Girish G. Patil

Girish G. Patil is a first-generation learner from Khandesh, Maharashtra, and a founder and civil society practitioner with over six years of building and holding spaces where young people and communities can lead. His work spans freshwater governance, climate resilience, youth civic participation, and the commons, with deep roots in both rural Maharashtra and Pune, where he studied and has worked closely on rivers and water governance.

He is experienced in building and coordinating programmes and communities, multi-stakeholder facilitation, field research, and public writing in Marathi and English. His practice is committed to work that trusts young people and communities with real responsibility, and that stays alongside them as they lead.

Girish comes from a marginalised farming family in Waghlud village, North Maharashtra. As a first-generation learner, he was the first in his village to pursue a master's degree at an institution such as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

His journey in activism began at the age of sixteen, when he stood against illegal sand mining in the Girna River. This experience exposed him to the degradation of ecosystems and its profound impact on communities, and set him on a path of environmental advocacy. It also led to his connection with Dr. Rajendra Singh, the revered water conservationist known as the Waterman of India, whose mentorship deepened his understanding of river systems and inspired him to become the first National Youth Convenor of Jal Biradari, a national network dedicated to water conservation. This role allowed him to travel across India, exploring the multidimensional significance of rivers in people's lives, and heightened his awareness of the socio-ecological challenges rivers face.

During his undergraduate studies in Economics at Fergusson College, Pune, Girish recognised the need to create youth advocates for rivers. This led him to initiate grassroots programmes such as Nadi Ki Pathshala, an educational advocacy campaign that nurtured a generation of river stewards. Concurrently, his involvement with Pune River Revival allowed him to combine activism and research, leading to advocacy in courtrooms (the National Green Tribunal), on the streets, and in policy spaces, including his opposition to the concretisation-focused Riverfront Development Project on the Mula-Mutha River.

In 2020, he founded YOGI: Youth Organization for Green India, a platform working at the intersection of climate change and social justice, with youth engagement at its core. In 2022, he was appointed one of the youngest members of the Maharashtra Government's committee for river rejuvenation. After completing his master's at TISS, rather than taking a conventional job, he chose to return home to lead YOGI full-time, believing that this is where the work matters most.