Subba Rao

Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram

Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram was set up in Joura, Morena district, in the heart of the Chambal ravines, inspired by the Gandhian peace worker Dr S.N. Subba Rao. The ashram became the venue for the historic surrender of dacoits including Mohar Singh and Madho Singh on 14 April 1972, after which its workers helped rehabilitate both the surrendered outlaws and the families of their victims through land reclamation, irrigation and rural development work. It went on to become a base for the wider Gandhian land-rights movement, and its workers report reaching some 350,000 Sahariya tribal people since 1990 and helping organise the 25,000-strong Janadesh 2007 foot march from Gwalior to Delhi for land, forest and water rights. Today MGSA continues grassroots organising for land and livelihood security among tribal and Dalit communities in the Chambal region.

Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram reports the following, on its own site:

• MGSA has set up more than 5000 community collectives all across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Rajasthan