Farewell, Debjeet Sarangi

Sri Debjeet Sarangi, the Foounder and head of Living Farms, Odisha’s leading organization to fight for agrobiodiversity conservation and indigenous land rights, passed away on 15 May 2021 of COVID-19.

Debjeet was working in the Living Farms field station in Muniguda, when he fell ill, and was admitted in Christian Hospital in Bissam Cuttack on the 8th May. Subsequently, his condition deteriorated. As there was no hospital with ICU facility in the entire district of Rayagada, he had to be transferred by ambulance overnight to Bhubaneswar, where he was admitted to a private hospital ICU on the 10th. After struggling for 4 days, he expired on the 15th morning, leaving behind his wife Jyoti, daughter Khushi, and a countless number of friends among farmers, tribal women and students in Odisha and a large number of activists and journalists across the world.

Debjeet was one of the greatest friends of Basudha and Vrihi, and was the key person who initiated and facilitated the shift of Basudha and Vrihi from West Bengal to Odisha in 2011. All the works and operations of Basudha received unconditional support – financially and logistically – and stood as Basudha’s local guardian.

His absence is the greatest loss to Basudha. The void he left in Basudha will never be filled up. His memory will never fade from the minds of Basudha’s members and friends.

Obituaries: by Kavitha Kuruganthi; Parul Abrol