Social activist Sanjit Bunker Roy dies
Sanjit Bunker Roy, a renowned social activist and founder of Barefoot College, has died at 81 in Rajasthan, India. He dedicated over five decades to rural development and women's empowerment, establishing Barefoot College in 1972, which gained international recognition for training rural individuals, particularly women, in practical skills like solar energy and water conservation.
Why it matters
Roy's work significantly impacted rural communities globally by empowering marginalized individuals with practical skills, demonstrating that informal education can drive sustainable development and improve livelihoods.
Jaipur Renowned social activist and Barefoot College founder Sanjit Bunker Roy, who spent more than five decades working for rural development and women's empowerment, died at his home in Tilonia in Rajasthan's Ajmer district on Tuesday (November 10, 2026) morning. He was 81. Mr. Roy breathed his last in the presence of his wife, noted social activist Aruna Roy, and others close to him, people associated with him said in a statement in Jaipur. "Bunker Roy passed away peacefully at 6.15 a.m. this morning with Aruna and others around him. He went as he wanted to, in his own home in Tilonia, surrounded by some of the countless people who loved and cared for him deeply and passionately," the statement said. Activist Nikhil Dey said the funeral will take place in Tilonia at 4 p.m. Mr.
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