State level youth awards conferred on Ms Bele and Mr Vadgaonkar

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Jan 12 (UNI) Social activist Ms Kushvarta Chandrasekhar Bele (Latur) and Journalist Abhijit Mohanrao Vadgaonkar (Solapur) were today felicitated with the State-level 'Yashwantrao Chavan Yuva Puraskar' for the year 2006, here.

The prestigious awards constituted by Mumbai-based 'Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan' were conferred on Ms Bele and Mr Vadgaonkar for their contribution to social work. Noted IT expert Mr Achyut Godbole gave away the awards at a function held here.

Ms Bele, a resident of Devani tehasil in Latur district had put forward a great example by her work in the field of woman empowerment in her tehsil by setting up 200 Self Help Groups (SHGs) involving over 3,000 woman in 48 villages.

She even created awareness among the rural masses about environment, family welfare, water conservation, entreprenership development and insurance.

Mr Abhijit Vadgaonkar was given the award for his immense contribution in social work through his NG0 'Mukti.' Mr Vadgaonkar, who is journalist by profession has been known in his Solapur district for his work towards the unclaimed dead bodies and their cremation.

Through his organisation 'Mukti', he conducted funerals of at least 1,335 unclaimed dead bodies till date.

Besides this, Vadgaonkar has helped beggers and poor people.

The awards were to be given away by Rajya Sabha Member and 'Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan' Trustee Ms Supriya Sule. She, however, did not turn up for the function.

UNI