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{{Short description|Indian social entrepreneur}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vinayak Lohani
| image = Vinayak Lohani receiving the Padma Shri Award in 2025.jpg
| caption = Lohani receiving the [[Padma Shri]] in 2025
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age | df=yes|1978|4|12}}
| birth_place = [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| citizenship = India
| education = [[B.Tech]], [[MBA]]
| alma_mater = [[IIT Kharagpur]], [[IIM Calcutta]]
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] (2025)
| known for = Founder of Parivaar, [[Social Entrepreneur]]
}}

'''Vinayak Lohani''' is the founder of Parivaar, a humanitarian institution with its chief institutions and field areas in based in [[West Bengal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Jharkhand]] and [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main8.asp?filename=In112004he_choose.asp |title=Tehelka - The People's Paper |publisher=Archive.tehelka.com |date=2004-11-20 |access-date=2013-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105060408/http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main8.asp?filename=In112004he_choose.asp |archive-date=5 November 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Parivaar |url=https://parivaar.org/ |access-date=2026-01-08 |website=parivaar.org}}</ref> Lohani was influenced by the teachings of [[Ramakrishna]] and [[Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of the World's Religions|Swami Vivekananda]], particularly Vivekananda's concept of serving the "Divine in Man.<ref name="socio">{{cite news|url= http://sociovigil.in/vinayak-lohani-and-his-parivaar/|title= National Child Welfare Award for 2011|publisher= Sociovigil|date= 11 January 2013|access-date= 4 November 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131105055650/http://sociovigil.in/vinayak-lohani-and-his-parivaar/|archive-date= 5 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?222902 |title=Soulless Traffick Shown The Palm | Vinayak Lohani |publisher=Outlookindia.com |date=2004-02-09 |access-date=2013-11-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?220901 |title=The Beauty Of Illuminated Things | Vinayak Lohani |publisher=Outlookindia.com |access-date=2013-11-05}}</ref>

In January 2025, he was honored with the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth-highest civilian award, by the [[Government of India]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Padma Award Winners 2025 Full List: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri |url=https://www.brutimes.com/news/social/padma-awards-2025-arijit-singh-ajith-kumar-shekhar-kapur-and-late-pankaj-udhas-honored-for-excellence |website=Bru Times News |language=en |access-date=7 February 2025 |archive-date=7 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207055857/https://www.brutimes.com/news/social/padma-awards-2025-arijit-singh-ajith-kumar-shekhar-kapur-and-late-pankaj-udhas-honored-for-excellence |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Padma Awards 2025 announced |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2096285 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref>

== Early life and education==
Vinayak Lohani was born in [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]] and did his schooling there. His family roots are from [[Almora]] district of Kumaon region in [[Uttarakhand]]. He went to [[IIT Kharagpur]] to do his B.Tech and thereafter worked for [[Infosys]] for a year. In 2001, he joined [[IIM Calcutta]] to do his [[MBA]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://forbesindia.com/blog/beyond-the-numbers/the-power-of-one/|title=BLOGS/Beyond the Numbers-The Power of One|work=Forbes India|access-date=2 July 2013}}</ref><ref name="arpan">{{cite news |url= http://www.arpanfoundation.org/our_projects/parivaar.asp|title= About Parivaar and its Founder Vinayak Lohani |publisher=arpanfoundation|access-date=4 November 2013}}</ref>

==Career==
At [[IIM Calcutta]], Vinayak opted out of the placement process. After completing the MBA course, with just 3 children in a small rented building and almost no financial resources, he started Parivaar for children from impoverished and destitute backgrounds in late 2003.<ref name="socio" /> At the end of 2004, Parivaar purchased its own land and developed its first campus: Parivaar Ashram. In 2011, Parivaar expanded to having separate campuses for boys and girls. As of December 2023 , there are more than 1900 resident children (girls and boys) at Parivaar, making it the largest and high-quality residential program for children from impoverished strata in [[West Bengal]].

In 2016–17, Parivaar also started working in [[Madhya Pradesh]]. It has started 832 Nutritional Meals cum Education centers for children in selected impoverished tribal and rural pockets called 'Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Kutir' in 18 districts serving more than 40,000 children.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://parivaar.org/second-front-after-14-years/|title= Parivaar MP|publisher= Parivaar|access-date= 14 December 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181214164149/http://parivaar.org/second-front-after-14-years/|archive-date= 14 December 2018}}</ref> Parivaar also runs 2 residential schools and 2 hostels in the districts of [[Dewas]], [[Sehore]] and [[Mandla]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]]. More than 1100 boys and girls from different tribal geographies of the state are residing in these campuses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parivaar.org/institutions-projects/parivaar-mp/residential-institutions/|title=Parivaar MP - Residential Institutions|website=Parivaar}}</ref> Apart from these, Parivaar also runs 93 free 24*7 ambulances<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parivaar.org/ambulance-services-2/|title=Parivaar MP - Free 24*7 Ambulance Service|website=Parivaar}}</ref> across 23 districts and 21 mobile medical clinics in 8 districts covering 982 villages<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parivaar.org/mobile-health-clinics/|title=Parivaar MP - Mobile Health Clinics - Parivaar|access-date=25 December 2023|archive-date=25 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225101527/https://parivaar.org/mobile-health-clinics/|url-status=dead}}</ref> in Madhya Pradesh, under which more than 15 lac patients have been served till December 2024.
Under its Vision Restoration Program, Parivaar has organized more than 5700 camps in 42 months in collaboration with several eye hospitals under which more than 6.48 lac patients have been served and 72 thousand free eye surgeries have been performed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parivaar.org/3-parivaar-shravan-kumar-prakalpa-vision-restoration-programme-for-elderly/|title=Parivaar MP - Vision Restoration Program|website=Parivaar}}</ref>

[[File:Parivaar children.JPG|thumb|Vinayak with children at Parivaar|275px|right]]

==Awards and honors==
* 2025: [[Padma Shri]] from the [[Government of India]].<ref name="Mamata Shankar, Pt Tejendra Narayan among 9 Padma awardees from Bengal">{{cite news |title=Mamata Shankar, Pt Tejendra Narayan among 9 Padma awardees from Bengal |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/mamata-shankar-pt-tejendra-narayan-among-9-padma-awardees-from-bengal/articleshow/117559588.cms |access-date=26 January 2025 |work=The Times of India |date=25 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126060556/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/mamata-shankar-pt-tejendra-narayan-among-9-padma-awardees-from-bengal/articleshow/117559588.cms |archive-date=26 January 2025}}</ref>
* 2022: The First 'Madhya Pradesh Gaurav Samman' in the category of Health and Nutrition was presented by the Hon'ble Governor and Chief Minister of the state in November, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 November 2022 |title=भोपाल के नर्मदा समग्र और इंदौर के 56 दुकान व्यापारी संगठन को मिलेगा मध्य प्रदेश गौरव सम्मान |url=https://www.naidunia.com/madhya-pradesh/bhopal-madhya-pradesh-gaurav-samman-will-be-given-to-narmada-samagra-of-bhopal-and-56-shop-merchant-organization-of-indore-7921997 |website=Nai Dunia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.mpinfo.org/Home/TodaysNews?newsid=20221107N63&fontname=Mangal&LocID=32&pubdate=11/07/2022 |website=Department of Public Relations, M.P.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Published under the authority of Madhya Pradesh Gazette (Extraordinary) | language=hi | url=https://govtpressmp.nic.in/pdf/extra/2023-05-10-Ex-151.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225095144/https://govtpressmp.nic.in/pdf/extra/2023-05-10-Ex-151.pdf | archive-date=2023-12-25}}</ref>
* 2015: [[Swami Rama]] Humanitarian Award 2015 presented by Hon. Chief Minister of [[Uttarakhand]].
* 2015: Vivekananda Seva Samman 2015 presented by Hon. Governor, [[West Bengal]].
* 2015: Bhaorao Deoras Seva Samman 2015 presented at Lucknow by Hon Governor, Uttar Pradesh.
* 2014: [[IIT Kharagpur]]'s 'Distinguished Alumnus Award' (youngest recipient in the history of the award) awarded in 2014.
* 2014: [[Swami Ranganathananda]] Memorial Humanitarian Award 2014 presented at the [[Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture]] Calcutta.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ranganathananda Award |url=http://sriramakrishna.org/admin/download_item/_download_2bd218c9a3afd381b359bb556446f0b4136dd9d5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224031500/http://sriramakrishna.org/admin/download_item/_download_2bd218c9a3afd381b359bb556446f0b4136dd9d5.pdf |archive-date=24 February 2015 |access-date=16 May 2015 |publisher=sriramakrishna.org}}</ref>
* 2014: Telegraph 'Special Honour' conferred by Telegraph Educa:tion Foundation Calcutta in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 September 2014 |title=Calcutta Story |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140901/jsp/calcutta/story_18786820.jsp#.VEEO_fmSzt4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906171501/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140901/jsp/calcutta/story_18786820.jsp#.VEEO_fmSzt4 |archive-date=6 September 2014 |access-date=17 October 2014 |publisher=Telegraphindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=vinayak-lohani-wins-telegraph-education-foundation's-certificate-honour |url=https://alumnilive.iimcal.ac.in/vinayak-lohani-wins-telegraph-education-foundation%E2%80%99s-certificate-honour |access-date=17 October 2014 |publisher=alumnilive.iimcal.ac.in |archive-date=4 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204123808/https://alumnilive.iimcal.ac.in/vinayak-lohani-wins-telegraph-education-foundation%E2%80%99s-certificate-honour |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 2013: [[IIM Calcutta]]'s Distinguished Alumnus Award (1 of 9 recipients out of 8000 alumni).<ref name="socio" /><ref name="arpan" /><ref>{{cite news |title=IIMC Distinguished Alumnus 2011 Awardees |url=http://alumnilive.iimcal.ac.in/about/golden-jubilee/events/2011-awardees-iim-calcutta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106134734/http://alumnilive.iimcal.ac.in/about/golden-jubilee/events/2011-awardees-iim-calcutta |archive-date=6 November 2013 |access-date=4 November 2013 |publisher=IIMC |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 2012: [[CNN-IBN]]'s Young Indian Leader of the Year Award 2012.<ref name="socio" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Young Indian Leaders |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/youngindian2012/winners3.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824020015/http://ibnlive.in.com/youngindian2012/winners3.php |archive-date=24 August 2012 |access-date=4 November 2013 |publisher=IBN}}</ref>
* 2011: National Award for Child Welfare 2011 presented by the [[President of India]] at the [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]].<ref name="socio" /><ref name="arpan" />
* 2011: Sanskriti Award, India's premier award for young achievers in 2011 from the Former President of India Dr [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]].<ref name="socio" /><ref name="arpan" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-25/delhi/30438006_1_sanskriti-awards-awards-committee-social-achievement|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105064812/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-25/delhi/30438006_1_sanskriti-awards-awards-committee-social-achievement|archive-date=5 November 2013|title= Sanskriti Award for 2011 held in New Delhi |date= 25 November 2011|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=4 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/sanskriti-awards-for-2011-conferred/article1-771049.aspx|title= Sanskriti Award for 2011 Conferred|publisher= Hindustan Times|date= 18 November 2011|access-date= 4 November 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131112195625/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/sanskriti-awards-for-2011-conferred/article1-771049.aspx|archive-date= 12 November 2013|df= dmy-all}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://parivaar.org Parivaar Website]
* {{Twitter}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Social Work|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lohani, Vinayak}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Institute of Management Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:IIT Kharagpur alumni]]
[[Category:Indian social entrepreneurs]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Bhopal]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Kolkata]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work]]

Vinayak Lohani - Revision history

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