FUTURE OF INDIA, Speech by Ravish Kumar at UC Berkeley, Nov 16 2019
by Raju Rajagopal, co-founder, HfHR
“Ravish is the moral compass at a time when there is none….When I lose hope I see Ravish and Punya Prasoon Vajpeyi and I know I should keep doing what I am doing.”
--Deepak Gupta, Co-Founder, Hindus for Human Rights
At a time when space for dissent is shrinking alarmingly in democratic India, it is gratifying to know that a few journalists like Ravish Kumar of NDTV Hindi channel continue to speak truth to power at great risk to their personal safety. I was at a packed auditorium in UC Berkeley on Nov 16th to hear the veteran journalist describe the current situation in India, which ought to ring alarm bells for anyone concerned about the future of a pluralistic democracy.
Serious as the topic was, Ravish repeatedly brought his sense of humor to bear, carrying the audience with him all the way. I was truly inspired to be part of a well-informed and diverse audience, which listened with rapt attention and applauded repeatedly. I was especially encouraged to see dozens of younger Indian-Americans ask very informed questions. When asked what people can do, his answer was unequivocal: “The only way to make a difference is for concerned people to speak up without fear.”