Growing up in Bangalore, Disha loved visiting her grandparents in the countryside, where the environment is peaceful and the food incomparably good. When they were affected by the water crisis—being dependent on water to grow their crops—it became a starting point for Disha to ask why some people don’t have access to the most basic necessities. To her, it is obvious that one should stand up when one’s home is under threat, and protecting the environment is a duty under the Indian constitution. Yet organisations and people who advocate for the protection of nature and the environment are not seldom framed as terrorists.

Redactie & Interview: Annick van Rinsum

Beeld: Nicole Spakman, Floreska Olmberg

Video: Job Hulsebosch