NAVINA VENKAT
With a background in Anthropology (M.Phil, Delhi University) and a wide exposure to the early rumblings of the environment movement in India (The NBA – Narmada Bachao Andolan took off from her home in Mumbai), Navina’s journey has explored many paths – from journalism to academics and un-schooling, food and ecology activism to religion and natural farming.
Her first official job, post her thesis, was with NCAER (National Council for Agriculture and Research, New Delhi), where the plum salary set aside for anthropologists helped see the vast divide between policy research and implementation. Her involvement with NBA brought her up close and among the affected tribals and the marginal classes. This closed all doors to any further job hunts in academic-research. A following teaching stint in America (CIIS & University of Berkeley), sealed those doors firmly on her desire for a PhD.
She has contributed to academic journals with book reviews on Sociology and Anthropology.
She was a script writer in the 1980s for Tinkle, the comic book for children from Amar Chitra Katha, India Book House during its inception phase.
She worked closely with Ms. Jane Swamy the Director of XIC (Xavier Institute of Communication, Bombay) to better utilise audio-visual development as a tool for communication. Together, a series of short AV films were made on various topics ranging from Henry Moore’s first show in India to the history of stained glass to the Warli tribals of Maharashtra.
She used to write a column on natural living in the 1990s, for The Independent – a Times of India, publication. She has also written for the Indian Express, Daily and various magazines. She has contributed both illustrations and articles.
She was a researcher cum educator for the Avehi-Abacus Project, (early 1990s), set up by Ms. Shanta Gandhi for their prototype curriculum enrichment programme in municipal schools – which was set up for students initially and went onto become a teachers’ training tool. The five year stint with Abacus and the curriculum it charted out is currently implemented in 1000+ municipal schools in and around Bombay.
She was actively involved in the early start-up of THAC and now takes care of information, communication and making available course and supplementary material for all the THAC programs. She translates THAC’s Natural Living Principles into words and images, booklets and posters, calendars and reports to enable people make ethical and sustainable health choices.
She is also the archivist of THAC’S career trajectory.
She is a facilitator for THAC classes and workshops. Her focus is on socio-economic macro concerns and the connections between our body and the earth. She helps people see and discover eco-health – the pathway for living with Natural Laws.
Motherhood made it important to quickly learn creative ways of enjoying “making food” everyday. This gave her an understanding of just how important practicality and simplicity were. In the sessions, she helps to break down evolutionary principles of food and eating and its role and purpose. She is also involved in practical demonstration sessions of all the THAC programmes.
She lives in Goa with her now 22 year old home-birthed son and a cat-loving husband, in their medicine-cabinet-free-home that’s surrounded by nature’s varied species. She shuttles between Goa and Mumbai, to fulfil the role of THAC’s continuing mission. Her roles all the while dynamically changing according to the growing needs of THAC.
When she is not working with books and words, she is in the garden observing the lessons her compost pit has to offer. Trees are her inspiration and the ability to live sustainably and simply, by balancing the needs of her head, heart and hands is her greatest gift. She sees herself as a bridge between the old and the new, past practices and future possibilities.
