeting of ‘satyagrahis’ of the Badanaval Satyagraha was held at the Indian Institute of Educational Theater here on Saturday.
Badanavalu Satyagraha primarily focused on issues such as excessive use of vehicles, extravagant programs and commercialization eventually took the form of a movement. However, as the situation has not changed even today, theater personality Prasanna emphasized the importance of thinking about how to take this satyagraha forward. The meeting was therefore arranged.
On this occasion, Jayadev expressed the view that “Village Satyagraha must continue as a non-violent movement”.
Recently, the government sanctioned ₹40 crore for the development of the Badanavalu Nanjangud Khadi Centre. Participants expressed that the government seems to consider the mere construction of buildings as development. “By centering activities around the Badanaval Khadi Center and promoting the sale of khadi products, it is possible to encourage rural cottage industries and provide employment to rural women in their own villages. The Khadi Center has acquired special significance because Mahatma Gandhi visited Badanaval. There is a need to realize the dream of a sustainable life that upholds the values of village life,” the organizers said in a note.
The meeting also discussed renaming the Badanaval Satyagraha as ‘Grama Satyagraha’. The participants shared their views at length.
The meeting was attended by personalities who follow Gandhian principles including Prasanna, Jayadev and Yatiraj from Tumakuru, Venkataraju from Chamarajanagar, Punajuru Doreswamy, AD Silva, Tagadur Mohan, Badanavalu Mahadevappa, Umashankar and Pavitra Muddayya from Bengaluru, Abha Lavany from Bengaluru, SGPevama from Gravana Basavaraju, journalist Rashmi Koti and farmer Karunakara.
Prasanna read the draft resolution at the meeting and all the participants expressed their agreement with it. The historic Badanavalu Satyagraha of 2015 adopted several resolutions related to sustainable lifestyle and economy. “Today we have become more unsustainable than ever. Village economies are destroyed. Cities and machine-made cultures have grown to monstrous proportions, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction,” the resolution reads.
“We have decided to rename Badanavala Satyagraha as Gram Satyagraha and lead it for village rejuvenation, manual economy, natural farming, local culture, mother tongue, protection of disadvantaged sections of society and protection of damaged natural resources. We will lead a non-violent and constructive movement in the name of Gram Satyagraha,” the resolution added.
Published – 14 Feb 2026 20:25 IST