Runadhar Trust’s new approach to helping ryots’ kin

Nagpur: To provide stability to family members, especially children, of farmers who have committed suicide, nine prominent persons from the city have come together and established — Runadhar Charitable Society. They plan to establish a hostel and provide skill development training to kin of deceased farmers and monetary assistance every month. 

The nine persons include chairman of Vishvaraj Infrastructure Limited Arun Lakhani, who is president of the trust, corporator Sandip Joshi and Dr Pramod Giri, both vice-presidents, secretary Parag Saraf, joint-secretary Vrushali Deshpande, treasurer Dr Manoj Singarkhiya, and Dayal Mulchandani, Deepa Kale and Prashant Dani as members.

The society and its activities differ from that been done or planned by other social organizations. The team of nine persons established the trust two years ago. They appointed two students who had completed Master in Social Work and conducted a survey to find out what exactly is the main requirement for family members, especially children, of farmers who committed suicide.

Joshi told TOI the initiatives will begin from Nagpur and Wardha district and later across remaining areas of Vidarbha. "Our team's survey over two years included visits to houses of 350 families of deceased farmers in the two districts. One time or regular monetary assistance was not found to be a permanent solution. We realized the need to encourage and train the kin of deceased farmers to get employment or establish businesses. Therefore, we plan to establish a hostel in which skill development training will be given to only kin of deceased farmers along with accommodation in the city. Hostel project will be completed in current year itself. More activities will be planned 

in later stages," he said.

Joshi added that the project will begin with financial assistance to 100 families of deceased farmers. "We have identified 100 families from 14 tehsils in Wardha district and four tehsils in Nagpur district. We received response from 100 persons wishing to adopt a family each. We will deposit cheque of Rs4,000 per month in the account of all 100 families for one year. Then the initiative will be stopped, as we feel continuous financial assistance is not a solution. This is planned as we have to begin with some concrete step," he said.

The society has organized a programme to begin monetary assistance to 100 families on January 26. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will inaugurate the project and distribute cheques to the identified families.

The plan to begin from Wardha and Nagpur districts also differentiates the society's initiative from others. Most social organizations have started their initiatives in Yavatmal district despite the fact that farmers suicides are also witnessed in other districts of the region.

 This New is Originally Posted on The Time of India

OCW’s Arun Lakhani among 7 felicitated for driving positive change in Nagpur

Nagpur: Chairman of Orange City Waters and Managing Director of Vishwaraj Infrastructure Arun Lakhani has been prominently included among the top 7 city personalities who were felicitated on Wednesday for their contribution in bringing about the positive change in various fields. The felicitation was hosted by Sarathi Trust, a Nagpur based socio-cultural not for profit organization.

It may be mentioned here that Sarathi has been playing active role in acknowledging and recognizing the harbinger of growth. SARATHI stands for Small Industries Artists Rural Artisans Talents and Handicrafts Institutions. The NGO has worked in divergent fields such as industries, sports, arts and culture, renewable energy, water-harvesting, abolition of old British Laws and environmental problems for the last 25 years, selflessly.

Here are the 7 dignitaries, who were honored for their respective works,

Water supply is a social-project : Arun Lakhani
It was announced on the dais that Arun Lakhani has been achieving many milestones since his young age. Lakhani reads almost any and every book and has multiple business interests. Arun Lakhani has undertaken the herculean task of 24X7 water supply project in Nagpur. While speaking about the water supply, Lakhani said that water supply project is a social initiative since this project makes one get connected with the masses. He elaborated that the success of any project depends on 4 important components including sustainability, efficiency, accountability and people’s involvement.

He said that unless the project proves right on all the above four points, it can never become successful. Similarly while speaking about the sewage water treatment project he said that optimum use of fresh water should be of primary importance. His company has planned and used the treated water for industry and power-generation thus making the fresh water available for drinking.

Participation is more important than winning medals : Prabhakar Sathe
Prabhakar Sathe is a 75 year-old gentleman who is an accomplished swimmer. He has won 234 medals and has participated in many national and international swimming championships. He has participated in International Championships for Master Swimmers in Sweden, Italy, Russia etc. A former librarian, he has the passion for swimming and is willing to teach swimming to any person of any age.

Unique satisfaction at the completion of every statue : Shriram Ingle
85 year old statue maker Shriram Ingle is one of the oldest statue makers. The statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Gautam Buddha and former leaders that he has made are placed all over Nagpur. He was a recipient of many awards. He was accompanied by his wife Pratibha Tai. Since Shriram Ingle could not speak properly due to old-age, his wife Pratibha spoke on his behalf. She said that she was working in the Anatomy department of Government Medical College and Hospital. After marriage she resigned and joined her husband in the statue making. When asked which statute had made them face a lot of difficulties while making and when finished making had got immense satisfaction, Pratibha said that Raje Raghuji Raje’s statue was the most difficult. However, both had vowed to complete it and complete it well. They got immense satisfaction on completion of the statue.

Following Vishwanath Anand as Role model : Swapnil Dopate
Swapnil Dopate has achieved many awards at a very young age and is the first grand Master of Vidarbha. He too has taken part in many national and international chess championships. Acknowledging his continuous success The World Chess Foundation based in France had awarded with Grand Master. While speaking to the audience, he said that Vishwanath Anand is his idol and he would certainly like to emulate him in his life. He said that anyone seeing Vishwanath would see that he is a simple, sober and humble person not displaying any pride in spite of all his achievements of bringing laurels to the nation.

Every calamity is an opportunity : Ashok K. Gandhi
Ashok K. Gandhi has been excelling in the field of business and trade and currently He providing jobs to 1000 people. After being felicitated A K Gandhi said that he came to the city in a cycle and did face many problems and set-backs. However, following a Chinese Proverb which says that “Every disaster is an opportunity”, he started availing the disasters and problems of the people of the city especially in transportation and started selling two-wheelers. From there he has ventured and diversified into various other businesses.

Youth should be encouraged for research : CD Mayee
Agriculture Scientist C D Mayee has been felicitated for excelling in the field of Agriculture. Chairman of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), former Co-Chairman of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) and yet a very simple and humble person, Mayee said that when he stood in the line of ration shops during his childhood, he decided that something should be done to eradicate this kind of dearth of food grains. He claimed that over the years, we have become number 2 exporter of rice, vegetables. However there is a lot of work remaining to be done. He encouraged the youngsters to enter into the field of agriculture to make India a food sufficient country.

Smart city of smart people : Atal Bahadur Singh
Former Nagpur Mayor Atal Bahadur Singh has been honored with Life Time Achievement Award (Jeevan Gaurav). When asked what his opinion was on Nagpur becoming a Smart City, Atal Bahadur Singh said that since there are lots of smart people, Nagpur is already a smart city.

While speaking to the audience Chief Guest for the occasion Major General Gadre said that Sarathi is an organization that does not seek nominations or ask for people’s requests for being felicitated. He said that a year-long effort is made to identify those who have excelled in different fields and those who have brought laurels to Nagpur and Vidarbha and then the selection committee shortlists a select few to be felicitated. Sarathi’s felicitation has evolved to be very meaningful and of great reputation.

The office-bearers including President Dr Madhukar Apte, Working President Advocate Rajendra Rathi, Secretary Dr Aniruddha Vazalwar,

This New is Originally Posted on NAGPUR TODAY

Mr. Arun Lakhani at Seminar on Water Stewardship in India

Originally Posted on: YouTube