Exhibitions & Events
Venues

Delhi

Ahmedabad

Rishikesh

Greater Noida

Delhi

The first Living Lightly exhibition and events on pastoralism was organized in IGNCA, New Delhi by Sahjeevan and FES in December 2016. The exhibition concluded with promising ideas, thoughts and suggestions for the future of pastoralism in India. This was a remarkable event that brought together pastoralists from more than 10 states of India;  academics from India, Kenya, the United States and Europe, policy makers that included the then Union Minister of Agriculture, Shri Radha Mohan Singh, and the then Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Purshottam Rupala, the then Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Maneka Gandhi, senior politicians such as Smt. Sonia Gandhi, representatives of civil society actors from across the country, media and a large number of school children and government officials

Donors: Ford Foundation, SDC, Transpek, Agrocel, Asha Kiran, Aarti Foundation, FAO, HBF, Excel Industries, TPCDT, BRLF, Hunnarshala Foundation, Shroff Family Charitable Trust, Kesar Group. Donald Peck, Reshma Patel

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

The second edition of the Living Lightly exhibition was held over four days at the  iconic ATMA Building in Ahmedabad in October 2017. This of the event was hosted by the Centre for Pastoralism, and saw a range of consultations, including those on breeds, livelihoods, access to grazing rights, potential for artisinal pastoral cheeses, and pastoral craft practices. Once again pastoral community leaders, a union minister, senior government officials,  practitioners, academics, students, craft enthusiasts and citizens participated with great gusto.

Donors: Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Axis Bank Foundation; and so on

Rishikesh, Uttrakhand

In March 2022, the third edition of the Living Lightly exhibition and event was hosted in collaboration with the Van Gujjar Yuva Sangathan inside the Rajaji National Park in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The Utsav was a celebration of the pastoral culture, ecology and economy of the Van Gujjars. A condensed version of the Living Lightly exhibition on the pastoralists of Kachchh was on display, alongside an exhibit put together by Van Gujjar youth on their narratives. Apart from over 500 men, women and children from the Van Gujjar community that participated in the Utsav, the local MLA, various government department functionaries, civil society representatives, academics, members of the media, artists and students attended the event.

The event spotlighted Van Gujjars’ issues within the local administration. It also opened up opportunities for Van Gujjar women to participate more actively with the Yuva Tribal Sangathan. As an immediate outcome of the Gujjaran go Kaarj event, the Uttarakhand government set up the ‘One Health Programme’ to integrate human, environmental, and animal health.

A glimpse into Gujraan go Kaarj events

Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence,
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Between Nov 5-8, 2022, the fourth edition of living lightly was hosted in collaboration with the Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence at their Delhi NCR campus. The exhibition created a vibrant platform for students and faculty to engage with the world of pastoralists inspiring students to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation about pastoralism.

A series of academic talks and presentations by distinguished scholars from different disciplines accompanied the exhibition, demystifying ideas of adaptation, variability, mobility and resilience in the context of pastoralism and enabling dialogue and discussion on pastoralism that went beyond the traditional classroom setting.