Grassroots Environmental Advocacy By JANE VARNER MALHOTRA
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ENVIRONMENT
institutions working on water, environment, energy, climate change—fields in which I have been working. So, it was a good experience both ways—learning from U.S. examples and from the other group members.” The tour included meetings with government officials, academics, media professionals, community leaders and officials from the World Bank and International Finance Corporation, says Panda. In addition to a standard schedule prepared for the entire group, participants had the opportunity to meet specific people from their fields. “We were divided into five groups by interest areas,” he explains. “I was more into
RANJAN PANDA
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nvironmental activist Ranjan Panda works tirelessly to protect Odisha’s waterways. Many know him simply as “The Water Man of Odisha.” Thanks to his work in this field, Panda was selected for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). In 2006, he embarked on a memorable three-week journey across the United States to share ideas and build cultural understanding with American and international counterparts. The theme of his session was “Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection.” “I was the lone man from India in a group of professionals who joined from more than 20 countries,” recalls Panda. “They were from