RAJEEV MOHAN BHATNAGAR, LUCKNOW

CATEGORY: GENDER EQUALITY

Rajeev Mohan Bhatnagar is on a mission to remove gender inequality from our society. After securing masters degree in social work from Lucknow University in 1984, he has been working tirelessly for the welfare of women and children. He is currently a family counsellor with a voluntary organisation Nari Sewa Samiti in Lucknow. Rajeev began his career as a labour welfare officer in a private company. In 1989, he joined CASP/plan project, a Delhi-based voluntary organisation (NGO) with foreign affiliate links. He joined the organisation as a development promoter and later became project officer and purchase officer where his work was mainly with the child sponsorship programme. To meet his family obligations, he left his job in Delhi in 1993 and joined a Lucknow-based welfare organisation. Rajeev worked with several NGOs in Lucknow from 1994 to 2000. However, from 2001 till date, Rajeev has been working with the Nari Sewa Samiti (NSS), an organisation working for the welfare of women and children. As a family counsellor, his work involves counselling families from the weaker sections of society which need educated counsellors to solve their problems. Many of these disputes involve women being ejected from their homes owing to family disputes. There are cases of abuse due to dowry and physical harassment. Rajeev and his colleagues work tirelessly to bring about reconciliation and healing to various families approaching them for help during difficult times. They are instrumental in providing legal help to many desperate women and children. The organisation also runs several educational institutions for girls and women.

Nominated by Maria Perry Mohan