Ameer Shahul

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| name = Ameer Shahul

| image = Ameer Shahul.jpg

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| birth_place = Pangode, Kerala, India

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| education = Steinbeis-Hochschule Berlin (MBA), Cochin University of Science and Technology (MSc), St John's College, Anchal, University of Kerala (BSc)

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| occupation = Author, Environmentalist

| notable_works = {{ubl|Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal}}

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| website = {{URL|https://www.ameershahul.com/}}

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Ameer Shahul is an Indian author and environmentalist who is known for his work against Unilever in Kodaikanal mercury poisoning. His first non-fiction book titled Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal was published by Pan Macmillan in 2023.{{cite news |title=Heavy Metal | url=https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/ameer-shahul/heavy-metal/9789390742028/ | work=Pan Macmillan |date=2023-02-09 | first= Pan | last=Macmillan India | access-date=18 June 2023 }} Heavy Metal won the '2024 Book of the Year' award from the Green Literature Festival, under the 'Green Business' category. {{cite news |title=Book of the Year – Award Winners| url= https://greenlitfest.com/glf-honour-book-awards// |date=2024-12-08 | first= Literature Festival | last= Green | access-date=21 December 2024}} The book was longlisted for the prestigious Tata Literature Live! Literary Awards 2023 under the Best Non-Fiction First Book category. {{cite news |title=TATA LITERATURE LIVE! LITERARY AWARDS LONGLISTS FOR 2023 ANNOUNCED | url= https://tatalitlive.in/tata-literature-live-literary-awards-longlists-for-2023-announced/ |date=2023-10-09 | first= Tata | last=LiteratureLive | access-date=24 October 2023}}{{cite news |title=Tata Literature Live announces longlists for its fiction, nonfiction, and business books awards | url= https://scroll.in/article/1057312/tata-literature-live-announces-longlists-for-its-fiction-nonfiction-and-business-books-awards | newspaper=Scroll.in |date=2023-10-09 | first= Scroll | last=In | access-date=24 October 2023}}

Environmentalist

Shahul worked with Greenpeace since 2002 on a campaign against mercury pollution by Unilever in Kodaikanal, industrial pollution committed by the FMCG company in the hill station of Tamil Nadu, known as Kodaikanal mercury poisoning.{{cite web|last=Lawrence M|first=Salinger|title=Encyclopedia of White-Collar & Corporate Crime, Volume 1|url=https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/encyclopedia-of-white-collar-and-corporate-crime/book237970|publisher=Sage Publications|accessdate=6 February 2014}} He led the public affairs groups and ex-workers to force the company collect 290 tonnes of mercury waste disposed in and around the factory site and send back to the United States for permanent retirement in 2003.{{cite web |work=The New York Times |title=Hazardous Waste Is Shipped From India to U.S. Recycling Plant |author=Saritha Rai |date=May 7, 2003 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/07/world/hazardous-waste-is-shipped-from-india-to-us-recycling-plant.html |accessdate=2019-06-06}}{{cite web |author=Saritha Rai |date=May 8, 2003 |title=Activists hail 'reverse dumping' as India sends waste to U.S. |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-73787744.html |work=International Herald Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611035628/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-73787744.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 June 2014 }} Shahul along with campaigner Navroz Mody led environmental and local community groups in lobbying for remediation of the site,{{cite book |last=Fernando |first=A.C. |title=Business Ethics And Corporate Governance |date=2010 |publisher=Pearson Education India |location=New Delhi |page=9.14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_32bJs_nfNIC&pg=SA9-PA14|isbn=9788131734629 }} and initiated an investigation by the Department of Atomic Energy of Government of India, which found that the mercury levels in the atmosphere of Kodaikanal was up to 2640 times more than normal conditions.{{cite journal |author1=D. Karunasagar |author2=M.V. Balarama Krishna |author3=Y. Anjaneyulu |author4=J. Arunachalam |title=Studies of mercury pollution in a lake due to a thermometer factory situated in Kodaikkanal |url=http://kodaimercury.org/backdoor/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Report-Mercury-CCCMB.pdf |journal=Environmental Pollution |volume=143 |issue=1 |date=September 2006 |pages=153–158 |doi=10.1016/j.envpol.2005.10.032 |pmid=16412540 |accessdate=2019-06-06}}{{cite web |title=Closed Unilver factory source of Mercury Pollution |url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/Deccanherald/jan172004/n9.asp |work=Deccan Herald |date=January 17, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222041628/http://archive.deccanherald.com/Deccanherald/jan172004/n9.asp |archive-date=2014-02-22}}{{cite web |title=Hindustan Lever Limited Found Guilty again |date=February 4, 2004 |url=http://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/news/the-department-of-atomic-resea/ |publisher=Greenpeace |accessdate=2019-06-06}} Shahul also led a team of activists and volunteers to spook the annual general body meeting of Hindustan Unilever in Mumbai in 2003 and 2004.{{cite web |title=Greenpeace spooks HLL AGM; Demand Public Apology for Kodaikanal Mercury disaster |date=August 4, 2004 |url=http://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/news/greenpeace-spooks-hll-agm-dem/ |publisher=Greenpeace |accessdate=2019-06-06}}

He campaigned against the practices of ship breaking in Indian shores for hazardous waste disposal,{{Cite news |last=TNN|first=Times of India |date=2003-11-24 |title=Asbestos to be cleaned up before UK ship is broken|language=en-IN |work=Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/asbestos-to-be-cleaned-up-before-uk-ship-is-broken/articleshow/301669.cms|access-date=2023-03-11}}{{Cite web |date=2003-11-24 |title=Ban Kannur ship-breaking yard: Greenpeace|url=https://www.rediff.com/money/2003/oct/16kannur.htm|access-date=2023-03-11 |website=www.rediff.com}} and against ground water exploitation and waste dumping by Coca-Cola in Kerala known as Plachimada Coca-Cola struggle.{{Cite news |last=Venugopal |first=P |date= Aug 7, 2003 | title=Tests Confirm Toxicity In Sludge From Coke Plant |work=The Hindu |location=Kochi |url=https://countercurrents.org/glo-venugopal070803.htm }}{{cite web |work=Domain.b |title=Red wrath for Coke in green Kerala|url=https://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_c/coca-cola_india/20030806_kerala.htm|accessdate=2019-03-11}} He also brought to notice the worst incident of a state owned company continuing to manufacturing the globally banned DDT.{{Cite news |last=Iype |first=George |date=Oct 10, 2003 | title=Eloor is one of the world's most toxic spots |work=Rediff.com |location=Kochi |url=https://www.rediff.com/money/2003/oct/10toxic.htm }}

Author

In 2023, Pan Macmillan published his book titled, Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal.{{cite news |title=Mercury poisoning can affect generations to come, says Eric Solhiem |url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/mercury-poisoning-can-affect-generations-to-come-says-eric-solheim/articleshow/99002911.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |date=2023-03-26 | first=of India | last=Times | access-date=24 June 2023 }}{{cite news |title='Mercury may be present in Kodaikanal forest soil for centuries' | url= https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/mercury-may-be-present-in-kodaikanal-forest-soil-for-centuries/article66661779.ece | newspaper=The Hindu |date=2023-03-26 | first= The | last=Hindu | access-date=24 June 2023}} Deccan Herald described the book as 'a blunt and bold account of a tragedy',{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ameershahul/status/1627143466172968964|title=With Lichen and Moss as Allies |last=Shahul|first=Ameer|website=Deccanherald.com|language=en-US|access-date=2023-03-10}} while Malayala Manorama termed it as the gripping take on an industrial tragedy, and of green resistance.{{Cite news |date= February 23, 2023 | title= Heavy Metal: A gripping take on an industrial tragedy, and of green resistance |publisher=Malayala Manorama |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/lifestyle/news/2023/02/23/heavy-metal-gripping-take-industrial-tragedy-green-resistance.html|access-date=2023-03-12 }} Business Line described the book as 'a good pointer to be on our guard and save the environment.'{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/books/reviews/review-heavy-metal-how-a-global-corporation-poisoned-kodaikanal/article66868917.ece |title=Book review: Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal

|last=Somasekar |first=M |date=2017-06-18 |newspaper=The Hindu Business Line |access-date=2023-06-18}}

The Financial Express (India) called it a case study on corporate and regulatory failures,{{cite web |date= June 18, 2023 |work=The Financial Express |title=Kodaikanal's tragedy: From the lens of one incident, a case study on corporate and regulatory failures|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/kodaikanals-tragedy-from-the-lens-of-one-incident-a-case-study-on-corporate-and-regulatory-failures/3130317/|accessdate=2023-07-21}} while The New Indian Express described it as an exceptional book that offers a comprehensive and compelling account of not just the disaster, but also its aftermath.{{cite web |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2023/may/21/following-the-toxic-trail-2576391.html |title=Following the Toxic Trail| last=Parichcha |first=Mayank |date=2023-05-21 |newspaper=The New Indian Express |access-date=2023-09-16}} The Indian Express described the book as a ‘crisp cinematic account of corporate greed and the struggle for justice in India.’{{Cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/heavy-metal-corporate-greed-justice-struggle-india-book-review-8554799/ |title=Heavy Metal is a crisp cinematic account of corporate greed and the struggle for justice in India |last=Neelakantan |first=Murali |date=2023-06-18 |newspaper=The Indian Express |access-date=2023-09-16}} Open (Indian magazine) said ‘that it took Unilever more than 15 years to compensate affected workers is a reminder of the humongous costs of such mistakes’.{{Cite web |url=https://openthemagazine.com/lounge/books/toxic-truths/ |title=Toxic Truths: An investigation into the mercury poisoning of Kodaikanal |last=NP |first=Ullekh |date=2017-06-18 |newspaper= Open Magazine |access-date=2023-06-18}}