Interview with ‘Jankavi’ Dr Atul Sharma
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dr Atul Sharma, popularly known as ‘Jankavi’, is a renowned Hindi poet from Dehradun whose verses stirred public consciousness during the Uttarakhand statehood movement. Dr Sharma played a pivotal role in awakening collective resolve through poetry during the agitation years. His works, deeply rooted in social justice and regional identity, include Ek Nayi Subah Ki Oar Chalein, a compelling collection of Hindi poems that reflect hope, resilience, and the spirit of change.
Here are excerpts from an interview:
Your songs became a rallying point during the Uttarakhand statehood agitation. How do you remember those years, and how your poetry contributed to the movement?
The Uttarakhand movement saw people turning out on the cultural front in unprecedented numbers. It grew into a historic non-violent uprising that drew the world’s attention. Many sacrificed their lives, and women faced indignities, but people from the remotest villages and towns joined in. I was active with the cultural front then and contributed songs that became part of rallies and torch processions, inspiring the crowd. One of my songs, was widely sung at the time, “Lad Ke Lenge, Bhid Ke Lenge, Chheen Ke Lenge Uttarakhand” and it emphasised unity, sacrifice and determination for achieving Uttarakhand. Those songs spread through street plays, cassettes, and souvenirs, embedding themselves in people’s everyday speech.
The core of those songs was the demand for a separate Uttarakhand and the reasons behind it. Through poetry, we articulated these needs: the five ‘P’s referring to Paani (water), Palayan (migration), Paryavaran (environment), Paryatan (tourism), and Pehchaan (identity). It’s been twenty-five years since statehood yet answers to some of these problems are still pending. Governments have changed, and some progress is visible, but much remains to be done.
How do you assess the changes in Uttarakhand over the past twenty-five years, especially in terms of migration, development, and the challenges facing the state?
The past twenty-five years have gone by swiftly. People from the villages of the hills have rapidly migrated to cities and metropolises. In Dehradun, due to various reasons, population pressure has kept increasing constantly. Governments have changed one after another, yet the uphill journeys of hill women, still burdened with unresolved questions, have not changed. It has now been twenty-five years since Uttarakhand was formed, yet these five problems are still waiting for answers. Governments have changed, and some achievements have certainly occurred. But much remains to be done.
The scientific utilisation of nature’s resources is yet to be achieved. Opportunities for youth employment still need significant expansion. The condition of schools and hospitals in the hills demands considerable improvement. The issue of the state capital remains unresolved; there needs to be greater seriousness regarding Gairsain. Only when things change will the true concept of Uttarakhand be realised.
For the construction of roads, how forest cutting can be done scientifically needs careful study. We should accelerate the preservation of medicinal herbs, traditional seeds, flora and fauna, and our cultural and literary heritage, along with initiating new positive experiments and innovations. Development must reach the villages. Some progress has been made, but far more development is needed. The direction must always remain people-centric.
Water scarcity and migration are recurring themes in your poetry. How do you see these challenges today?
Water policy has always been a matter of intense debate. Preserving the rivers and ensuring unbroken flow remains a concern. In one verse, I had written about the paradox that rivers flow nearby, yet clean water is still out of reach; women still walk miles for water, particularly in the hills, and their burden has not lightened. We must focus attention on the sources of lesser-known tributaries and springs of our rivers. On migration, despite various initiatives, out-migration continues and villages grow emptier. I have written that the youth are getting separated from their fields and villages, moving down the hills in search of work. Efforts have been made but they need to intensify. As for the environment, serious thought is needed and problems like disasters, forest felling, large dams, and rapid urbanisation persist.
In your view, what progress has Uttarakhand made in the areas of language, culture, and education over the past 25 years?
Some steps have been taken to promote local languages, dialects, and culture. Literature has received some attention, too. But the heroic history of the Uttarakhand movement is yet to be fully written or included in school curricula.
As someone who has witnessed Dehradun’s growth firsthand, how do you evaluate its journey as a state capital?
Twenty-five years have passed quickly. People have flocked to cities like Dehradun and other metropolises, leading to constant population pressure. Meanwhile, responsibilities on women in the hills remain unchanged, and unscientific exploitation of nature persists. Youth opportunities are still lacking, and hill-area schools and hospitals need urgent attention. The matter of the state capital is not yet settled, and Gairsain deserves greater seriousness. Dehradun, as capital, should serve and not overpower the hills.
The true vision of Uttarakhand will be realised only when change occurs at the grassroots. We must look to lesser-known tributaries, protect their sources, and pursue development, in roads, conservation of herbs and seeds, and literary-cultural heritage that centres people’s welfare. Progress has occurred, but much more is needed, with the focus on reaching the villages.
You have been active not just as a poet but also through research and documentaries. How has this work influenced your current engagement with Uttarakhand’s issues?
For me, poetry is social documentation. While we sang during the movement, today interpretation and record-keeping are crucial. My collections grounded in folk culture, and my documentary works like ‘Kavita Ke Paer Pahadon Mein’ and ‘Goonj Uttarakhand Ki’, are discussed in universities and at cultural events. As a teacher and researcher, I stress safeguarding oral traditions. The younger generation must understand that language and culture are intertwined with ecology and the economy and in preserving songs, we also preserve our streams.
What message would you like to give to today’s youth of Uttarakhand?
Uttarakhand’s statehood is the fruit of struggle, but that struggle must now take new forms. There are reasons for disappointments but not for despair. Hopes are not lost! “Ek din nayi subah uthegi yahan dekhna.” Young people must preserve the language, protect the rivers, remain connected to the hills, innovate for job creation, prioritise the environment, and resist the urge for unthinking migration.
