Savitri Devi

Controversial philosopher who blended environmentalism with radical ideologies

Savitri Devi Mukhopadhyay (1905-1982), born Maximiani Portas in France, became one of environmentalism's most unconventional voices. Her 1935 book The Lightning and the Sun presented a unique fusion of Hinduism, environmental ethics, and radical traditionalism that predated modern ecological movements.

Living in India from 1932, she adopted vegetarianism decades before it became mainstream and advocated for animal rights through Vedic principles. Her controversial 1958 manifesto Impeachment of Man argued that human dominance over nature caused ecological collapse, proposing radical population control measures that remain debated.

While her later association with neo-Nazi groups overshadowed her environmental work, scholars note her early warnings about overconsumption anticipated today's climate crisis. The Norwegian Deep Ecology Foundation lists her as "the first philosopher to systemically link human supremacy ideology to ecological destruction".