Pramod Gopalrao Gaikwad | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 Nashik, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Social worker |
| Organization | Social Networking Forum (SNF) |
Pramod Gopalrao Gaikwad (born 1973) is an Indian social worker from Maharashtra. He is the founder of the Social Networking Forum, a non-profit organization that undertakes community-based initiatives in rural and tribal areas of the state.[1] Gaikwad is the recipient of the Government of Maharashtra's Adivasi Sevak Puraskar[2] and was recognized as a Water Hero by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in 2020.[3]
Early life and education[edit | edit source]
Gaikwad was born in Gosrane village, Kalwan taluka, Nashik district, Maharashtra. He is the son of Gopalrao and Rajani Gaikwad, both of whom were government school teachers.[4]
He received his primary education at Zilla Parishad schools in rural Nashik before attending the Government Public School (Shaskiy Vidya Niketan) in Dhule. He later attended the Services Preparatory Institute (SPI) in Aurangabad. Gaikwad completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the Arts, Science & Commerce College, Satana, and subsequently earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from the PIRENS Institute of Business Management, Loni.[5]
Career[edit | edit source]
Gaikwad began community development work in 2007, initially supporting educational programs in tribal schools.[6] In 2010, he began addressing water scarcity and rural development in the tribal regions of Maharashtra.[7][8]
Social Networking Forum (SNF)[edit | edit source]
In 2010, Gaikwad established the Social Networking Forum (SNF),[9] which originated as an online platform for coordinating rural development projects.[10] The organization was formally registered as a non-profit entity in 2014.[4][11]
Library movement[edit | edit source]
In January 2020, Gaikwad launched the Library Movement in Savarne, Nashik district.[12] The initiative involves the conversion of unused community spaces into study centers for rural students. By September 2025, the program had established 29 libraries in tribal villages, providing resources for competitive examination preparation and general literacy.[13][14]
Water security and rural development[edit | edit source]
As of August 2025, the SNF has implemented water infrastructure projects in 35 villages across the Nashik, Nandurbar, and Thane districts. These projects, funded through a combination of community contributions and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) grants, provide water access to an estimated 60,000 residents.[10]
Award and recognition[edit | edit source]
- 2015: Global CSR Award presented at the World CSR Day congress.[15]
- 2017: Adivasi Sevak Puraskar, a state-level honor awarded by the Government of Maharashtra for the contributions in tribal development.[5][2]
- 2018: Keshav Srushti Award in recognition of social work initiatives.[16]
- 2020: Water Hero designation, awarded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti as part of the "Water Heroes: Share Your Stories" contest.[3]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Botekar, Abhilash (2020-11-14). "Netizens light up Diwali for students in tribal areas, gift them books & stationery". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "आदिवासी भागातील जनतेने बिनधास्त घ्यावी कोरोना लस". Lokmat (in मराठी). 2021-05-06.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Winner Announcement Of Water Heroes Share Your Story Contest For October Month". MyGov.in. December 23, 2020.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 देशपांडे, प्रवर (3 October 2018). "सूर समाजमाध्यमांचा, ध्यास समाजकार्याचा..." Mumbai Tarun Bharat: Marathi News (in मराठी).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Attri, M. (2025-08-21). "How One Man's Facebook Movement Uplifted Thousands In Maharashtra's Tribal Belts". ABP Live. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
- ↑ "The man who turned social media into a tool for tribal empowerment". The Statesman. 2025-08-29.
- ↑ "अकरा आदिवासी गावे श्रमदानातून झाली पाणीटंचाई मुक्त". Lokmat (in मराठी). 2018-12-24.
- ↑ "25 गावे टँकरमुक्त, 15 वाचनालयांची स्थापना; अजून बरेच काही: सोशल नेटवर्कींगचे प्रमोद गायकवाड ठरले 'आउटस्टँडींग सिटीझन'". Dainik Bhaskar. 2022.
- ↑ सकाळवृत्तसेवा (2017-06-20). "सोशल नेटवर्किंग फोरमच्या जल अभियानात सातवे गाव टॅंकरमुक्त". Marathi News Esakal (in मराठी). Retrieved 2025-10-07.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "How one social activist's social media movement brought water revolution in tribal Maharashtra". The Economic Times. 2025-09-24. ISSN 0013-0389.
- ↑ Deshpande, Chaitanya (2017-04-16). "Social media takes stance in solving Malegaon's water problem". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257.
- ↑ Chitra (2024-04-12). "Nashik: Rural Library Initiative Aims to Empower Tribal Students Amid Educational Challenges - www.lokmattimes.com". Lokmat Times.
- ↑ "Library Movement Expands Access To Education In Nashik's Tribal Villages". www.thedailyjagran.com. 26 September 2025.
- ↑ Kanhaiya Dwivedi, Sujata (September 26, 2025). "Library Movement Boosts Education in Nashik's Tribal Villages". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2025-09-26.
- ↑ "प्रमोद गायकवाड यांना आंतरराष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार - Marathi News | Pramod Gaikwad Gets International Award - Latest Maharashtra News at Loksatta.com". Loksatta (in मराठी). 2015-02-20.
- ↑ "प्रमोद गायकवाड यांना केशवसृष्टी पुरस्कार". Maharashtra Times (in मराठी). 11 September 2018.