title: Prafulla Samantara
text: # Prafulla Samantara
  
  Prafulla Samantara (born 1952) is an Indian environmental activist from Odisha.
  
  ## Biography
  
  Samantara has been a spokesperson for the Dangaria Kandha indigenous people, in their protest against plans for bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri hill range. A 2013 Supreme Court ruling stopped the mining plans. Samantara was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2017.
  
  