Vandana Shiva
Environmental activist and founder of Navdanya
- Age
- 73 yrs
- Birthday in 8 days
- Works listed
- 4
- Book
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 1993
- Profile views
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- 0 followers
Vandana Shiva is an environmental activist and writer who founded Navdanya, a movement to conserve native seeds and promote organic farming. Her books and campaigns against genetically modified crops and corporate control of agriculture have made her internationally known, though many scientists dispute her views on GM technology.
Biography
Physicist
Shiva grew up in Dehradun, the daughter of a forest conservator and a farmer. She studied physics and earned a PhD from the University of Western Ontario in Canada on the philosophy of quantum theory. Volunteering with the Chipko movement drew her to environmental work.
Research and writing
In 1982 she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in Dehradun. Her book Staying Alive (1988) linked ecology, women and development and became a key text of ecofeminism, followed by The Violence of the Green Revolution, Monocultures of the Mind and Stolen Harvest.
Navdanya
In 1991 she founded Navdanya (“nine seeds”), which has set up community seed banks across India and trains farmers in organic agriculture. She has campaigned against patents on seeds and plants, including successful challenges to patents on neem and basmati.
Recognition and debate
Shiva received the Right Livelihood Award in 1993 and is a prominent figure in global food movements. Her opposition to genetically modified crops has been criticised by many scientists and science writers, who argue that her claims are not supported by evidence.
Timeline
-
1952
Born in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand)
-
1982
Founds the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology
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1988
Staying Alive
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1991
Founds Navdanya
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1993
Right Livelihood Award
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2005
Neem patent revoked in Europe after her challenge
Notable works
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1988
Staying Alive Book
-
1993
Monocultures of the Mind Book
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2000
Stolen Harvest Book
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2008
Soil Not Oil Book
Awards and honours
-
Right Livelihood Award
1993
Did you know?
-
1
She has a doctorate in the philosophy of physics.
-
2
Navdanya means “nine seeds”.
-
3
She volunteered with the Chipko movement as a young woman.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Vandana Shiva?
Vandana Shiva is an environmental activist and writer who founded Navdanya, a movement to conserve native seeds and promote organic farming. Her books and campaigns against genetically modified crops and corporate control of agriculture have made her internationally known, though many scientists dispute her views on GM technology.
How old is Vandana Shiva?
Vandana Shiva is 73 years old, born on 5 November 1952 in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand).
Where is Vandana Shiva from?
Vandana Shiva was born in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand).
What is Vandana Shiva known for?
Vandana Shiva is best known for Navdanya seed-saving movement; campaigns against GM crops and seed patents; Staying Alive.
What awards has Vandana Shiva received?
Notable honours include Right Livelihood Award (1993).
References
- Vandana Shiva — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Vandana Shiva — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Vandana Shiva — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Vandana Shiva — Goodreads author page. Goodreads. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Vandana Shiva — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Official website. www.vandanashiva.com. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Vandana Shiva (Q235451) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Vandana Shiva”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Vandana Shiva.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/vandana-shiva
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