Vilas Bhongade

Work area : Bhandara, Chandrapur and Nagpur districts, Maharashtra

Vilas began his involvement with social movements as a young adult in Nagpur. He has played an active role in grassroots struggles of unorganized labour over the past three decades under the banner of Kashtkari Jan Andolan. He has also been a key figure in the Vidarbha region on issues of natural resource rights, displacement and livelihood. He became a SRUTI Fellow in 2003

In 1990, he led the struggle against the denial of proper rehabilitation of those affected by the Indira Sagar Dam. Gosikhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti was initiated against these injustices in 1996. Under his leadership, the sangathan pioneered innovative forms of peaceful democratic expression in the region to highlight the corruption and usually ignored aspects of displacement such as the deprivation of community resources for cattle rearing and grazing.

Vilas has been working from the start with informal workers including domestic workers. In 2008, the sangathan achieved a great feat when the Maharashtra government passed the Domestic Workers Act, In 2011, the Domestic Workers’ Welfare Board was formed and compensation of 90 thousand rupees was fixed for every female domestic work age between 55 to 60 years. Another milestone victory for the sangathan came in 2013 by ensuring appropriate compensation, livelihood and housing for around 1 lakh affected people affected by the Gosikhurd dam.

Having written numerous books and informative articles about laws and constitutional provisions, social movements and their body of work, he also contributes regularly to Marathi newspapers and magazines. He mentors SRUTI’s programs and facilitates SSC shivirs in the state. He also travels regularly to various regions to support sangathan-building and document social initiatives, the living conditions of communities, and their language, history and culture. With an encouraging smile and a warm personality, he encourages young people to take up the baton of social change for the growth and progress of entire generations.