Prabhat Sinha, the founder of ‘Mann Deshi Champions’, was honored with ‘Dr. Vijay Bang Social Wealth Creator Award’ at the hands of Padma Vibhushan Dr. K. H. Sancheti
PUNE: “Social Wealth Creators not only empower the individuals and society but also foster social harmony, brotherhood, and fraternity in a true sense,” opined Dr. Ajit Ranade, renowned Economist and Vice Chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune. He was speaking at an Award Ceremony namely ‘Dr. The Vijay Bang Social Wealth Creator Award’ was instituted by the Bang family in the memory of late Dr. Vijay Bang.
The second edition of ‘Dr. Vijay Bang Social Creator Award’ was presented to Prabhat Sinha, founder of ‘Mann Deshi Champions’, an organization in Mhaswad village of the Satara district that empowers the girls in the rural areas through sports at the hands of Padma Vibhushan Dr. K. H. Sancheti. The Award Ceremony was held at the Auditorium of the Center for Police Research, Pashan. Sinha was awarded with a cash prize of Rs 51,000 and a Certificate of Honor.
Dignitaries like Ashok Bang and Dr. Vasant Bang; brother and son of late Dr. Vijay Bang, Chetna Gala Sinha; social entrepreneur, Shekhar Singh, Commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Prof. Parag Kalkar; Pro-Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University, Adv. Mahesh Bang, Kamal Bagdi, and others were also present on the occasion.
“Dr. Vijay Bang has done commendable work for impoverished patients in Amravati, and I still remember his dedication towards them. With Dr. Bang’s initiative starting from 1970, me and my team held free health camps for 25 years on a regular basis there,” reminisced Dr. K. H. Sancheti while speaking on the occasion. He also opined about how our society should be appreciative towards the people who contribute towards social work while also looking after their day-to-day responsibilities, including an underlying need for today’s youth to actively take part in social work. “People will either motivate you or even try to pull you down, but one should always have the realization of doing something for society as a compassionate human,” added Dr. K. H. Sancheti.
“According to Swami Vivekanand, one can forge a closer connection with God through Sports. Someone like Prabhat Sinha is empowering and creating excellent opportunities for girls in rural areas through the medium of sports. This kind of work represented by the young generation is more significant than anything that has been done in the past. The endeavor to harness social wealth in the form of social capital should be utilized to maintain social harmony,” emphasized Dr. Ajit Ranade.
“Efforts are being made towards transforming the skills of girls in rural areas into opportunities by guiding them at the right time and in the right direction. So far, ‘Mann Deshi Champions’ has created 7,000 players. Currently, 100 players affiliated with our organization represent at the state, while 2 to 3 players represent on the international levels,” shared Prabhat Sinha. He also highlighted his mother and grandmother’s passion for women’s empowerment, which he had closely observed since his childhood. “I had studied in a Zilla Parishad school. I was introduced to the concept of ‘organized sports’ for the first time only while I was studying abroad. In my career in the sports management sector, I aspired to provide top-notch facilities and training to rural girls. We are extremely happy that we can provide these resources in a village like Mhaswad of the Mann Taluka in Satara,” added Prabhat Sinha.
“We focus on instilling courage in the girls to stand up for themselves and their rights. Daily, I witness the transformative power of sports training in shaping the personalities of these girls, who continue to inspire me every day,” expressed Prabhat Sinha. He also highlighted the importance of sports in widening horizons, breaking down societal barriers, and redefining women’s empowerment. Additionally, he informed that the organization is set to launch the Sports Incubation and Performance Program in the near future.
During the program introduction, Dr. Vasant Bang shared the idea behind introducing the award and asserted that wealth is not merely monetary, rather it serves as a means that fulfills all facets of the societal needs. A film showcasing the life and work of late Dr. Vijay Bang was also featured. Monika Chauhan moderated the program and Ashok Bang delivered the vote of thanks.
Feature Photo: The second edition of ‘Dr. Vijay Bang Social Creator Award’ was honored to Prabhat Sinha, founder of ‘Mann Deshi Champions’ at the hands of Padma Vibhushan Dr. K. H. Sancheti. Instituted by the Bang family in memory of the late Dr. Vijay Bang, this award ceremony was held at the Auditorium of the Center for Police Research, Pashan. In photo (from Left) Dr. Vasant Bang, Dr. Ajit Ranade, Dr. K. H. Sancheti, Prabhat Sinha, and Ashok Bang.
