Veer Bhadra Mishra was the founding president of the Sankat Mochan Foundation.[1]
He was a former professor of Hydraulic engineering and former Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi. He was also the Mahant (High Priest) of the Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple, Varanasi at Varanasi founded by poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas. Dr Mishra was recognized on the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) "Global 500 Roll of Honour" in 1992,[2] and was a TIME Magazines "Hero of the Planet" recipient in 1999 for his work related to cleaning of the Ganges through the Sankat Mochan Foundation.[3] He is one of the members of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) under Ministry of Environment, Govt. of India, which was set up in 2009, by the Government of India as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganges, in exercise of the powers conferred under the Environment (Protection) Act,1986.[4]
His education has helped him understand threats to the Ganges, and since 1982 he has struggled to open the eyes of bureaucrats and the public. Supported in part by aid from the various individuals and some Government agencies of the United States and Sweden, Mishra juggles his roles as priest and activist.
Motivated most of all by "respect and love for the river," Mishra, working with William Oswald, an engineering professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, proposed what is called an Advanced Integrated Wastewater oxidation Pond System (AIWPS). It would store sewage for 45 days, using bacteria and algae to eliminate waste and purify the water. Mishra expects the plan to be adopted but recalls past defeats. "My campaign has been like a game of snakes and ladders. When it has gained speed, a snake has swallowed it up," he says. "But one day I'll dodge all the snakes. Mother Ganges will help me to save her." That's another chant the followers of this modern mahant can truly believe in.
Noted environmentalist and 'mahant' of Sankatmochan temple Prof. Virbhadra Mishra died on 13/3/2013 at Sundar Lal hospital, where he was admitted on March 3 for lung infection.
He was 75 years old. Mishra is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
Veer Bhadra Mishra was the founding president of the Sankat Mochan Foundation.
He was a former professor of Hydraulic engineering and former Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi. He was also the Mahant (High Priest) of the Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple, Varanasi at Varanasi founded by poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas. Dr Mishra was recognized on the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) "Global 500 Roll of Honour" in 1992, and was a TIME Magazines "Hero of the Planet" recipient in 1999 for his work related to cleaning of the Ganges through the Sankat Mochan Foundation. He is one of the members of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) under Ministry of Environment, Govt. of India, which was set up in 2009, by the Government of India as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganges, in exercise of the powers conferred under the Environment (Protection) Act,1986.
His education has helped him understand threats to the Ganges, and since 1982 he has struggled to open the eyes of bureaucrats and the public. Supported in part by aid from the various individuals and some Government agencies of the United States and Sweden, Mishra juggles his roles as priest and activist.
Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra was given the title of Hero of the Planet by the TIME magazine in 1999.
• He was the founder of Sankat Mochan Foundation. He founded Sankat Mochan Foundation in 1982.
• He was also the former professor of Hydraulic engineering, apart from being the former Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the Institute of Technology.
• Mishra was also recognised on United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1992.
• Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra was among the various expert members of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
'सामान बांधा, महंत जी चा निरोप आला आहे'। पंडित जसराज जी के इस आदेश के साथ ही घर वाले समझ जाते थे कि काशी से संकट मोचन संगीत समारोह का बुलावा आ गया। न कोई सौदा, ना कोई डील ,महंत जी की प्यार पगी अपील के बाद रुकने का सवाल ही कहां। बाकी के सारे कार्यक्रम रद और अगले दिन की पहली फ्लाइट से पंडित जी काशी रवाना। यह थी कशिश उस स्नेह और अपनापे की जो शास्त्रीय संगीत के शलाका पुरुष पं. जसराज जैसे व्यस्त महान फनकार को बिना किसी किंतु परंतु के काशी खींचे लिए चली आती थी।
पंडित जसराज ही क्यों, किसका-किसका नाम लें, किसको भूलें जो महंत वीरभद्र जी के स्नेहपाश के इस बंधन से बरी हो। नृत्य के महागुरु पं. केलूचरण महापात्र, आगे चल कर उनकी विरासत संभालते पुत्र रतिकांत, पुत्रवधू सुजाता महापात्र और शिष्या संयुक्ता पाणिग्रही, कथक सम्राट पं. बिरजू महाराज, पं.किशन महाराज, पं. हरिप्रसाद चौरसिया संकटमोचन बाबा की प्रेरणा से ही साध्वी बन गई सुनंदा पटनायक, मोहन वीणा वादक पं.विश्वमोहन भट्ट, पं. राजन-साजन मिश्र, पं. भजन सोपोरी, कौन-कौन संकट मोचन के दरबार में नहीं आया, मारुति नंदन का आशीष और उनके अनन्य सेवक महंत जी का प्रेम प्रसाद नहीं पाया।
रिश्ते-नातों की नींव जब दिल की गहराइयों तक गई हो तो औपचारिकता के भला मायने क्या। सुनंदा जी तो जितने दिन समारोह में रहती थीं, लंच-डिनर सबको विदा, बाबा के चरणों में चढ़ाए जाने वाले प्रसाद पर ही फिदा। बेसन वाले दो लड्डू और दो पुए में परम संतोष। क्या देखा-सुना है किसी ने देश-दुनिया में कोई ऐसा समारोह। संगीत के महाआयोजन का ऐसा आरोह अवरोह जहां लगे मानों मंच से प्रस्तुति न दे रहे हों ..ईष्ट की पूजा कर रहे हों। किसी 'अपने' को उसके 'अपनेपन' की एवज में भाव भरी भेंट दे रहे हों।
प्रोफ़ेसर मिश्र संकटमोचन मंदिर के महंत रहे और साथ ही बीएचयू में प्रोफ़ेसर के पद पर रहते हुए वो मात्र एक रुपया तन्ख्य्वाह लेते थे और बाकी पैसा गरीबों में दान कर दिया करते थे.
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