Girish Prabhune Explained

Girish Y. Prabhune (born 1952 in Pune, Maharastra) is an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for his work towards upliftment of the nomadic Pardhi community and their children since 1970. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2021 in Social Work category.

Work

Prabhune began his career as a social worker in early 1970s.^{[1] [2]} He initially started working with Srikant G. Majgaokar in the Gramayan NGO during the 1972 Maharashtra drought. He also ran a periodical called Asidhara, but this endeavor left him in debt.

Prabhune lived in Nimgaon Mhalungi village in Pune district for nearly 10 years working with the locals.^[3] His stay at this village allowed him to observe and interact with the nomadic communities including the Pardhi, Waddar, Kaikadi, Davari Gosavi, Gondhali, dombari, Kolhati, Lambadi, and Pothuraju.^{[4] [5]}

Prabhune started discussions with Laxman Mane to start the Bhatke Wimukt Vikas Parishad organisation for uplifting the nomadic communities.^[5] Via this organization, he organized the nomadic tribes in Beed, Osmanabad, Solapur, Parbhani, Nanded, and Pune districts, advancing their political power. He also fought court battles arguing for nomadic rights.^[6] Prabhune, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer since young age,^[7] effectively persuaded 50,000 fed-up Dalits who had intended to leave Hinduism for Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur.^[8]

In 1993, he started a school in rural Yamgarwadi village in Tuljapur Tahsil, Osmanabad district for the children of the nomadic tribes,^{[9] [10] [11]} which still continues to this date.^[12]

In later part of his life he started the Punarutthan Samarasata Gurukulam, a NGO run by Krantiveer Chapekar Smarak Samiti, in Chinchwad, Pune.^{[13] [14]} This NGO and runs schools and residential facility for the Pardhi children.^{[15] [16]}

Awards

• 2021 - Padma Shri in Social work category^{[17] [18] [19]}
• 2015 - Samajik Seva Jivan Gaurav Puraskar^[20]
• 2000 - Antyodaya Puraskar by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini^[21]

Personal life

Prabhune was born in 1952 in a Brahmin family.^[22] He lives in Chinchwad with his wife Arundhati and their 3 children.^{[23] [24]}

External links

• Website for Punarutthan Samarasata Gurukulam

Notes and References

1. Book: Prabhune . Girish . Palavarach Jin (पालावरचं जीणं) . Hindustan Prakashan . 2002 . 24 March 2021.
2. Book: Prabhuṇe . Girīśa . Pāradhī . 2006 . Rajhans Prakashan . Puṇe . 9788174343482 . 1st . 24 March 2021.
3. News: Awati . Arati . असिधारा व्रताची सुरुवात (गिरीश प्रभुणे विशेष मुलाखत - १) . mr-IN . 24 March 2021 . Bytes of India . 2008.
4. Book: Prabhune . Girish . Lok Ani Sanskruti (लोक आणि संस्कृती) . Hindustan Prakashan . 24 March 2021.
5. News: Awati . Arati . असिधारा व्रताची सुरुवात (गिरीश प्रभुणे विशेष मुलाखत - 2) . mr-IN . 24 March 2021 . Bytes of India . 2008.
6. News: समर्पित कार्यकर्ता: गिरीश प्रभुणे . 24 March 2021 . . 3 February 2021 . mr.
7. Book: Sharda . Ratan . Secrets of RSS: Demystifying the Sangh . 2011 . Manas Publications . New Delhi . 9788170493198 . 131 . 24 March 2021 . en . XIII. Nation, Society and RSS.
8. News: पद्मश्री जाहीर होताच डॉ. गिरीश प्रभूणे यांचे महापौर, आमदार, खासदारांकडून अभिनंदन . 24 March 2021 . Sarkarnama . 21 January 2021 . mr.
9. News: Awati . Arati . असिधारा व्रताची सुरुवात (गिरीश प्रभुणे विशेष मुलाखत - 3) . mr-IN . 24 March 2021 . Bytes of India . 2008.
10. News: Awati . Arati . असिधारा व्रताची सुरुवात (गिरीश प्रभुणे विशेष मुलाखत - 4) . mr-IN . 24 March 2021 . Bytes of India . 2008.
11. News: Nagesh . Yamgarwadi has become a pilgrimage of social reform: Mohanji Bhagwat . 24 March 2021 . Vishwa Samvada Kendra . 28 April 2011.
12. News: भटके विमुक्तांच्या पाऊलवाटा पुसल्या गेल्या...! . 24 March 2021 . . 9 December 2017 . mr.
13. News: पद्मश्री गिरीश प्रभुणेंचं उल्लेखनीय समाजकार्य,'गुरुकुलम'च्या माध्यमातून पारधी समाजासाठी मोठं योगदान . 24 March 2021 . . 31 January 2021 . mr.
14. News: Chapekar museum to have research centre . 24 March 2021 . . July 26, 2018 . en.
15. News: Bengrut . Dheeraj . Pune's Sindhutai Sapkal and Girish Prabhune named Padmashree award winners . 23 March 2021 . . 25 January 2021 . Pune . en.
16. News: Urunkar . Salil . Meet 'Padma Shri' Girish Prabhune, the man on mission for uplifting Pardhi community children . 24 March 2021 . The Bridge Chronicle . 26 January 2021 . en.
17. Padma Awards 2021 announced . 23 March 2021 . . 25 January 2021 . Delhi, India . en.
18. News: गिरीश प्रभुणे, सिंधुताई सपकाळ यांना पद्मश्री . 23 March 2021 . . 26 January 2021 . mr-IN.
19. News: Girish Prabhune Exclusive: पारधी समाजासाठी कार्य करणाऱ्या गिरीश प्रभुणेंचा 'पद्मश्री'ने सन्मान . 24 March 2021 . TV9 Marathi . 26 January 2021 . mr.
20. News: गिरीश प्रभुणेंना जीवनगौरव . 24 March 2021 . . 7 May 2015 . mr.
21. Web site: Antyodaya Puraskar. January 11, 2015. Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini. rmponweb.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20150103164748/http://www.rmponweb.org/projects-antyodaya-puraskar.php. 3 January 2015. dead. dmy-all.
22. News: Awati . Arati . असिधारा व्रताची सुरुवात (गिरीश प्रभुणे विशेष मुलाखत - 9) . mr-IN . 24 March 2021 . Bytes of India . 2008.
23. News: मार्क्सवादामुळे देशाची संस्कृती नष्ट; गिरीश प्रभुणे यांचे मत . 23 March 2021 . . 15 February 2021 . mr-IN.
24. News: Awati . Arati . असिधारा व्रताची सुरुवात (गिरीश प्रभुणे विशेष मुलाखत - 10) . mr-IN . 24 March 2021 . Bytes of India . 2008.