User Memberships:

Jayanand Hambeer Derekar, born in 1975 in Deriye village, within the Kali tiger Reserve in Karnataka’s Uttar Kannada district, is a prominent social activist and academic from Kunbi community. The Kunbis originally from Goa have resided in the dense forests of Joida in the  western Ghats for over 500 years maintaining a lifestyle deeply connected to the land and its resources. Despite growing up in an isolated community with limited access to education and infrastructure, Jayanand excelled academically, topping his PUC II at BGVS college Joida, with the support of mentors, he pursued higher education. Bachelors degree in Commerce from Shivaji College Baad, Karwar followed by  Master’s in Sociology from KSOU Mysore and Ph. D in Sociology, Research topic “Sociological Insights into People’s Participation in Forestry Programmes: A Study in Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka”, University of Mysore Mysuru (2018) under the guidance of Prof. R. Indira, Former Professor of Sociology, University of Mysore, Mysore.

Worked in the capacity of Conservation Officer in Kali Tiger Reserve, Dandeli for Wildlife Conservation Society- India Bangalore(April 2012 to November 2024). During this period worked for implementing Livelihood Support Programme of WCSI for the forest communities  living in dense forest region to protect forests and wildlife and the Karnataka Forest Department supported voluntary relocation/rehabilitation of families from Kali Tiger Reserve, Dandeli.

Served as Coordinator of Literary and Cultural Programmes organised and executed under the aegis of Children’s Literary Club, Mysore under the direction of Dr R. Purnima, Director, Children’s Literary Club and former Professor of English, KSOU, Mysore, via both online and onsite mode. The workshops were designed to help tribal children and students to strengthen their English language skills, general knowledge and theatrical skills in English.

Facilitated local logistic support to implement remote village solar electrification programme in the Joida taluk of U. K. district. As of now, 240 households got solar electrification in 14 remote villages namely, Vageli, Mayare, Pisose, Soliye, Padshet, Diggi, Sisai, Kasamba, Bulbule, Karanje Asulli, Ghatkunan, Khangaon and Kanne trough Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Renewable Energy Development (MGIRED), Bangalore.

Worked as the Manager for The Supa Taluk Agricultural Produce Co-operative Marketing Society Ltd. Jagalbet, Taluk, Joida, Uttara Kannada district for a period of 6 years (2006-12).

Worked as Collaborating Researcher in the Action Research Project entitled Governance Engendered: Bridging the Gap between Policy and Performance, Department of Studies in Sociology, University of Mysore and Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Principal Investigator Prof. R. Indira, August 2011 to February 2012.

Worked as Project Assistant in SHARP Project entitled Building of Rural Communities through People’s Institutions: Self-Help Groups as Channel for Infrastructure Building and Economic Empowerment, Shastri Indo Canadian Institute, New Delhi in the Department of Studies in Sociology, University of Mysore, September 8, 2003, to January 31, 2006.

Worked as Community Research Intern in the CIDA SHASTRI Partnership Project entitled Empowering Women through Forestry: The Role of Indigenous Women in Forestry Development Programmes, Department of Studies in Sociology, University of Mysore. As a community researcher I was involved in data collection, data analysis, report writing, organizing workshops and validation of data in the field area (Uttara Kannada district) for a period of one year and five months from January15, 2000 to May 2001.

Publication Assistance  :Two Kannada Training manuals published by SIRD Mysore translated into Marathi for Elected Panchayat Members: Panchayat Raj Prashnala Uttar and Janadhikar, Action Research Project Publication 2012.

Baseline Data on Villages in the Joida taluk of Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka (Kannada): Shastri Applied Research project publication 2006. Editors: R. Indira and Karim Aly Kassam

Articles published :

Developmental Impact of Joint Forest Planning and Management (JFPM) programme on Forest Dependent Communities: Experiences from Joida, Karnataka. Journal of Media and Social Development Vol. 5 Issue 3 July-September 2017.

Impact of Voluntary Relocation on Forest Dwelling Communities in Wildlife Habitat: The Case of Uttara Kannada district. Population and Development, Karnataka Sociology Association, November 30, 2017.

Joint forest Management: a Step towards Decentralized Governance of Natural resources in Karnataka, Journal of Media and Social Development Vol. 3 Issue 4October December 2015.

Sahabhagitva Samajik Samshodhane: Kali Kanive Joida’ d Anubhav, Samajik Tallangalu, Kalajigalu- Kanasugalu, 2015 Editors: P Veerabhadra Naik and. H D. Prashant, pp. 271-282.

Gender Dimension of Care among Forest Dwellers of the Western Ghats, in collaboration with R. Indira and Sumi Krishna, Genderscapes : Revisioning Natural Resource Management 2008, Editor Sumi Krishna. pp. 111-139

Awards and Recognition 

D. Devraj Urs, District level Award for work towards upliftment of Backward classes in the year 2022 by Zilla Panchayat, District Administration and District Backward Classes Welfare Department Uttar Kannada district Karwar

Deccan Herald, The Daily English News Paper recognized me one Among 21 DH Changemakers of Karnataka in 2021 for working in the field of Community Development, Uttar Kannada district.

Gaonkar Memorial Foundation, Basgod, Uttar Kannada district honored me for my work in Forest conservation and forest dwelling Communities in the year 2021

Plant Genome savior Community Award for ‘Kunbi Mudli’ with technical support from Central Tuber Crop Research Institute Trivandrum, Kerala and Bhubaneshwar Orissa. won  National Award of Rs. 10 Lakhs for Kunbi Community of Joida Taluk from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, Government of India New Delhi.

Set up Farmers Producers Company with 10 likeminded friends in Joida taluk having 1000 farmers as shareholders to improve agriculture in the Joida region and livelihood of the forest communities, “KALI FARMERS PRODUCER COMPANY LTD” in July 2021.

Formed Tuber Growers Association ( Gadde Genasu Belegarar Sangha Joida) for development and conservation of tuber diversity grown by local communities of Joida region.

Memberships in organizations:

Director, Kali Farmers Producer Company Ltd. Kumbarwada, Joida

Director, The Supa Taluka Agriculture Produce Co operative Marketing Society Ltd. Jagalbet. Joida Trustee and Secretary, Sanjivani Seva Trust Joida,                                                                                              Trustee and Treasurer, Samrudhi Foundation, Mysore                                                                              Director & Treasurer, Kali Tourism Association, Joida