Pune: Entrepreneur Punit Balan Pledges Rs 3 Crore to Support Ganesh Mandal Workers’ Enterprises

Pune, 23rd August 2024: In a move aimed at empowering workers of Ganesh mandals, Punit Balan, a prominent young entrepreneur, has announced a financial initiative through the Punit Balan Group (PBG) to help these workers establish their own enterprises. Balan has committed Rs 3 crore for this purpose, providing a significant boost to the livelihoods of those who dedicate their time and efforts to mandal activities.

The announcement was made by PBG President Punit Balan during a felicitation ceremony organized in honor of his birthday by Ganesh mandal workers and members of Dhol-Tasha troupes. The event was held under the auspices of the Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal Trust, where Balan also serves as Chief and Trustee.

The ceremony began with Balan performing the ‘Aarti’ of Shri Siddhivinayak Ganpati at Sarasbaug. Following this, he was felicitated by Akhil Mandai Mandal President Annasaheb Thorat and Senior Worker of Nimbalkar Talim Mandal, Suresh Pawar, who presented him with a citation as a token of appreciation.

Addressing the gathering, Punit Balan highlighted the often overlooked contributions of Ganesh mandal workers. “There is a widespread misconception that mandal workers are aimless or idle, but the reality is that many of them dedicate over a month to voluntary service, putting aside their jobs, businesses, and other responsibilities,” Balan stated.

He further emphasized the importance of supporting these workers, who are crucial to the functioning of Ganesh mandals. “Mandal workers are the backbone of our community celebrations, and they deserve respect and support. To ensure their financial stability, PBG has decided to assist them in setting up their own enterprises. Initially, Rs 3 crore has been allocated, and this amount will be increased each year. Annually, 100 to 300 workers will benefit from this initiative,” Balan added.

The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience, which included prominent figures like Ravindra Malwadkar, Parag Thakur, Uday Jagtap, Suryakant Pathak, and Dheeraj Ghate, who also spoke at the event. Other notable attendees included Shri Devdeveshwar Sarasbaug Sanstha Trustee Ramesh Bhagwat, Prasad Kulkarni, Vikas Pawar, Hemant Rasne, Datta Sagare, Anil Sakpal, Sanjeev Jawale, Shirish Mohite, Suresh Jain, Piyush Shah, and Ashutosh Deshpande, along with representatives from various Ganesh mandals and Dhol-Tasha troupes.

Anand Sagare read out the citation honoring Balan, while Nitin Pandit served as the master of ceremonies. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Shrikant Shete.