Governing Body

Mr M.L. Muneesh: President
Mr K Vijayan: Vice President
Mr P.P.Babu Raj: Secretary cum Managing Trustee
Ms Veena Navin: Trustee

A few luminaries attended PLF programs

Justice M F Saldanha (Retd) of Karnataka High Court, Bishop of Mysore Rt. Rev.Dr. Thomas Vazhappilly, renowned journalist Dr Patil Puttappa, Senior advocate of Supreme Court and former director of Indian Social Institute, Delhi Fr.P.D.Mathew, science writer Prof.J.R. Laxman Rao, senior advocate of Madras High Court Ms. Arul Mozhy, Director of People’s Watch Mr. Henri Tiphane, State secretary of Communist Party of India Dr. Siddanagoudana Patil, Director of International Studies of Mysore University Dr.R.Indira, Director of Vimochana, Bangalore, Ms.Dona Fernandez, film maker Mr K.P.Sasi, Journalists Mr B.M.Haneef, Mr Rajashekhar Koti, Mr K B Ganapathi and Mr Krishna Vattam.

Inauguration of PLF

PLF was declared open by Sri G V Hegde, Principal and Sessions Judge of Mysore in a seminar on human rights, organized by PLF on 11th January 2004. Prof. P. Ishwara Bhat, Head of the Department of Law, Mysore University, Prof. K. Ramadas, human rights activist and rationalist and Ms.Kathyayini Chamaraj, freelance journalist graced the occasion and spoke about varied issues of human rights.

PLF Publications

Dharmanirapekshatheya drushtikonagalu (secular perspectives), a compilation of articles written by Alternative Livelihood award winner and scholar Dr Asghar Ali Engineer: This book of articles in Kannada was published in April 2004. The translators are Ms. Usha Baburaj, Ms. Seema Braganza and Mr. Siraj Ahmed. Dr Engineer has dealt with varied secular issues such as role of religion, historical analysis of Hindu-Muslim enmity, personal law, textbooks and communalism, pluralism, media and minorities, educational backwardness of Muslims, Islam and secularism. The cover page was designed by Mr Rafeek Uppinangadi, creative artist and writer, who passed away in 2006. PLF has devoted the book to the victims of communal enmity in India. Publisher: People’s Legal Forum, Mysore and Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS), Mumbai. Copies are available with PLF. Price: Rs.30.

Payana (the journey): First anniversary souvenir of PLF, published in December 2004. It is a bilingual publication wherein you will find interesting articles on human rights in English and Kannada by known writers and activists. The panel of writers included Prof. Ravivarma Kumar, senior advocate and activist based at Bangalore, Mr. D. S. Nagabhushana, Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, Dr.Dharanidevi Malagati, Ms. Kathyayini Chamaraj, Mr Moodnakudu Chinnaswami, Mr Ashok Mathews Philip and Dr.M.S.Veda. Copies are available with PLF. Price: Rs.20.

Organisation Profile

People's Legal Forum was launched in the palace city of Mysore in Karnataka in November 2003 by a few practising lawyers with an objective of defending social justice. Mr P P Baburaj is the founder secretary of PLF.