Kiska Saath? Kiska Vikas? | Nope w/ Kunal Kamra ft Ashish Kothari | 057

About this Video

Ashish Kothari is an Indian environmentalist, writer, and activist working at the intersection of ecology, development, and social justice. He is a co-founder of Kalpavriksh, a pioneering environmental action group, and has been deeply involved in people’s movements on biodiversity conservation, climate justice, and alternatives to mainstream development. He has contributed to national and international policy processes, including work around biodiversity, protected areas, and community rights, and is a leading voice in the Alternative Futures / Radical Ecological Democracy discourse. Ashish has authored and edited several influential books and essays on sustainable development, climate change, and post-growth futures, and has taught and lectured widely in India and abroad. Vikalp Sangam: https://vikalpsangam.org Timestamps: 0:00 – Opening 0:12 – Internet noise vs real life realities 0:26 – 78 years of independence: what actually changed? 1:06 – Development, displacement & falling nutrition 2:25 – Inequality: who really benefited from growth 3:44 – Imported development model & Gandhi’s warning 4:32 – Is this path inevitable, or do we have choices? 5:07 – Community-led alternatives across India 5:16 – Dalit women farmers & food sovereignty (Telangana) 7:20 – Adivasi forest rights & sustainable livelihoods 8:54 – COVID resilience through local economies 9:50 – Youth, mixed livelihoods & staying back in villages 10:39 – Handloom, dignity & reversing migration (Kutch) 12:10 – Decentralised production & village economies 14:10 – The myth of Western “success” 15:59 – China, industrialisation & hidden costs 17:16 – Growth, averages & hiding poverty 18:45 – Climate change: development’s breaking point 35:07 – 2047: what kind of future are we heading toward? Credits: • Research Head: Anirban Bhattacharya • Camera Operator / Mixing and Mastering / Intro Music — @Mahansangeet : https://www.instagram.com/hi_mahan/ • Camera Operator / Video Editor / Intro Animation — @RevantTalekar : https://www.instagram.com/revanttalekar • Camera Operator / Guest Logistics Coordinator — @VybhavSharma https://www.instagram.com/vybhavsharma/ • Production Assistant — Haran Shetty