CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: On the eve of Republic Day, the announcement of the Padma Awards included Vinayak Lohani, the founder of the social service organization Parivaar, for the prestigious Padma Shri. Educated at IIT and IIM, Vinayak Lohani founded Parivaar in 2003. Inspired by the spiritual and humanitarian ideals of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, the organization conducts numerous free initiatives in the fields of education and healthcare across Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.
Through 829 centers spread across 18 districts of Madhya Pradesh and one district each in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, Parivaar provides quality supplementary education and nutritional meals to over 55,000 children free of cost. Additionally, 3,500 children are studying in six residential campuses operated by the organization in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
In the healthcare sector, Parivaar operates 93 free ambulances across 23 tribal districts of Madhya Pradesh. It also runs 21 mobile medical clinics in 8 districts, offering free health check-ups and medicines through doctors. In partnership with supporting hospitals, Parivaar conducts free eye surgeries and provides necessary consultations and treatments in various tribal and backward areas of Madhya Pradesh.
Past Awards and Honors
Vinayak Lohani and Parivaar have previously received several accolades, including the National Child Welfare Award in 2011, presented by the President of India. In November 2022, the organization and its founder were honored with the inaugural Madhya Pradesh Gaurav Samman by the Governor and Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for their contributions to health and nutrition. Additionally, Parivaar has been recognized with several other awards and honors for its exemplary service initiatives.
#VinayakLohani #PadmaShri #ParivaarFoundation
