Rajagopal P. V.

Rajagopal Puthan Veetil (born 1948) is an Indian Gandhian activist, former Vice Chairman of the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi, and a founding member of Ekta Parishad, a movement advocating for land and resource rights for landless communities. Rajagopal was born in Kerala, India, into a family influenced by Gandhian values and traditions of community service. Through his exposure to local institutions and ashrams during his childhood, he developed an early interest in rural development, and social justice.

His background in agricultural engineering led him to participate in community development initiatives across India. In the 1970s, Rajagopal worked in the Chambal region of central India, participating in nonviolent rehabilitation programs for former dacoits. In 1972, he joined an initiative with J.P. Narayan and Subba Rao to facilitate the surrender and rehabilitation of approximately 500 dacoits (bandits) in the region. These experiences in rural conflict zones and grassroots development shaped his long-term commitment to nonviolent activism and the rights of marginalized communities.

In 2012, he led a march of approximately 100,000 supporters to New Delhi to demand land and resource rights for the landless. The movement ended with the signing of an agreement with the Government of India.

Rajagopal was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2023 for his work.