Fadnavis, Gadkari honour Charmakar community leaders in Nagpur
Synopsis
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari presided over a Charmakar Seva Sangh melava in Nagpur on 27 September 2026, honouring nine community contributors in memory of the late Smt. Bhanutai Gadkari.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari jointly presided over the event in Nagpur on 27 September 2026 .
The melava was organised by the Charmakar Seva Sangh as a tribute to the late Smt.
Nine individuals were felicitated for their contributions to the Charmakar (leather artisan) community.
The honourees named were Prof.
Ashokrao Thote, Punjabrao Sonekar, Ram Ahirwar, Mahadev Malkhede, Vinod Dhawande, Sanjay Nandre, Manik Ingale, Rajesh Sonekar , and Yuvraj Changole .
Nagpur, Maharashtra's winter capital and Gadkari's political base, served as the venue, underlining the event's community and political significance in Vidarbha .
Nine community contributors were felicitated in Nagpur on Sunday, 27 September 2026, as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari presided over a samaj melava — a community gathering — organised by the Charmakar Seva Sangh in memory of the late Smt. Bhanutai Gadkari.
The event, held in Nagpur — the winter capital of Maharashtra and Gadkari's political home turf — brought together members of the Charmakar (leather artisan) community to recognise individuals who have rendered distinguished service to the group. The Charmakar Seva Sangh organised the honour ceremony as a tribute ('smrutiprityarth') — in loving memory — of Bhanutai Gadkari, late family member of the Union Minister.
The nine honoured at the melava
The Chief Minister's Office named each recipient publicly: Prof. Dr. Ashokrao Thote, Punjabrao Sonekar, Ram Ahirwar, Mahadev Malkhede, Vinod Dhawande, Sanjay Nandre, Manik Ingale, Rajesh Sonekar, and Yuvraj Changole. Their felicitation by two of Maharashtra's most prominent political figures lent the occasion rare visibility for a community-level honour event.Nagpur's role as a bridge between community outreach and political weight
Nagpur sits at the intersection of Maharashtra's administrative calendar and its BJP leadership geography. As both the state's winter capital and Gadkari's constituency, the city routinely hosts events that blend family tribute with broader community engagement. The Charmakar community — traditionally associated with leather craftsmanship — falls within Maharashtra's Scheduled Caste groups, and such melavas serve as organised platforms for community solidarity and public recognition of local achievers. Maharashtra's BJP leadership has a pattern of attending these gatherings, signalling state-level acknowledgement of contributions that often go unrecognised in formal government award cycles. With both the Chief Minister and a senior Union Cabinet minister on the dais, Sunday's event carried an unmistakable signal: that community service within artisan groups in Vidarbha is being watched, and rewarded, at the highest levels.Point of View
A region that has historically swung between the party's gains and losses. Framing the event around a personal memorial for Bhanutai Gadkari layers a human, familial dimension onto what is also calculated community consolidation. As state and central welfare schemes for artisan communities continue to roll out, visible honour ceremonies like this one serve as grassroots amplifiers — reminding a constituency that its contributions are seen at the highest levels of government.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Charmakar Seva Sangh melava in Nagpur about?
The melava was a community gathering organised by the Charmakar Seva Sangh on 27 September 2026 to honour nine individuals who have contributed to the Charmakar community, held in memory of the late Smt. Bhanutai Gadkari.
Who presided over the Charmakar community event in Nagpur?
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari jointly presided over the event.
Who were the nine honourees at the Nagpur Charmakar Seva Sangh melava?
The nine honourees were Prof. Dr. Ashokrao Thote, Punjabrao Sonekar, Ram Ahirwar, Mahadev Malkhede, Vinod Dhawande, Sanjay Nandre, Manik Ingale, Rajesh Sonekar, and Yuvraj Changole.
Who was Bhanutai Gadkari and why was the event held in her memory?
Bhanutai Gadkari was a late family member of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The Charmakar Seva Sangh organised the honour ceremony as a tribute in her loving memory.
What is the Charmakar community in Maharashtra?
The Charmakar community is traditionally associated with leather artisanship and is classified among Maharashtra's Scheduled Caste groups. The Charmakar Seva Sangh is a community organisation that represents and supports them.
