Prof. Angenot's interest and invlovement with the African diaspora in Asia (TADIA) and his association with me in that regard, revitalised my earliest systematic social involvement after my post graduation studies in social anthropology with the Siddis (the African diaspora in Karnataka/India) since 1983. After 1983-84, I had kept up the efforts to get the Siddis included in the list of schduled tribes in whatever way I could. Prof. Angenot initiated in 2003 an internet network, TADIA, of scholars working on and institutions interestd in the African diaspora in Asia, which gained a membership of nearly 300 scholars and 150 institutions in just two years. The Angenot linguist couple came to Goa to do a study on the Siddi Konkani. Prof. Angenot also suggested that we organise an international conference on the African diaspora in Asia in 2006 and The Tadia Society was formed with me as its secretary to facilitate the organisation of the conference. The conference was a great success. I was entrustted with editing the papers and publishing them with support from the Unesco Slave Route Project. The book will be out in print soon. I was nominated on the UNESCOSRP international advisory committee. I started involving myself with the developmental concerns of the Siddis in Karnataka. Involvement with the Tadia Conference and the editing of the papers has widened my theoretical concerns of international slavery, enslaved Africans and linking African slavery with contemporary slavery in bonded labour. The siddis with their historical past in slavery also show unique dynamics in their living situation in karnataka, many of them also being bonded labourers and the Siddis interacting with the caste structures of Indian Society. The Siddis also strikingly bring to the fore the African substratum in Indian society- the primordial African migration to India, the present Negritos in Andamans, the Siddis. The issues of bonded labour and the Siddis are intimately linked.

Dear prof. Angenot, thank you for your admiration for my work with dalits and the Siddis.

Thank you Pradeep for your fulsome praise of my work with bonded labourers and the Siddis, You hae rightly recognised our role in making the Goernment change is stand on bonded labour and recognise the existence of teh evil even now and also tht it continues to tke different forms which have to be tackled according to the existing legislation. But we still feel still a lot has to be achieved in this regard. The goernment machinery is such a hard nut to crack thast we cannot remian compalecent. We require to see that sound institutioanl processes are set up with the administration at the levels of the countryl, statye, district , taluk and Gram (village) pachayat. This is the task we have to address now amoang other things. We have also to continue to sensitise the government at the levels of not only the administration bu also the judiciary, the police and people's rrepresentatives. I believe with support from peopele like you and other organisations an movements we can achieve whaat requires to be done in the interest of the boned labourers and dalits.

Dear Manu, thank you for sharing your admiration for all our work all these years. I am so happy that you have observed the multi-pronged approach Vimukti Trust has adopted in tackling bonded labour. It is my firm belief that bonded labour cannot be correctrly understtod not properly solved if it is is not understood in its relationship with dalits, adivasis and the caste system, which means we necessaraily require to take up a multi dimensionsal strategy to attack bonded labour system. Thanks to the committed teams of Jeevika/VT, we have have been able to initiate many such direly needed initiatives.

Dear Rashmi, thank you for your appreciation of our work. In all our work we have tried to reach out to all the bonded labourers in Kasrnataka in as large a area as people. We only wish to reach to every village in Karnataka to tackle bonded labour./ For this, since 2006 we have adopted one strategy to mobilise dalit youth to tackle bonded labour in all the present 176 taluks of Karntaka. I hope, with proper support, we will succeed in that strategy.

Thank you Chandramouli for apprecviating our contribution in tackling bonded labour through concrete involvement and also by reaching out to various people through publication.

Thank you John for your appreciation of my work with the Siddis and the bonded labourers in karnataka and for giving a strong recommendation for the Ashoka award. You have particularly highlighted the high quality of my research on the Siddis and the effectiveness of our ways for empowering bonded labourers. It is my firm firm belief that the best way to eradicate bonded labour is to empower bonded labourers; and knowing the situation of bonded labour in India, empowering bonded labourers would naturally include the empowerment of landless agricultural workers, dalits and adivasis. 90 to 95% of the bonded labourers are dalits and, in adivasis areas, adivasis. Among them, those who get into bondge are the landless agricultural workers. The significant ways of empowering bonded labourers was to build up their agency and we have been doing this through raising their critical awareness by various means and methods, building their group power through organisation-building by means of unionisation and also seeing through their economic self reliance by various means. Through a few programmes and activities in the beginning of our invlovment, we have taken up a number of issues that encompass the various aspects of their life, as the vision statement of VimuktiTrust / Jeevika reveals. We continue to dream great things for the liberation of bonded labourers in Karnataka/India and eradication of all forms of forced labour and slavery not only in India but everywhere.

Dear Asha, thank you for your appreciation and highlighting many different strengths of Vimukti Trust. You have particularly noticed my various writings on bonded labour that have contributd to the cause and supported people working on the issue. Together with lobbying and advocacy and mobilisation, conscientization and organisation building among bonded labourers and dalit youth and economicqally strengthening bonded laburers and dalit women, Vimukti Trust had also concentrated on producing scientific data and studies to support its struggles and advocacy efforts. it carried out systematic surveys; compiled the data and produced reports and booklets and wrot articles in news papers to highlight the issue and bring it to the notic of the public, the administration andother people concerned. It also wants to keep up ongoing research on the subject and disseminat the findings as widely as possible. It wants to carry out the neded orgnaically with its own activists. For this, it gave training on "barefoot research" to all its activists. The idea is that the activists being dalits and from the villages have an insider's knowledge of the evil of bonded labour. Though most of them are just high school educated and a few graduates, a sound orientation in methodologies of carrying out research will enable them to gather data scientifically and reflect on them and work out reports. (For this guidance is sought from professors from renowned institutions like the Insitute for social and Economic Change, the National Law School of India Universtiy and the Bangalore University, all located in the vicinity of the office and tyraining centre of Vimukti Trust.) These findings have the possibilities of being qualitatively rich. This venture is sought to be strengthened in the coming days.

I am so happy Mouli that you have singled out the presence of a committed team of acvitists in our work of eradication of bonded labour in Karnataka and have noticed that a second generation leadership is alredy in place. In all these areas of my involvement wtih bonded labour, th single most factor that gives me satisfaction is the existence teams of committed activists as also leaders among released bonded labourers in all our areas of our invovlement. And all these activists are dalits from villages rroted in their communities and hence they will continue to carry out the task of eradicating bonded labour and championing the cause of dalits and fight against the caste system in the years to come. They are not only committed but also enlightned, capable and skilled in many different ways who can empower bonded labourers, fellow dalits, landless workers, women and children. They also function as a team. Participatory and democratic ways functioning are sosught to b established in decision making and execution of programmes. Transparency and accountability is the norm in handling finances and in carrying out responsibilities. I am very confident, the teams at the centre and in the various taluks will surely carry out their task effectively for many more years to come and also be able to adapt themselves to new issues and changed circumstances of bonded labourers and dalits.

SOCO Trust, as an organisation committed to the release and rehabilitation bonded labour has been watching the activities of Vimukti Trust/ Jeevika with great interest as had not only been involved in similar activities but taking positive action to prevent youths from being lured as bonded labourers. Very rightly, it has targeted the youth and adolescents of the Dalit community which is most vulnerable because of various reasons including consuming poverty and illiteracy. Vimukti Trust has showed that intentions do not necessary lead to action and has proved through positive initiative that that the bonded labour phenomenon, formidable as it appears it not beyond eradication provided there is commitment and dedication on the part of the NGOs.

SOCO Trust, which has been identifying and releasing many bonded labourers in northern States, including Goa and Maharashtra is fully aware of the challenges the NGOs have to encounter and the hurdles placed in their way when they undertake the task of releasing bonded labourers. It would not be incorrect to say that Vimukti Trust had been a lodestar to other NGOs involved in similar activities.

The record of Vimukti in this field is not only engrossing but amazing. It has analysed the causes which leads to youths and adolescents, especially from the Dalit community and has sought to remove them. One of the main causes for the existence of this phenomenon is poverty, which also prevents the children from that community having access to eduction, in spite of pious platitudes and announcements. That the Trust had taken positive steps to provide education to the children who are vulneratble to be abducted as bonded labourers is a path breaking initiative, which other NGOs engaged in similar activities could emulate.

Though based in Karnataka, Vimukti is known the nation over having established a name for itself and SOCO Trust has been privileged to be associated with this great organisation.

Thank you vijesh for your support. You have rightly noted the deep divisions of 'high' and 'low' castes in Indian villages and the challenge to change the attitudes of people taking several generations. Bonded labour in India cannot be tackled just with economic measures or with legal sanctions. Vimukti Trust believes that bonded labour is initmately linked to the caste sytem, becuase a majority of the bonded labourers are dalits and adivasis. Bonded labour can be effectively abolished when we do away away with the pernicious system of caste, which is not only about social inequality but also disregard of sweating labour. While implementing the legal provisions of the Bonded Labour System abolition Act through teh judiciary, the administration and the police, we also devote a oot of energy in "psychological rehabilitation", making bonded labourers and dalits appreciate their rights and dignity enshrned in our Constitution and building up their agency through unionisation and organisation building.

I appreciate your support Sanjit. You have highlighted our work on eradication of bonded labour, education of chold labourers and Siddis. Bonded labour can be effectivly eradicated if we see that all children get quality education. With universalisation of quality elementary ducation, child labour will be definitely stopped and hopefully, also bonded labour. But for universalisation of qulaity education, there should be a change in the policies of the government and enhancement of allocation of finances. While Vimukti Trust joins other networks in campaigning for the universalitation of education, it also undertakes a few residential bridge courses for child labour in some areas of its involvement. But there is a need for carrying out many such bridge courses in many other areas. We have developed some effective methods for the remedial education of child labourers and are still devising some more modules.

Till VimuktiTrust/Jeevika started championing the cause of bondedlabourers in Karnataka in 1990, the Karnataka Government was making declarations since 1980 that it had wiped out bondedlabour, because, in 1978-1980, it had identified the highest number of bondedlabourers in the country. When the GOK was challenged with the evidence of bondedlabour from Anekal taluk(sub-district), the minister concerned readily agreed to take up action accroding to the law. However, the bureaucracy refused taking action for the entire state and reverse its proclaimed stand. It was thinking that BondedLabaour Act istelf was defunct. VimuktiTrust however undertook many agitations and made continuous representations to the authorities. The legal Ministry told the minstry handling bondedlabour in 1992 that the Act was still in operation and the government was bound to take action. From 1992 till 1999, the GOK carried out surveys on bondedlabour three times. But the administration reported no case of bondedlabour though VimuktiTrust through its surveys in 48 out of the 175 taluks had identified nearly 20,000 bondedlabourers. In 2000, the conscience of the govenrment was shaken when a case of five bondedlabourers, made to work in stone quarry for more than three years with both their legs in chains weighing 15 kgs each and soldered at the ankles, was reported on front pages of all the dailies in the state on 22 June 2000. The GOK immediately took a firm resolve to identify and rehabiltate bondedlabourers wherever they were found. From that time, GOK has ben seeking the activists of VimuktiTrust to train its officials on the concept of bondedlabour and the methodology of idetifying it; it has involved them on the task froces and vigilance committees on bondedlabour in taluks and districts. It also invited Kiran Kamal Prasad to draw up a Plan of Action on bondedlabour which has been approved in 2007 and now is the task to make the GOK take continuous action according to it and advocate other states to follow suit.

You have rightly noted that VimuktiTrust/Jeevika reaches out effectively to a large number of bonded labourers including children and dalit youth activists in a large geographic area, now covering almost the entire state of Karntaka, i.e., having dalit youth and bonded labourers being identified in at least five villages in nearly 150 taluks (sub-districts) out the 176 in Karnataka. I consider sustainability has two aspects, one, ensuring continuity of involvement through building up a committed cadre of activists and two, ensuring viable financial resources both for supporting personnel and programmes. Of the two, I consider the former of greater importance, though the latter is also necessary. Vimukti Trust has spent most of its energy so far in building up committed, motivated and enlightened dalit youth activists to take up the cause of bonded labour. Since a majority of the bonded labourers are dalits, the activists chosen are mostly dalits. It is my experience, that in tackling issues of bonded labour, child labour or any social evil that pertains to dalits, mostly non-dalits hardly show any interest or commitment. I have also come across a policy directive from the Government of India to all the states that personnel dealing with bonded labour issues must be recruited from dalit and adivasi communities. And I find that a large number of dalit youth can be mobilised and motivated to take up the cause of bonded labour and related issues. But the greatest difficulty we have faced so far is mobilising adequate finances to support activists and activities. The dalit youth, though talented but coming from rural areas with faulty education face immense difficulties in getting remunerative jobs and they come from a background of abject poverty. Vimukti Trust so far had not concentrated on mobilising adequate financial resources. Even then a large number of activities are carried out covering vast areas. It has a great concern to pool together the finances required.

I have known Kiran and VImukti Trust for three years. I first met them while visitin India as part of an international conference on marginalized African communities in East Asia. I learned about VImukti trust and its struggle for bonded chidlren, aiming to prevent child labour through universalisation of quality elmentary education. Over the years I have followed their work, mianly that which is concerned with bringing these bonded children back to school and promoting their registration in courses that will enable them to get admitted to goverment schools and government run hostels in standards appropriate to their age. In addition I have learned how this NGO speaks with the childrens' parent in order to bring about cahnge in attitude so these parents will also be involved in the struggle against child labour. As said the main emphasise is getting the children to school expanding their skills andenableing them to get tools to handle life better. VIMUKTI trust has done research and surveys, supported by UNESCO in an attempt to both strenghten their knowledge and improve their efficiency. Througout the time they have been involved they have sufferedd from lack of funds yet they still managed to run four batches of 50 children each. Amazingly, thanks to good educational programs the teachers involved in this program are able to make children appear for the 5th standard after four months only!!!!! this is a huge sucess. . From what I know, the NGO's next initiative is to teach these kids English and develop orientation courses in maths and science. Kiran, which is the founding father and the "human engine" behind all of this is a dedicated, smart and hard working person with a deep committment for human rights,mainlt children rights. I sallute Kiran for his work and know that he has been an insporation to many many others worldwide. Dr. Galia Sabar, Hotline for Migrant workers and victims of human traficking, ISrael and Chair, African Studies, Tel Aviv University,Israel.

Thank you Radhika for your appreciation for our work with bonded chidlren, aiming to prevent child labour through universalisation of quality elmentary education and exapnding it to newer areas where the exploitation of children is rampant. But for lack of adequate finances we have not been able to do much. From the initial emphasis in 1990 on lobbying and advocacy with the governement to implement the law on bonded labour and organising and consicentizing bonded labourers, who were mainly adults, in 1997, we moved to specifically concentrate on bonded children through taking up back to school programme involving activities like tracking bonded and working children, bringing them together for one year intense residential bridge courses enabling them to get admitted to goverment schools and government run hostels in standards appropriate to their age, educating the parents and villagers against child labour and on child rights. The inspiration for this was the suggestion by two lecturers participating in a seminar organised by us on Bonded Labour Day on January 26, 1997. They told us that bonded labour could be effectivley stopped if we saw to it that every child went to school and acquired a good education. We took up the sugggestion in right earnest the same year. In the very next year we carried out a survey of child labour in 16 other taluks with support from UNESCO; but could not take up concrete activities for lack of funds. Now we are able to run four batches of 50 children each. I adopoted my earlier programme on adult education based on Freire's methods to suit the children and through that programme our teachers are able to make children appear for the 5th standard after four months. Now we are busy working our a course to make the children speek English in six days. We also want to develop orientation courses in maths and science to inculcate in them a laove and eagerness tolearnthem.

It was so nice of you claude to highlighted some of my 'achievements' and concerns. You have rightly idtfied my main contributions in the field of bonded labour, Siddis (Afircan Disproa in Karnataka/India) and adult literacy based on Freire. In all these areas, involvement was accompanied by research and study and publication and, while identifying with the people concerned, also worked towards bringing about the necessary policy changes and tackling the evil systemically so as to make a lasting contribution. I am happy to note the work on bonded labour has just now resulted in the policy document approved by the government of Karnatka on action on bonded labour. (Our current task would be to see that the GOK follows that policy document.) Similary the invovlement with siddis resulted in the publication of a monograph on their identity and making them included in Scheduled Tribe list in 2003. The booklets on adult education based on Freire's methods were used in the first experimental year of National Literacy Mission in Karnataka for achieveing universal adult literacy. Because of those booklets, the director of Adult education invited me to lead the adult education efforts in one taluk and told me that they were very effective and would be used for the whole state. But much more important for me is the fact that bonded labourers, agricultlrual workers, dalit youth and siddi youth (including women) have taken up effective leadership in their communities and the movements, which I feel is ultimate guarantee for bringing about any lasting change

thank you Chand Peer. In the highly inegalitarian, hierarchical caste society of India, it is a daunting task to put into practice democratic, participatory and transparent principles of functioning. further, if we want to fight against the unjust forces against us, we also require to give witness to a counter culture in our own life and functioning. With that concern, Vimukti Trust and Jeevika have attempted to put into practice democratic and participatory processes in their functioning. We are also aware that we have a long way to go to give full witness to our ideals. I also earnestly hope that the team spirit and the team structures will go from strength to strngth.