The lecture was held under the title “Who Are the Voiceless? What Is Freedom for Them?” To introduce the participants to Mr. Sainath’s activities, the event started with the screening of a documentary video created by Mr. Sainath about suicide among rural people suffering hardship due to rural crises. Then, six students (from the Faculties of Foreign Language Studies and of Economics, as well as the International Division) appeared on stage to pose questions to the journalist and have active discussions with him.

When asked why he continues to report on rural villages even though it is distressing to meet the families of the farmers who have committed suicide, Mr. Sainath replied: “Rural villages are a symbol of India’s diversity and are great places for journalists to work. About 833 million people speak 780 different languages, including rare ones. Although it is sometimes hard to report on their stories, I am energized by the beauty, greatness, and human dignity of the rural villages.”

He also explained how current national policies are causing rural people to suffer while the profit-oriented media is not covering these rural crises. He told the audience that despite this, rural people had continued to protest against the agricultural law enacted by the national government, resulting in its abolishment in 2021. “The strength of rural people in India is astonishing and their energy appeals to me.”

Mr. Sainath ended the discussions with a passionate message: “Young people should learn what justice is and take action to achieve it. I hope that you will not lose your vision of where justice lies, no matter what themes you are addressing. I have hope for humanity.”

The students gave a roaring round of applause to all the speakers on the stage after sharing a deep and meaningful time together.