Rejimon Kuttappan is a migrant rights defender and independent journalist. He was Chief Reporter for Times of Oman until he was deported in 2017 for exposing human trafficking and modern slavery in the Arab Gulf. Afterwards, he joined Equidem Research and Consulting, a specialist human and labour rights consultancy, as India-Arab Gulf Senior Investigator.
Rejimon regularly contributes to Thomson Reuters Foundation, Middle East Eye, Migrant Rights, Equal Times, Caravan, wire.in, The Lede, The News Minute, etc., writing on workers’ rights, Dalit and tribal struggles, manual scavengers and marginalized people in Kerala.
He is also an ILO-Panos fellow on Forced Labour and advisor to the Ethical Journalism Network. His work was published in Uncertain Journeys: Labour Migration from South Asia (Speaking Tiger, 2018).
Rejimon is also a diplomacy certificate holder on human rights and global tools from University of New South Wales in Australia.
He has also delivered several workshops and seminars in Asia and the Middle East for civil society on identifying worker rights violations, and for journalists on the importance of adopting ethical standards while reporting migrant issues.
Rejimon wrote the book Rowing Between Rooftops: The Heroic Fishermen of Kerala Floods. The book published by Speaking Tiger (2018) was launched by Dr Shashi Tharoor. This book is both a chronicle of heroism and a tribute to the enduring courage of a community that saved Kerala in its moment of need.
In the preface, Dr Tharoor wrote that ‘In Rowing Between the Rooftops, Rejimon brings to life the heroic, life-saving efforts, made by the fishing community of Kerala, particularly those from Thiruvananthapuram… Rejimon writes in a highly readable manner that brings their heroism to life. Each page, filled with heart-warming anecdotes of the valour of our coastal communities…. A work to cherish!
Rejimon is also the founder of ‘MigCall’, a smart phone app launched to help Indian migrant workers in the Arab Gulf lodge complaints about their conditions. The app is recognised officially by Indian External Affairs Ministry.
Rejimon belongs to the Panan Dalit community of Kerala. Historically ballad singers, they recited the acts of great warriors and kings. He wishes to continue their storytelling legacy through this book.