Debi Goenka
for excellence in environmental conservation and ecosystem advocacy
Goenka is executive trustee of the Mumbai-based Conservation Action Trust. He has been at the forefront of India’s environmental conservation movement for more than four decades, doing pioneering work to protect the Western Ghats, Aarey Forest and Mumbai’s mangroves. His work has been instrumental in shaping government policies that have helped protect India’s coastlines for posterity.
Yogendra Bangar
for remarkable contribution in empowerment through senior literacy
Bangar founded Aajibaichi Shala (Grandmother’s School), a first-of-its-kind school in Phangane village in Maharashtra’s Thane district that helps elderly women learn to read and write. Having bridged a generational gap in education, Aajibaichi Shala is redefining what it means to be a senior citizen in rural India. Bangar is also a thinker and prolific writer who has authored more than 25 books.
Dr Rekha Bhatkhande
visionary leadership in holistic elder care and community welfare
As president of the NGO Family Welfare Agency (FWA), Bhatkande has been a pillar of community service in Mumbai for more than seven decades. FWA runs programmes that provide specialised care to the elderly, ensures their mental wellbeing, and protects them from abuse. She is also known for her work at the Shushrusha Citizens’ Cooperative Hospital, and for her leadership of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India.
Dr Pravin Patkar and Priti Patkar
For ‘Prerana’ and its outstanding impact on social protection and human dignity
Prerana Foundation, run by the Patkars, is a nonprofit that works to prevent human trafficking and to protect the rights of vulnerable women and children, especially in red-light areas. Its approach is holistic—combining education, shelter, legal support and community outreach. Prerana aims to break cycles of exploitation and create pathways to safety, empowerment and long-term rehabilitation.
Kiran Kamdar
for distinguished service in community nutrition and compassionate care
For those who know her, Kamdar is “khichadi aaji”—the grandma in Palghar who cooks 25kg of hot, nutritious khichdi every day to feed destitute patients. She has been doing it for the past five years. Kamdar was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018, but the tremors in her hands have not stopped her from becoming the definition of care and compassion.