Kavitha Iyer
For twenty years, Kavitha Iyer’s work as a journalist has revolved around recounting the stories of those on the margins, from slum dwellers in Mumbai to indigenous farmers in remote villages. She has written extensively on India’s farm crisis, land rights, land reform, farmer suicides, distress migration and urbanization. After two stints spanning over seventeen years with The Indian Express, she is now an independent journalist.
‘No story of “new” India deserves to be told quite like that of the farmers of Marathwada. It’s a tale of grit and pathos, of those whose lives have been reduced to a farm suicide statistic. By unflinchingly reporting on their plight, Kavitha Iyer fills an important gap in contemporary journalism: this is a book that is a much-needed wake-up call, one that gives a face at last to an unfolding human tragedy.’ - Rajdeep Sardesai, news anchor, journalist and author
‘This is a sad, sad tale of a region so rich with people’s love and resistance but plagued by nature’s betrayal, sahukar’s savagery, landlord’s casteism and the government’s barbarity. Iyer has written a rigorously researched text that will force you to think about my home – Marathwada – that I carry in me. For Marathwada is a consciousness and Iyer has done a phenomenal job of bringing forth the pain and anguish of this unfortunate region. An essential deposition for policymakers, organizers, students and wannabe politicians. It is a welcome addition to the literature on Marathwada politics.’ - Suraj Yengde, scholar and author
‘An evocative and nuanced account of everyday tragedy and some triumphs from a desperate region.’ - Meena Menon, independent journalist and author
‘Only 300 to 600 kilometres from Mumbai, Marathwada has remained an orphaned region, neglected by development processes. Kavitha Iyer’s captivating and compassionate canvas, aptly titled Landscapes of Loss, is an account of the tenacity, grit and life force of the people here – narratives that evoke amazement and agony. Neither the state nor the political class recognizes the struggles of this region’s people against an oppressive social hierarchy. Sometimes, these battles end in farmer suicides. Kavitha’s explorations are a call for policymakers and strategists to wake up to Marathwada’s pain.’ - Kumar Ketkar, Member of Parliament, journalist and author
‘Kavitha Iyer’s book identifies crucial issues of agrarian crisis. Although this subject is somewhat emotional, the author has exerted both logic and passion in making the book timely and relevant. A combination of small holdings, rising input costs, uncertainties in climate and the market for farm goods has impaired farming viability. Cyclical drought engulfs every aspect of the village economy. Iyer brings to light that farmer suicides are not just a reflection of the agrarian crisis but a sad manifestation of the water crisis.’ - Vinayak S. Deshpande, Vice Chancellor (Acting), RTM Nagpur University
