Chandrapur Garba-Dandiya organisers give Rs 20,000 to family of farmer who died by suicide

Khel Sena Mandal, which is organising the Somaiya Mata Ambe Bhavani Navratri festival and Garba-Dandiya Challenge 2026 in Chandrapur, gave a total of Rs 20,000 in financial assistance to the family of Gajanan Punam Malekar, a farmer from Korpana taluka who died by suicide. The gesture came amid the music and dancing of the festival.

Rajesh Naidu, director of the Garba-Dandiya festival and secretary of Khel Sena Mandal, announced the assistance unexpectedly. The aim was to share in the Malekar family's grief and give them financial support.

Prakash Khanke, former deputy district chief of the Shiv Sena, brought the Malekar family from Korpana to the festival venue. There, Khel Sena Mandal president Pratima Naidu, Jaydeep Bhaurode, Arvind Soni, Madan Gupta and Khanke together gave the family Rs 10,000. Bhaurode then announced a further Rs 10,000 from his own pocket, taking the family's total to Rs 20,000.

Speaking on the occasion, Naidu, who is secretary of Khel Sena Mandal and organiser of the festival, said: "Until farmers and teachers are given respect in this country, the country cannot make true progress." He assured that the mandal would continue such social initiatives to help needy families in distress.

Bhaurode also appealed to the Malekar family to contact him if they needed any kind of help in future, and promised to stand firmly by them.

Dr Khanke of Korpana thanked the organisers on behalf of the Malekar family.

The mandal's initiative carried the message that festivals should not be limited to entertainment and that social responsibility should be upheld.