Nana Patekar ruled the screen, but his real fight was for dying farmers

Veteran actor Nana Patekar, who died at the age of 75 on Thursday, leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond Indian cinema.Alongside his acclaimed five-decade acting career, Patekar devoted a significant part of his later life to Maharashtra’s drought-hit farmers and the state’s growing water crisis.Patekar died at his residence in Goa after suffering a cardiac arrest, according to reports. His death prompted tributes not only from the film industry but also from political leaders who recalled his social work and his association with farmers through the Naam Foundation. Patekar continued to speak publicly about water conservation until the final months of his life. (Photo: PTI) For Patekar, the turning point came in 2015, when reports of farmer distress and suicides in drought-hit Maharashtra deeply affected him. He went on to spearhead the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure in September that year. The organisation was created in response to severe drought, water shortages and the growing distress among farming communities.Naam’s work went beyond immediate financial assistance. It focused on creating longer-term solutions to Maharashtra’s water crisis, including restoring canals and abandoned water projects, rejuvenating rivers, desilting water bodies and improving groundwater availability. Through Naam, he helped push water conservation, groundwater recharge and rural resilience. (Photo: PTI) The foundation also worked on irrigation, farm ponds, nala and stream deepening and groundwater recharge.According to Naam Foundation, between 2015 and 2025 its water-conservation efforts helped restore 2,246 water sources and rejuvenate 178 rivers. It also undertook work on 515 streams and nalas and restored 769 percolation tanks.The organisation says these projects created water-storage capacity of more than 40,000 crore litres and directly benefited more than 77 lakh farmers.Patekar continued to speak publicly about water conservation until the final months of his life.In May 2026, he addressed the Nagpur Jal Samvad, where he argued that water conservation needed to become a genuine public movement rather than an exercise in publicity. He called on citizens to take responsibility for saving every possible drop of water.At the event, Patekar also recalled how the plight of a farmer’s widow had inspired his work in water conservation and rural welfare.His contribution, therefore, was not limited to writing cheques or lending celebrity status to a cause. Through Naam, he helped push water conservation, groundwater recharge and rural resilience into the centre of his public life.The actor may have left the stage, but the rivers revived, water sources restored, and farmers supported through the movement he helped build remain part of his enduring legacy in Maharashtra.- Ends