Founder of CORD, a tireless champion of Adivasi rights and rural empowerment
Kushalnagar | Bengaluru:
Mr. Vijayasingh Ronald David, popularly known as Roy David, the Founder Secretary and Director of CORD (Coorg Organisation for Rural Development), Kushalnagar, passed away due to cardiac arrest on his way from Bengaluru to Kushalnagar. He was 74. His sudden demise has left a deep void in the lives of thousands of indigenous families, rural poor, social activists, and development workers across Karnataka and India.
Roy David was not merely a social worker; he was a revolutionary voice of the oppressed, a courageous activist who dedicated his entire life to the cause of the poor, marginalized, landless, and indigenous communities. With his passing, Karnataka has lost one of its most committed grassroots leaders—an individual who lived and worked for social justice until his final breath.
CORD, the organization he founded in 1981, has been widely known as a secular, apolitical, voluntary, not-for-profit organization, committed to the emancipation and empowerment of the underprivileged, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, or gender. Under Roy David’s leadership, CORD became a powerful platform for sustainable rural development, human dignity, and community-based empowerment.
A LIFE BORN OUT OF STRUGGLE AND COURAGE
The origins of CORD are deeply rooted in Roy David’s personal journey. As a young activist during the implementation of the Land Reforms Act under the then Devaraj Urs Government, Roy David fought bravely for the rights of tenants. During this struggle, he survived a near-fatal murderous attack by landlords in Mangalore. Yet, he did not retreat. He continued the movement with unmatched determination and ensured land rights for nearly 99% of the tenant farmers, a landmark achievement that remains a historic chapter in Karnataka’s social justice movements.
This life-altering experience pushed him to dedicate himself entirely to the cause of the exploited. He travelled to Dharavi, Mumbai, where he underwent training in community organization for six months. During his stay, he became actively involved in the rights of slum dwellers and organized them under the banner PROUD (Peoples Responsible Organisation of United Dharavi).
CORD: A MOVEMENT, NOT JUST AN ORGANISATION
Returning to his hometown in Kodagu, Roy David found himself once again confronting injustice. When people were threatened with eviction in the name of the Sundarnagar Industrial Corridor project from Kushalnagar to Harangi, Roy David rose as their defender. His activism during this period led to the birth of CORD in 1981, after a year-long struggle to protect people’s land and livelihoods.
In 1984, the indigenous Adivasi communities of the region approached him for support. They belonged to the Soliga community and were living in unimaginable conditions—surviving on mud, suffering from extreme malnutrition, premature pregnancies, and the death of children. Roy David was deeply moved. What he witnessed became the turning point of his life. From that moment onward, he dedicated himself completely to the empowerment of forest-dwelling and indigenous communities.
Over the decades, Roy David became one of the most respected grassroots leaders in Karnataka, especially among Adivasis and tribal communities. His efforts contributed immensely toward awareness and advocacy related to land rights, forest rights, education, health, livelihood, and human dignity.
A PIONEER IN FOREST RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
Roy David was widely known as one of the early champions of tribal land rights and an active voice during the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, supporting communities in understanding their constitutional and legal rights. He stood firmly with the forest dwellers against exploitation and displacement, and his voice remained fearless in the face of power.
His life’s mission was rooted in the belief that development is meaningless unless it restores dignity, justice, and rights to the poor.
AN IRREPLACEABLE LOSS
The news of his death has shocked activists, community leaders, civil society organizations, and thousands of tribal families who considered him their guardian, guide, and voice. Many have described him as a fatherly figure, a mentor, and a courageous warrior who fought for the people without seeking fame or recognition.
His passing is not just the loss of an individual, but the silencing of a strong moral voice that stood for the marginalized.
TRIBUTES POUR IN
Condolences and tributes have been pouring in from across the state. Many remembered him as a man of simplicity, discipline, and compassion. For the poor and forest communities, he was not “Sir” by title alone—he was “Sir” by the respect he earned through decades of sacrifice.
A senior activist remarked, “Roy David was one of the rare leaders who lived among the people, fought alongside them, and never compromised on justice. His life is a lesson for future generations.”
A LEGACY THAT WILL LIVE FOREVER
Though Roy David is no more, the spirit of his work lives on through CORD and through the empowered lives of thousands of families whose struggles he transformed into hope.
His life was a powerful message:
“Justice is not charity; it is a right.”
As Karnataka mourns this irreparable loss, the people of Kodagu and the indigenous communities he served bow their heads in gratitude to a man who dedicated his life to the forgotten and voiceless.
May God grant eternal peace to his noble soul.
Roy David will remain forever alive in the hearts of the oppressed and the history of social justice movements.
Reporter Laxman Mule Mundgod UttarKannada
