Mr. Samarendra Das is an Indian national, global activist and research scholar based in London and Orissa. He has been involved for the last sixteen years in grassroots activism with the ‘Dongria Kondh’ and ‘Mahji Kondh’, tribal communities who have lived sustainable and self-sufficient lives for centuries in the mountains of Orissa. Kondh values and their mountains are in risk from multinational companies seeking to capture iron ore and bauxite for the metal industries. Mr. Das has developed extensive knowledge of transnational corporations, NGO’s and the institutional architecture of the global elite who wield power over the earth’s resources. His academic backgrounds include a ‘first’ first class honors in mathematics and a master of computer science with distinction. Mr. Das has co-produced films with his brother Amarendra, published books and written over 200 papers in his mother tongue, Oriya. His work is both technical and artistic, covering culture, identity, conflict and political economy. His recent film with Amarendra, Sept. 2005, Wira Pdika (Earth Worm: Company Man) is feature-length campaign documentary on the resistance of the Orissa Kondhs.
His most recent book, co-authored with Dr. Felix Padel, titled Out of This Earth: East India, Adivasis and The Aluminium Cartel, is to be published later this year by Orient Blackswan.
The presentation takes place in the Centenary Hall, St. Mary’s College, Pembroke Street, Port of Spain, Thursday Oct. 1st, from 18:30 to 21:00.
For further details please contact: Mr. Cathal Healy-Singh, Tel. 868-366-0751.
Courtesy the following organizations:
La Brea Concerned Citizens Untied – labreacitizensuntied@gmail.com; Fishermen and Friends of The Sea – ffosgary@opuso.co.tt; The Right Action Group – drummit2summit@gmail.com.