From Blue Community Ambassador Lyla Mehta, Professor at Institute of Development Studies, UK, & Norwegian University of Life Sciences:
I am totally devasted and shocked to hear that Dr Kamal Kar passed away on May 3. His was the pioneer of Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) that transformed the sanitation sector and is now practised in over 65 countries around the world. Thanks to him talking about ‘shit’ was no longer a taboo from the early 2000s onwards, and the push to open defecation free villages, districts and countries became part of sanitation policies and programmes around the world. Kamal da was a great friend of the Institute of Development Studies and an honorary associate. We worked together since 2006, on a multi-country CLTS programme funded by DFID (as it was known then) and stayed in touch after that. It was quite daunting for me as a then early – mid career researcher to be leading a project with participation and sanitation giants such as Kamal da and Robert Chambers. But Kamal da was always super supportive, enabling and kind. He exuded huge warmth and enthusiasm. He made everybody feel special and important, from villagers and NGO workers in remote districts to government officials. He had boundless energy, passion and enthusiasm – an inspirational changemaker who led by influence and touched so many lives around the world, especially in the WASH and development sectors.
CLTS is not without contradictions, not least due to issues around equity, sustainability and waste disposal. Official programmes can become toilet counting exercises rather than focussing on safety & access. We argued a lot about gender, caste and power dimensions and how they are neglected in the CLTS approach, and also about impacts on the poorest. We also argued and disagreed about Indian and Bengali politics. But despite the arguments, we kept in touch after the projects ended. We had great conversations over delicious meals cooked by his gracious wife Swati and had a lot of fun together on trips and at workshops (see photos). I will always be grateful to him for being my mentor, amazing colleague and friend. Kamal da’s passing is a huge loss for all those who knew him and the world. My heartfelt condolences to his wife Swati and son Zuben and his family. He will be badly missed but we can only take comfort in knowing that Kamal da’s legacy to push for sanitation security and create an open defecation free world will endure.
Thank you Kamal da. Rest in peace and power.
Photos in Lusaka 2015: Kamal Kar with Gavin Collins, Giveson Zulu & me
