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| {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} | ||
| {{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}} | {{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}} | ||
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| {{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| | name = Rajiv Dixit | | name = Rajiv Dixit | ||
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| | birth_date = {{birth-date|30 November 1967}} | | birth_date = {{birth-date|30 November 1967}} | ||
| | birth_place = Nah in Aligarh district | | birth_place = Nah in Aligarh district | ||
| | website = https://rajivdxt.in | |||
| | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2010|11|30|1967|11|22}}<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news |last1=Kidwai |first1=Rasheed |title=Baba's 'plan' that went bust |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/baba-s-plan-that-went-bust/cid/1516482|access-date=6 March 2021 |work=] |date=19 June 2016}}</ref> | | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2010|11|30|1967|11|22}}<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news |last1=Kidwai |first1=Rasheed |title=Baba's 'plan' that went bust |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/baba-s-plan-that-went-bust/cid/1516482|access-date=6 March 2021 |work=] |date=19 June 2016}}</ref> | ||
| | death_place = ], India | | death_place = ], India | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''Rajiv Dixit'''{{efn|Name sometimes spelled as Rajeev Dixit.<ref name="NYT2018" />}} (30 November 1967 – 30 November 2010){{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|p=133}} was |
'''Rajiv Dixit'''{{efn|Name sometimes spelled as Rajeev Dixit.<ref name="NYT2018" />}} (30 November 1967 – 30 November 2010){{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|p=133}} was an Indian social activist who founded the ''Azadi Bachao Andolan''. | ||
| Shri Rajiv Dixit was not merely a speaker; he was a force of nature. His voice, a thunderous torrent of truth, shook the very foundations of modern consumerism and awakened a nation to the dangers lurking within the shadows of our daily lives. | |||
| His organisation promoted a message of '']''-economics that opposed ] and ]. In alliance with ], he formed the ''Bharat Swabhiman Andolan'' and its political offshoot, which combined the economic message with promotion of ] and ]. | |||
| More than just an orator, Dixit was a visionary. He prophetically warned against the insidious influence of multinational corporations, the erosion of traditional values, and the poisoning of our planet and our bodies through the rampant use of harmful chemicals and processed foods. | |||
| His impact was profound. He ignited a fire of awareness within millions, inspiring them to question the status quo, to reclaim their health and heritage, and to embrace a life of simplicity, sustainability, and self-reliance. Dixit championed the wisdom of our ancestors, urging us to return to the time-tested principles of Ayurveda, Yoga, and natural living. | |||
| While some may have found his words controversial or confrontational, they were delivered with unwavering conviction and a deep love for his motherland. He dared to challenge the prevailing narratives, to expose the lies and deceit that permeated our society, and to offer a path towards a brighter, healthier future. | |||
| Shri Rajiv Dixit may have departed from this world, but his spirit lives on in the countless lives he touched. His message continues to resonate, a clarion call to action for those who seek a life of integrity, authenticity, and harmony with nature. He remains an eternal beacon of truth, a reminder that true freedom lies in living in accordance with our natural rhythms and embracing the wisdom of our past. | |||
| ==Life and career== | ==Life and career== | ||
| In 1984, the ], in which a gas leak from a pesticide plant owned by a multinational corporation resulted in thousands of deaths, led Dixit to question the role of such corporations in the Indian economy. His thinking on the subject was subsequently shaped by ], a ] historian and thinker. In 1992, Dixit founded the trust, ''Azadi Bachao Andolan'' (Save Independence Movement), with the stated mission to "counter the onslaught of foreign multinationals and the western culture on Indians, their values, and on the Indian economy in general". Dixit's message was spread |
In 1984, the ], in which a gas leak from a pesticide plant owned by a multinational corporation resulted in thousands of deaths, led Dixit to question the role of such corporations in the Indian economy. His thinking on the subject was subsequently shaped by ], a ] historian and thinker. In 1992, Dixit founded the trust, ''Azadi Bachao Andolan'' (Save Independence Movement), with the stated mission to "counter the onslaught of foreign multinationals and the western culture on Indians, their values, and on the Indian economy in general". Dixit's message was spread through thousands of speeches delivered across the country and through recordings on CDs and tapes distributed by the organisation.{{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|pp=71-73}}<ref name="Jansatta Jun2022">{{cite news |title=कहानी राजीव दीक्षित की |url=https://www.jansatta.com/religion/who-was-rajiv-dixit-and-the-facts-related-to-the-death/2201694/ |work=] |date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711181618/https://www.jansatta.com/religion/who-was-rajiv-dixit-and-the-facts-related-to-the-death/2201694/ |archive-date=11 July 2024 |language=hi}}</ref> In 2004, Dixit faced allegations that he had misappropriated funds from the ''Azadi Bachao Andolan'' to benefit his brother, and his relation with the organisation were estranged.{{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|p=73}} | ||
| Also in 2004, ], who at that time was a traveling ] teacher with a considerable following of his own, sought out Dixit and the two met in ]. Over the next few years Dixit became a mentor to Ramdev and their campaigns, against globalisation and for yoga respectively, merged.{{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|pp=71-73, 115-116}} The two founded the ''Bharat Swabhiman Andolan'' (Indian Self-respect Movement), with Dixit serving as its national secretary. The new organisation had political ambitions. Prior to the ], it agitated alongside the ] and allied ] in a movement to clean the ], and in March 2010, the ''Bharat Swabhiman'' party was launched with an aim to contest the ]. Dixit and Ramdev set out on a tour (''Bharat Nirman yatra'') across India to campaign for the party but Dixit died during a stop in ], under murky circumstances.{{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|pp=116-119, 133}}{{sfn|Kanungo|2019|pp=127-129}} | Also in 2004, ], who at that time was a traveling ] teacher with a considerable following of his own, sought out Dixit and the two met in ]. Over the next few years Dixit became a mentor to Ramdev and their campaigns, against globalisation and for yoga respectively, merged.{{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|pp=71-73, 115-116}} The two founded the ''Bharat Swabhiman Andolan'' (Indian Self-respect Movement), with Dixit serving as its national secretary. The new organisation had political ambitions. Prior to the ], it agitated alongside the ] and allied ] in a movement to clean the ], and in March 2010, the ''Bharat Swabhiman'' party was launched with an aim to contest the ]. Dixit and Ramdev set out on a tour (''Bharat Nirman yatra'') across India to campaign for the party but Dixit died during a stop in ], under murky circumstances.{{sfn|Pathak-Narain|2017|pp=116-119, 133}}{{sfn|Kanungo|2019|pp=127-129}} | ||
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| Dixit's death, and the surrounding controversy, ended Bharat Swabhiman party's ambition to field electoral candidates.<ref name="Deka">{{cite book |last1=Deka |first1=Kaushik |title=The Baba Ramdev Phenomenon: From Moksha to Market |date=2017 |publisher=Rupa |isbn=978-81-291-4637-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-JnuQEACAAJ |chapter=The political animal}}</ref> | Dixit's death, and the surrounding controversy, ended Bharat Swabhiman party's ambition to field electoral candidates.<ref name="Deka">{{cite book |last1=Deka |first1=Kaushik |title=The Baba Ramdev Phenomenon: From Moksha to Market |date=2017 |publisher=Rupa |isbn=978-81-291-4637-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-JnuQEACAAJ |chapter=The political animal}}</ref> | ||
| ==Ideology== | ==Ideology and activism== | ||
| Dixit held that globalisation and ] represented a new form of colonialism and blamed them for India's "dependency on the West, lack of domestic production, the rise of excessive consumerism, the weakening of the agrarian sector, and farmers’ suicides." He re-appropriated the term ''swadeshi'' for this message, thus linking it to the ] pioneered by ] and ] during the ].<ref name="Khalikova2017">{{cite journal |last1=Khalikova |first1=Venera R. |title=The Ayurveda of Baba Ramdev: Biomoral Consumerism, National Duty and the Biopolitics of 'Homegrown' Medicine in India |journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies |date=2 January 2017 |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=105–122 |doi=10.1080/00856401.2017.1266987}}</ref> | |||
| Shri Rajiv Dixit's ideology transcended the realm of mere speeches; it offered a comprehensive blueprint for holistic living, encompassing various aspects of human existence: | |||
| 1. Health and Wellness: | |||
| Prioritizing Natural Remedies: Dixit vehemently advocated for the use of traditional Indian systems like Ayurveda and Yoga, emphasizing the importance of natural remedies and holistic approaches to health. He strongly criticized the pharmaceutical industry and its reliance on synthetic drugs, highlighting their potential side effects and long-term consequences. | |||
| Promoting Organic Living: He championed the consumption of organic and locally sourced food, warning against the dangers of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the harmful effects of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on human health and the environment. | |||
| Embracing Physical Activity: Dixit stressed the importance of regular physical activity and exercise for overall well-being. He encouraged practices like Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and other Yogic exercises for maintaining physical and mental health. | |||
| 2. Education: | |||
| Focus on Holistic Development: Dixit believed in a holistic approach to education, emphasizing the importance of character building, moral values, and the development of critical thinking skills alongside academic knowledge. | |||
| Revival of Traditional Education: He advocated for the revival of traditional Indian education systems, which focused on developing well-rounded individuals with strong moral and ethical foundations. | |||
| Importance of Practical Skills: Dixit stressed the importance of practical skills and vocational training, emphasizing the need to equip students with the skills necessary for self-reliance and contributing to society. | |||
| Environmental Education: He believed that environmental education should be an integral part of the curriculum, teaching students about the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable living. | |||
| 3. Economic and Social Justice: | |||
| Promoting Self-Reliance: Dixit strongly advocated for self-reliance and local economies. He encouraged individuals to become self-sufficient by growing their own food, learning traditional skills, and supporting local businesses. | |||
| Critiquing Consumerism: He fiercely criticized consumerism and the rampant materialism of modern society. He urged people to live a simple life, free from the clutches of consumerism and the pursuit of material possessions. | |||
| Social Equality: Dixit championed social equality and justice. He spoke out against social injustices like caste discrimination and poverty, advocating for a more equitable and just society. | |||
| 4. Environmental Stewardship: | |||
| Protecting Nature: Dixit was a passionate advocate for environmental protection. He warned against the dangers of environmental pollution, deforestation, and climate change. He encouraged sustainable living practices and emphasized the importance of respecting and preserving nature. | |||
| Promoting Organic Farming: He strongly advocated for organic farming practices, highlighting their benefits for human health, soil fertility, and environmental sustainability. | |||
| 5. Cultural Revival: | |||
| Rediscovering Indian Heritage: Dixit emphasized the importance of rediscovering and reviving Indian heritage, including its rich traditions, culture, and values. He encouraged people to learn about their history, language, and cultural heritage. | |||
| Promoting Traditional Knowledge: He championed the revival and dissemination of traditional knowledge systems like Ayurveda, Yoga, and other ancient Indian wisdom. | |||
| 6. Spiritual Awakening: | |||
| After the formation of the ''Bharat Swabhiman Andolan'', the message of ''swadeshi'' economics was extended to include concerns about governmental corruption and economic inequalities, and interwoven with promotion of ] and ].{{sfn|Kanungo|2019|pp=127-128}} | |||
| The Importance of Inner Peace: Dixit stressed the importance of inner peace and spiritual growth. He encouraged practices like meditation, mindfulness, and introspection for achieving inner peace and well-being. | |||
| In Conclusion: | |||
| In 2023, video emerged of a speech given several years earlier in which Dixit celebrated India's national anthem, '']'', repeating a controversial narrative of its creation as an homage to ], and that the King-Emperor later awarded the ] to its author, the poet and polymath ]. The claims were originally published in contemporary Anglo-Indian media when the song was first performed in 1911, and ]. Tagore himself denied that the song was a tribute to the British monarch, and George V was not chairman of the ] in 1913 when Tagore was awarded the prize.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Varma |first1=Aishwarya |title=No, King George V Did Not Give Tagore Nobel Prize for Writing National Anthem |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/rabindranath-tagore-national-anthem-george-v-nobel-prize-literature-fact-check |work=] |date=21 December 2023}}</ref> | |||
| Shri Rajiv Dixit's ideology offered a comprehensive framework for living a meaningful and fulfilling life. His teachings continue to inspire and guide individuals who seek to live in harmony with themselves, their society, and the environment. | |||
| ==Death== | ==Death== | ||
Latest revision as of 04:30, 11 January 2025
Indian activist
| Rajiv Dixit | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 November 1967 (1967-11-30) Nah in Aligarh district |
| Died | 30 November 2010(2010-11-30) (aged 43) Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India |
| Website | https://rajivdxt.in |
Rajiv Dixit (30 November 1967 – 30 November 2010) was an Indian social activist who founded the Azadi Bachao Andolan.
His organisation promoted a message of swadeshi-economics that opposed globalisation and neo-liberalism. In alliance with Ramdev, he formed the Bharat Swabhiman Andolan and its political offshoot, which combined the economic message with promotion of yoga and Ayurveda.
Life and career
In 1984, the Bhopal disaster, in which a gas leak from a pesticide plant owned by a multinational corporation resulted in thousands of deaths, led Dixit to question the role of such corporations in the Indian economy. His thinking on the subject was subsequently shaped by Dharampal, a Gandhian historian and thinker. In 1992, Dixit founded the trust, Azadi Bachao Andolan (Save Independence Movement), with the stated mission to "counter the onslaught of foreign multinationals and the western culture on Indians, their values, and on the Indian economy in general". Dixit's message was spread through thousands of speeches delivered across the country and through recordings on CDs and tapes distributed by the organisation. In 2004, Dixit faced allegations that he had misappropriated funds from the Azadi Bachao Andolan to benefit his brother, and his relation with the organisation were estranged.
Also in 2004, Ramdev, who at that time was a traveling yoga teacher with a considerable following of his own, sought out Dixit and the two met in Nashik. Over the next few years Dixit became a mentor to Ramdev and their campaigns, against globalisation and for yoga respectively, merged. The two founded the Bharat Swabhiman Andolan (Indian Self-respect Movement), with Dixit serving as its national secretary. The new organisation had political ambitions. Prior to the 2009 Indian general election, it agitated alongside the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and allied Hindu organisations in a movement to clean the Ganga river, and in March 2010, the Bharat Swabhiman party was launched with an aim to contest the 2014 Indian general election. Dixit and Ramdev set out on a tour (Bharat Nirman yatra) across India to campaign for the party but Dixit died during a stop in Chhattisgarh, under murky circumstances.
Dixit's death, and the surrounding controversy, ended Bharat Swabhiman party's ambition to field electoral candidates.
Ideology and activism
Dixit held that globalisation and economic liberalisation represented a new form of colonialism and blamed them for India's "dependency on the West, lack of domestic production, the rise of excessive consumerism, the weakening of the agrarian sector, and farmers’ suicides." He re-appropriated the term swadeshi for this message, thus linking it to the Swadeshi movement pioneered by Aurobindo Ghosh and Mahatma Gandhi during the Indian independence movement.
After the formation of the Bharat Swabhiman Andolan, the message of swadeshi economics was extended to include concerns about governmental corruption and economic inequalities, and interwoven with promotion of yoga and ayurveda.
In 2023, video emerged of a speech given several years earlier in which Dixit celebrated India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, repeating a controversial narrative of its creation as an homage to King-Emperor George V, and that the King-Emperor later awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature to its author, the poet and polymath Rabindranath Tagore. The claims were originally published in contemporary Anglo-Indian media when the song was first performed in 1911, and have been shown to be mistaken. Tagore himself denied that the song was a tribute to the British monarch, and George V was not chairman of the Swedish Academy in 1913 when Tagore was awarded the prize.
Death
Dixit died on his 43rd birthday, on 30 November 2010, at a hospital in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh; the attending doctor declared the cause to be cardiac arrest. Dixit had been brought to the hospital after collapsing in a bathroom at an ashram in the nearby town of Bemetara. In later interviews, Ramdev said that Dixit refused to accept treatment despite the advice Ramdev gave him in an hour-long phone conversation that day; Dixit's family dispute that this happened. Dixit's body was flown to Haridwar and lay in a hall at Patanjali Yogpeeth as a large number of mourners gathered. The body was cremated the next morning on Ramdev's insistence, who overruled demands for a post-mortem by Dixit's family and colleagues. Suspicions regarding the cause of Dixit's death and Ramdev's involvement have persisted. In 2019, the Prime Ministers Office ordered a new inquiry into Dixit's death.
See also
Notes
- Name sometimes spelled as Rajeev Dixit.
- Some sources report, instead, that Dixit collapsed at the residence of a Bharat Swabhiman Andolan officer in Durg.
References
- Kidwai, Rasheed (19 June 2016). "Baba's 'plan' that went bust". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Worth, Robert F. (26 July 2018). "The Billionaire Yogi Behind Modi's Rise". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- Pathak-Narain 2017, p. 133.
- Pathak-Narain 2017, pp. 71–73.
- "कहानी राजीव दीक्षित की". Jansatta (in Hindi). 1 June 2022. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024.
- Pathak-Narain 2017, p. 73.
- Pathak-Narain 2017, pp. 71–73, 115–116.
- Pathak-Narain 2017, pp. 116–119, 133.
- Kanungo 2019, pp. 127–129.
- Deka, Kaushik (2017). "The political animal". The Baba Ramdev Phenomenon: From Moksha to Market. Rupa. ISBN 978-81-291-4637-3.
- Khalikova, Venera R. (2 January 2017). "The Ayurveda of Baba Ramdev: Biomoral Consumerism, National Duty and the Biopolitics of 'Homegrown' Medicine in India". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 40 (1): 105–122. doi:10.1080/00856401.2017.1266987.
- Kanungo 2019, pp. 127–128.
- Varma, Aishwarya (21 December 2023). "No, King George V Did Not Give Tagore Nobel Prize for Writing National Anthem". TheQuint.
- ^ Shukla, Satya Narain (23 January 2019). "BREAKING : क्या राजीव दीक्षित की मौत के रहस्य से उठेगा पर्दा ? #PMO ने दिए जांच के आदेश | Will the curtain rise from the secret of the death of Rajiv Dixit?". Patrika (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 11 July 2024.
- Pathak-Narain 2017, pp. 133–141.
Sources
- Kanungo, Pralay (2019). "Gurus and the Hindu Nationalist Politics: The Baba Ramdev–BJP Partnership in the 2014 Elections". In Ahmad, Irfan; Kanungo, Pralay (eds.). The algebra of warfare-welfare: a long view of India's 2014 election. New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. pp. 119–142. ISBN 978-0-19-948962-6.
- Pathak-Narain, Priyanka (2017). Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev. Juggernaut. ISBN 978-93-86228-38-3.