Jalgaon: Anuradha Bhosale Conferred With Dr Acharya Avinashi Seva Puraskar

Jalgaon: The prestigious Dr Acharya Avinashi Seva Puraskar, presented by Keshav Smriti Pratishthan and Jalgaon Janata Sahakari Bank Ltd to honour grassroots social workers, has been announced this year for senior social worker Anuradha Bhosale from Kolhapur.

In the organisation category, the institutional-level award has been announced for Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company Ltd, a leading agricultural producer company based in Mohadi in Dindori taluka of Nashik district.

The individual award includes Rs 1 lakh and a certificate of honour, while the institutional award carries Rs 1.5 lakh along with a certificate of honour.

The awards will be presented on Sunday, March 1, at 5 pm at Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje Natya Mandir in Jalgaon. Head of Keshav Smriti Seva Sanstha, Dr Bharat Amalkar, and Chairman of Jalgaon Janata Sahakari Bank, Satish Madane, informed in a press conference that senior social worker Padma Shri Popatrao Pawar and State Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan will attend the ceremony as chief guests.

Keshav Smriti Pratishthan has been implementing initiatives in various fields such as social welfare, education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, technology, and financial independence. Chairman Dr Bharat Amalkar stated that the main objective of this award is to identify and honour individuals and organisations working selflessly for deprived, neglected, and marginalised sections of society.

Started in 2012–13, this award is now in its tenth year. Over the past nine years, several service workers contributing significantly in areas such as healthcare, child rights, women’s empowerment, rehabilitation of persons with multiple disabilities, development of a nomadic-free society, and education of children of farmers and sugarcane workers have been honoured.

Dr Anuradha Bhosale has been actively engaged in social work since 1994. Through the Avani Foundation, she has worked extensively for destitute and underprivileged children, child labourers, and migrant workers. She has taken a strong stand against social issues such as child labour, female foeticide, and child trafficking, and has helped bring the children of sugarcane and migrant workers into the mainstream of education. So far, she has played a valuable role in providing educational opportunities to more than 11,500 children.

In 2011, she established Ekti Mahila Sanghatana to organise and advocate for the rights of widows, destitute, and abandoned women. Her work in promoting self-reliance, dignity, and justice for women is widely regarded as exemplary across the state.

Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company Ltd was founded on the vision of Vilas Shinde and has grown with the participation of nearly 17,000 farmers. Today, it is recognised as one of the leading farmer-producer companies in Maharashtra and the country.

With its “seed to plate” approach and use of advanced technologies such as blockchain for quality control and transparent transactions, the organisation has introduced modern management practices in agriculture. Grapes and various fruits are exported to 42 countries, directly connecting farmers to global markets and helping increase their income.

The award selection committee includes Hemlata Amalkar, Anil Bhokare, Pundalik Patil, Vivek Patil, Rahul Pawar, and Bhanudas Yevlekar.

The ceremony on March 1 will celebrate selfless service, social commitment, and inspiring work in society. Chairman Satish Madane expressed confidence that the programme will provide positive direction to the youth.