Satish Kumar

Satish Kumar (born 9 August 1936) is an Indian‑British activist, writer, and educator whose life spans the realms of spiritual renunciation, nuclear disarmament, and ecological stewardship. Born in Sri Dungargarh, Rajasthan, India, he left his family at the age of nine to become a Jain monk, an early commitment that ingrained a deep reverence for non‑violence and the natural world. At eighteen he abandoned monastic life after reading Mahatma Gandhi, joining the Gandhian disciple Vinoba Bhave and absorbing ideas of non‑violent resistance and land reform that would shape his future campaigns. In June 1962 he embarked on a historic peace walk with E. P. Menon, travelling over 8,000 miles on foot without money, delivering “peace tea” to the leaders of the four nuclear powers and proving that moral conviction can traverse geopolitical boundaries; this pilgrimage is chronicled in his acclaimed autobiography No Destination. After settling in England in 1973, Kumar founded Schumacher College, an international centre for ecological studies, and served as editor of Resurgence & Ecologist from 1973 to 2016, steering the publication to become a spiritual and artistic flagship of the green movement. As Editor Emeritus, he continues to champion sustainable living, contributing essays, radio segments, and documentaries such as Earth Pilgrim that inspire audiences worldwide. His extensive bibliography, including You Are, Therefore I Am and Elegant Simplicity, reflects a philosophy that reverence for nature must underpin every political and social debate. Recognised with honorary doctorates from Plymouth University, Lancaster, and Exeter, as well as the Jamnalal Bajaj International Award, he remains a vocal proponent of realistic alternatives to the destructive policies of “realist” leaders. Today he lives a simple life in Hartland, Devon, with his partner June Mitchell and their two children, continuing to speak, write, and teach about the interconnectedness of soul, soil, and society.