Murlidhar Devidas Amte, popularly known as Baba Amte, was an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for his work for the rehabilitation and empowerment of people suffering from leprosy. He has received numerous awards and prizes including the Padma Vibhushan, the Dr. Ambedkar International Award, the Gandhi Peace Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Templeton Prize and the Jamnalal Bajaj Award. He is also known as the modern Gandhi of India.
D. Veerendra Heggade is an Indian philanthropist and the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Temple. He succeeded to the post at the age of 19, on October 24, 1968, the 21st in his line. He administers the temple and its properties, which are held in trust for the benefit of devotees and of Dharma. He is a nominated Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since July 2022.
Bhavarlal Hiralal Jain was an Indian entrepreneur, hounered by the Padma Award, Government of India, and the founder chairman of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. (JISL), now the second largest micro-irrigation company in the world. He was a staunch Gandhian and philanthropist. He was the founder of Gandhi Research Foundation.
Sukhadeo Thorat an Indian economist, educationist, professor and writer. He is the former chairman of the University Grants Commission. He is professor emeritus in Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is an expert on B. R. Ambedkar.
Prakash Baba Amte is a social worker from Maharashtra, India. Amte and his wife, Mandakini Amte, were awarded the Magsaysay Award for 'Community Leadership' in 2008 for their philanthropic work in the form of the Lok Biradari Prakalp amongst the Madia Gonds in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra and the neighbouring states of Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. In November 2019 he was awarded with ICMR Lifetime Achievement Award by Bill Gates.
Chandrashekhar Shankar Dharmadhikari was an Indian judge, independence activist, lawyer, author. He was acting chief justice of Bombay High Court. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2003. He authored many books in the Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati languages. He died on 3 January 2019 in Nagpur at the age of 91 years.
Narayan Vishnu Dharmadhikari, popularly known as Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari was an Indian spiritual master, social reformer and propagator of Hindu spiritual literature. He initiated his social movement at Revdanda, Raigad district, India.
Abhay Bang and Rani Bang are Indian activists and community health researchers working in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, India.
Dr. Janardan Madhavrao Waghmare is an Indian politician and educationist. He has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. He was also the President of the Latur Municipal Council.
The Maharashtra Bhushan is a highest civilian award presented annually by the Government of Maharashtra State in India.
Arvind Gupta is an Indian toy inventor, author, translator and scientist. He got the civilian award "Padma Shree" on the eve of Republic Day, 2018.
Thakurdas Bang was an Indian Gandhian philosopher and Gandhian economist. He was involved in the Indian independence movement. He practised Gandhism, Gandhian philosophy, Gandhian study even at the age of 95. He was also involved in Khadi and Sarvodaya movements. As an economic professor in G S College of Commerce he motivated many students like Madhukarrao Chaudhari, Justice Chandrashekhar Shankar Dharmadhikari and Ramakrushna Bajaj to participate in the freedom struggle. He is succeeded by Abhay Bang and Ashok Bang. Ashok Bang decided to work for issues related to farming and Abhay decided to work for health of villagers. Abhay and Rani Bang founded SEARCH - a non-profit organization in Gadchiroli, which is involved in rural health service and research
Tatyarao Pundlikrao Lahane is an Indian eye surgeon and ophthalmologist. He served as the Dean of Grant Medical College and J. J. Hospital, Mumbai, and set a world record with more than 162,000 cataract surgeries. He was awarded Padma Shri award in 2008, the 4th highest civilian award in India.
Shrimant Raja Sir Chintamanrao Dhundirao Patwardhan K.C.S.I, K.C.I.E was the 3rd Raja of the princely state of Sangli of British Raj during the reign. He signed the accession to the Indian Union on 19 February 1948 which ended the separate existence of Sangli State.
Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari is a Marathi writer, actor, and director. He is known for the revival of Sangeet Natak(Musicals) and long five act plays.
The Purushottam Karandak is an annual inter-collegiate Marathi one-act play competition where students from across Maharashtra participate while representing their respective colleges. The inter-collegiate one-act play competition is known for giving a platform to amateur actors, some of whom have become professional actors, directors and playwrights. In the 2023 edition of the event, the primary rounds will take place from 16 August to 30 August.
Rohit Rajendra Pawar is a member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Maharashtra, India. He belongs to the politically influential Pawar family
Sakharam Prabhakar Jalgaonkar, known as Appa Jalgaonkar or Appasaheb Jalgaonkar, was an Indian harmonium player from the state of Maharashtra. Born in 1922 and adopted when he was two years old, he started to learn singing but had to stop due to voice change with the onset of puberty and later shifted to learn harmonium. He accompanied several Hindustani classical singers, tabla artistes and dancers in their performances. He received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Harmonium category – a category in which the Sangeet Natak Akademi felicitates rarely. Following a paralysis attack in late 1990s, he died in 2009.
India 