Raju Raut is a multi-faceted personality – environmental activist, student of history, artist, photographer, and poet. Since 1982 he has been very actively participating in ‘Save Rankala Lake’ movement.He is concerned with cleaning of Panchganga River and the drinking water problem of Kolhapur.He has produced a short film about Rankala Lake and written songs about eco-conservation. He has led the movement against immersion of Ganesh idols in Rankala Lake, polluting it and damaging the ecosystem therein.