Eminent social worker and education reformer Shri Vinayak Lohani has been awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, for his exceptional contributions to social work, particularly in the areas of child welfare, inclusive education, and community development.
As the founder of Parivaar, a humanitarian institution based in West Bengal, Shri Lohani has dedicated his life to uplifting underprivileged and abandoned children, providing them with shelter, holistic education, and a nurturing environment to thrive.
After graduating from IIT Kharagpur and IIM Calcutta, Shri Vinayak Lohani chose to dedicate his life not to corporate success, but to service and nation-building. Starting with just a few children in 2003, Parivaar has now grown into one of the largest free residential institutions in Eastern India, serving thousands of children from tribal, slum, and rural backgrounds.
His model focuses not just on academic education but on character-building, values-based upbringing, and emotional care—creating empowered, responsible citizens.
“Real change begins when we treat every child as our own,” Shri Lohani has said in numerous forums.
With the Padma Shri, the Government of India honors Shri Lohani’s unwavering commitment to the cause of the vulnerable and voiceless, and for building scalable models of social impact rooted in compassion, discipline, and visionary leadership.
