Thane (Maharashtra): The Padma Shri awards were conferred on 91 persons this year by the Central government for their contributions in various fields. From Maharashtra, the list includes social worker and chairman of the National Commission for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic communities, Bhiku Ramji Idate, who is popularly known as Dada, the late industrialist Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, author Prabhakar Mande, actor Raveena Tandon among others.
Also included in this list of names, however, is Gajanan Jagannath Mane, who has been working to help Leprosy patients across the state. A resident of Dombivli in Thane district, Mane has worked for more than three decades, providing those ailing from the disease with education, health, as well as means of income, said officials.
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Mane was facilitated by the Dombivali-Kalyan Municipal Corporation on Friday. A former Indian Navy man, one of his most recognised accomplishments, however, was setting up a colony for those afflicted with leprosy in Hanuman Nagar of Kalyan. Leprosy is a bacterial disease that affects the skin, eyes, nose and peripheral nerves.
Speaking about the recognition, the Padma Shri awardee said, "The Government of Maharashtra and the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation have also continuously cooperated with us in this work. In 1991, we went to the Municipal Corporation with the problems of the citizens. At that time, the then Commissioner Madan gave me valuable contributions as to how to go about this." For several years, Gajanan Mane has encouraged the youth to join the armed forces, officials said. For this, he has also conducted guidance camps at various schools without any remuneration.
