Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Duringthe 1990s, while serving as a faculty member at the Dr MCR HRD Institute, I was tasked with planning a training program on the ‘Role of NGOs in Rural Development.’ The singular, exceptional expert who immediately came to my mind, and whom numerous professional colleagues strongly recommended was KS Gopal. By then, he was steering the Hyderabad-based Centre for Environment Concerns (CEC).

Established in 1984 by a visionary group of activists, the CEC was dedicated to pioneering innovations, fresh ideas, and ‘next practices’ in the development sector. The broad areas of their operations encompassed poverty alleviation, rural development, environmental sustainability, and inclusive markets to enhance livelihoods.

Through these pillars, they aimed to regenerate natural resources in rain-fed, agriculturally backward dry land areas. The process they envisaged was driven by multi-disciplinary action research, field-level pilots, and a strategic mix of policy and practice advocacy. Against this dynamic backdrop, Gopal joined CEC as its director in 1993. Since joining, he spearheaded initiatives in participatory forest development, foreign funding research in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, later in Telangana, and local cereal-based community grain banks. His expertise included environmental hotspots, civil society advocacy, soil enrichment, organic agriculture, chemical-free forestry pest management etc. He also worked extensively on optimal utilisation of River Godavari waters.

Though he passed away at the age of 72 years, his vibrant energy remained undiminished until about six months prior to the tragic day. Since our first meeting, we have enjoyed a lifelong friendship. He was always the life of small gatherings with like-minded friends. He thoroughly enjoyed a social drink and a smoke, generously sharing joyful, unreserved moments with his closest companions.

Gopal left an indelible mark on everyone he touched, and his profound influence will stay with his friends, including me, forever.

Upon hearing the news of his passing on May 16, I visited his residence, offered condolences to his wife, before paying my last respects at the crematorium. Our bond was deeply academic. We shared ideas. Whenever we met, whether at Dr Utla Balaji’s house, my flat, Dr AP Ranga Rao’s residence (later Dr Bharat’s), or Sashi’s home, our discussions were invariably intense yet stimulating. They ranged broadly from politics to development, driven by Gopal’s passion.

We shared an intellectual ‘common ground,’ where Gopal was the undisputed leader. However, the ‘actual physical ground’ he chose once, for his groundbreaking ‘System of Water for Agriculture Rejuvenation (SWAR)’ irrigation experiment was a 1000-square-yard mini-farm near the Chilkoor Balaji temple. His primary focus was always irrigation water efficiency, which he firmly believed was structurally linked to soil and plant root health.

The core concept was delivering water directly to the root zone with minimal waste.

As a first-of-its-kind system, SWAR provided measured moisture to the roots, cutting water use by 50 per cent compared to standard drip irrigation for horticulture and agroforestry crops. He advocated precise moisture delivery tailored to different soils and crop cycles. When he casually mentioned this seven years ago, I offered our mini farm. Gopal self-funded the entire project, covering all installation and fertilizer expenses.

While I was working with Telangana’s first Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR’s), as his CPRO, Gopal in July 2019 discussed with me a CEC study on the effective use of water for Telangana’s prosperous agriculture. This coincided with KCR’s massive re-engineering of irrigation projects to ensure state-wide water supply. Gopal’s insights directly complemented KCR government’s plans to establish specialized crop colonies for efficient, high-quality agricultural service delivery.

In that context, Gopal presented a distinctive proposal: the Kharif season should focus on pulses, coarse cereals, millets, and fodder, boosting productivity through quality seeds, protective irrigation, and sustainable farming practices. Conversely, during Rabi, canal-fed flood irrigation could support crops like paddy, wheat, and cotton. Additionally, he favoured agro forestry to simultaneously enhance farmer incomes and restore local ecology.

Again, in June 2020, aligning with KCR’s initiatives, Gopal proposed the framework of ‘Right Interventions for Regulatory Farming.’

This concept emerged against the backdrop of 24/7 quality power supply, unprecedented paddy harvests, and landmark agricultural welfare schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima. During this period, KCR suggested strategically converging MGNREGS with core farming operations to directly support landowners while simultaneously securing employment for agricultural labour.

Gopal, who contributed significantly to the evolution of MGNREGS, analysed that the Indian agricultural ecosystem was undergoing deep, structural shifts. These changes spanned procurement models, crop diversification, urban dietary demands, mechanization, and modern supply chains. In this rapidly evolving landscape, he focused on how to social-engineer and unleash human creativity toward building a more equitable rural economy. For him, the pathways and opportunities were always plenty.

He shared an insightful perspective regarding the Research and Innovation Circle Hyderabad (RICH). He envisioned RICH, designed to take lab research from Telangana’s top scientific institutions to the market, as a potent force multiplier. For him, this ecosystem could empower a vast number of young people to secure meaningful livelihoods while remaining deeply connected, with their feet and hearts, to the soil.

The strategic suggestions made by Gopal, which we so deeply debated, did not remain confined to our private conversations. Beyond bringing his visionary ideas directly to the notice of the Chief Minister, who responded with a highly positive, considerate, and accommodating approach, I also documented them from time to time, extensively in detailed articles published across mainstream platforms to ensure they reached a wider audience.

When major agricultural reforms, including the ‘One Nation, One Market’ framework, amendments to the Essential Commodities Act, contract farming, and public-private partnerships for storage infrastructure were proposed in July 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Gopal observed that the sector was on the cusp of a structural shift. He noted that traditional peasantry farming was rapidly giving way to corporate agri-business.

He opined that farmers could no longer rely on Minimum Support Price (MSP) or assured government procurement. Instead, the sector would transition into an era of customized production, dynamic price discovery, and nationally integrated markets dominated by large corporations, food chains, and exporters. He foresaw generic commodities transforming into branded ‘Farm-to-Fork’ (Farm-to-Table) products, moving directly, or with minimal steps, from a local farm to the consumer’s plate.

However, he warned that this transformation would be aggressively driven by big players with deep pockets, smart information and communications technology systems, and remote management tools. He remarked that whoever commands the marketplace will ultimately dictate the future of our rural economy. Gopal cautioned that a handful of mega-corporations often end up controlling the entire value chain, squeezing farmers, intermediaries, and consumers alike.

He often said, ‘Markets are brutal, fierce battlegrounds. Their architecture decides who thrives, who benefits, and who is ultimately subjugated or decimated.’

To illustrate this grim reality, he shared a striking real-life story he personally encountered. In the academic and corporate realms, Gopal was a highly qualified management specialist, with MBA and a Diploma in International Trade. He shared his vast practical knowledge as a faculty member at ASCI and a ‘Scholar-in-Residence’ at TISS, eventually delivering guest lectures at world-renowned institutions like Oxford and York.

Gopal served on the EPTRI Governing Council and NIRD Research Council. He founded the IDL Rural Development Trust, co-founded the Deccan Development Society (DDS), and promoted communal harmony in Hyderabad. His pioneering SWAR irrigation framework won international accolades, including from UNESCO, leading to his frequent participation in high-level forums convened by the World Bank, UN, UNEP and FAO.

Gopal’s loss leaves a deep void. His revolutionary practical ideas nurture our soil.

Printed & Published by K. Hanumanta Rao on behalf of M/s Hyderabad Media House Pvt. Ltd Door. No.50-753-7, Opp : R. R. Women’s Hostel, Eshwar Dental Hospital Up stair, Tagore Nagar, Kurnool - 518 002 and Printed at Jagati Publications Ltd, Survey No. 726, Laxmipuram Village, Kallur Mandal, Kurnool District-518218. Chief Editor: P Madhusudhan Reddy. RNI No: APENG/2015/66605