Every year in October, Hyderabad witnesses a unique gathering–a re-grouping of activists from across the country at the Balagopal Memorial Meeting. This year, the 16th edition of the event will be held on October 12, to commemorate the life and work of K Balagopal, the renowned human rights activist, lawyer, intellectual, writer, and founding member of the Human Rights Forum (HRF).
It might sound like hyperbole, but I often feel like saying about these memorial meets: “Name an activist, and you’ll likely spot them there.”
Sixteen years after he left us, Balagopal’s magnetism endures. He remains a touchstone for progressive politics and left an indelible mark before he passed away on October 8, 2009.
Each year since, HRF has honoured his legacy with a memorial meeting–held physically in Hyderabad, except during the pandemic when we moved it online.
I began working with HRF in 2021, though I had been attending the memorial since 2019. One question always lingered with me: Is Balagopal still relevant to the current generation?
For the older generation of activists, his presence was a lived memory. They knew him well, through organisations, movements and debates from their student years. But what of today’s younger lot? Do they know who he was, the causes he fought for, the work he left us, his legacy?
His memorial meetings gave me the answer.
The Balagopal Memorial is held every year on a Sunday in the first half October, usually at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram (SVK) in Baghlingampally, Hyderabad. The event features speakers from across the country, book launches, documentary screenings, and more–all open to the public.
Last year, on October 6, the event featured academic and writer Achin Vanaik and activist Tashi Choedup as speakers. We had a screening of Prisoner No. 626710 is Present–a film on student activist Umar Khalid who has been jailed for five years under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) with no trial, and several book launches.
As always, HRF’s VS Krishna, a noted activist who has worked closely with Balagopal, arrived early to help campaign for the meet.
Along with a solid social media push, we decided to hold a poster drive by visiting universities across Hyderabad–something we hadn’t done in a few years.
Student Responses: A Living Legacy
Our first stop was the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), where both students and faculty remembered Balagopal as a public intellectual. His articles in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) were not just familiar but actively discussed.
There was a similar response from students at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU).
At the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), Balagopal was remembered for his work on Adivasi issues. Left student organisations referenced his writings on Marxism, while Ambedkarite groups emphasised his deep and sustained engagement with Dalit issues.
At Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), his name came up in discussions around Kashmir and communalism–students noted his incisive critiques and measured perspectives.
But what really surprised me were the responses at Osmania University. Students praised his staunch defence of reservations during the Mandal Commission period, and many had read his works such as Dalita and On Reservations.
One student even described how his friend was explaining Balagopal’s essay on Palestine (Palestina Praja Poratam) near the Arts College lawn.
Krishna wasn’t surprised–he’s done this outreach for years–but I was deeply moved.
And then came NALSAR. I was struck that even first-year BA LLB students knew of Balagopal’s legal work. One of them put it simply: “We all owe him a lot.” That line stayed with me.
Why He Still Matters
Balagopal’s concerns cut across frontiers–Adivasi rights, Dalit struggles, Kashmir, Palestine, Naxalite movement, women’s rights, State repression, communalism, developmental destruction, constitutional rights, and beyond.
He was more than an observer and participant–he set the terms of the debate, shaped conversations, exposed injustices, and offered thoughtful ways forward. Whether as a human rights lawyer, a public intellectual, moral anchor or a grounded activist, his range was extraordinary.
Thanks to the efforts of publishers and comrades, Balagopal’s writings continue to speak to new generations and inspire. Each interaction I had during the university campaign reminded me of his vast body of work and how much more I still needed to read and absorb.
While volunteering to sell his books at the Hyderabad Book Fair, I felt quiet pride seeing people not just buy, but genuinely engage with Balagopal’s writings. It is his ideas, beyond his persona, that inspire me and strengthen my commitment to activism.
The relevance of Balagopal’s work can only be fully grasped through deep engagement, by using it as a foundation to build upon. But his aura, especially among today’s university students, is another matter altogether. It stands unrivalled, and likely unrepeatable.
This year, on October 12 at the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram (SVK), Baghlingampally, we will gather once again to remember and reflect on the life and work of Balagopal. Speakers include sociologist Nandini Sundar, PS Ajay Kumar from the All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) , lawyer Apar Gupta and political analyst Yogendra Yadav.
There will be a book release–a collection of Balagopal’s writings on the Constitution titled Rajyanganni Ela Chudali?--and a short film on Palestine will be screened. Come join us–to listen, to learn, and to keep alive conversations that matter in these truly dark times.
Rohith Talla is an IT employee and activist. He is the Hyderabad City Secretary at the Human Rights Forum.