Incarnation of Versatility: Anil Madhav Dave

I still recall vividly the chilly evening in Bhopal when I met the personification of versatility five years back. In the real sense of the word, Shri Anil Madhav Dave was a Rishi, Poet, Thinker, Author, an Organiser, Environmentalist; all rolled out into one. That day, Shri Praveen Ramdas (Secretary of Vijnana Bharati) took me to ‘Nadi ka Ghar’(The abode of River) to meet Anilji. We talked a lot until midnight. I realised his care and love for a Pracharak younger to him. He asked me about the sufferings of swayamsevaks in Kerala who are facing the ire of an antagonistic ideology. His eyes became wet when I explained about the plight of our workers.

Anilji was synonymous to perfection. His systematic attitude towards life and work was not a monotonous action, which was built up synthetically. Poetic beauty in his talk and walk was an organic naturality. Right from his childhood that quality was in him.

Anilji was aware of the Kerala situation. He shared lot of Kerala issues pertaining to society, polity, development as well as environment. We continued deliberating on the ecosystem of Western Ghat, and also on drying up of major rivers including Nila (Bharata Puzha). Each and every nook and corner of one and only ‘Nadi Ka Ghar’ was pulsating with beauty. It was all explaining Anilji’s aesthetic sense. Right from the gate, style in which the name was written on the plaque, Idol of Ma Narmada reverently placed in the front, the huge 360 degree aerial view (photo might have been taken from an aeroplane) of Narmada, flower pots and teapoys, everything was put at the right place as if the adeptly placed lines of words in a profoundly beautiful lyrical ballad.

He was a master communicator and a thorough analyser. Now-a-day oratory has been misunderstood as rhetoric. But the real definition of oratory goes like this मतं च सारं च वचो हि वाग्मिता ।” – Eloquence (Vagmita) is compactness and essence of words. I have persistently experienced it several times in Anilji. I heard Anilji at his marvellous best while releasing the logo of Lokmanthan at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal. He came to the rostrum and for a few seconds silently watched the flower pots placed on the stage. He found a butterfly flying here and there in between the flowers. He began his speech with that beautiful fly. What a poetic onflow was that! He delivered a flamboyant speech which was constructed around the splendid scene. “See this small butterfly had reached in the air conditioned hall to convey the fact to us all that whenever the discussions or deliberations on Lok Kalyan happened here in our Nation it was all encompassing not limited to human beings alone. People’s welfare means nature’s welfare along with animals, birds, reptiles, flies, trees, rivers, mountains everything. This butterfly is conveying that great message to us,” thus went on his marvelous speech.

Actually, the whole thought process about Lokmanthan was set in order and evolved through the wonderful speech of that great seer. I have already explained about his emotional attachment to Kerala. When he was informed about our Nila Vicharavedi (An environmental movement to protect rivers), as river protection and enrichment was a work close to his heart, he took too much interest in it and came to participate in the first ‘Nila Parikrama’ (circumambulation of river Nila). Actually, that movement got a great push and workers became confident by his presence.

After becoming the Minister of State for Environment and Climate Change he took several initiatives towards sorting out so many pending environment issues in Kerala. Aranmula Airport issue was solved only because of the stern stand taken by Anilji. Of late, when Munnar land encroachment controversy hogged the limelight, he had issued a notice to the concerned authorities to take up the matter seriously.

In 2012, he wrote his Wish and Will in which it was specifically written that the body shall be cremated with Vedic rituals on the banks of the Narmada where annual river festival is held. It shows nothing but his attachment and eternal bondage with Mother Narmada. He also strictly advised all his relatives and friends that there shall not be any memorial in his name in the form of building, awards, endowments etc. If anyone still wants to do something in my memory, then it should be in the form of planting saplings and looking after them till they grow, noted the great soul in his Will.

On May 10, 2017 Anilji asked Shri Deepakji (convener of Lokmanthan) to meet him. The main purpose was to know about the follow-up actions taken after the successfully concluded Lokmanthan. He was very eager about the publication of proceedings, souvenir, etc. On returning, Deepakji requested him to take rest for some time. But his condition didn’t warrant it. The swelling on feet and face was apparantly visible and fatigue was palpable in his talk and movements. But his answer was firm, “Now my condition is okay. There are a lot works to finish. And I know my Prime Minister is expecting so much from me.” Shri Anil Madhav Dave had once left his footprints firmly on the banks of Narmada that will remain forever, indelible.

  – J Nandakumar