Dr. Bharat Vatwani

Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation

Dr. Vatwani a psychiatrist won this year’s prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for his tremendous courage and healing compassion in embracing India’s mentally-afflicted destitute. He was recognized for his steadfast and magnanimous dedication to the work of restoring the human dignity of even the most ostracized.

Dr. Vatwani along with his wife Dr. Smitha, conceptualized and founded Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation in 1988. This NGO is dedicated to rescue, treat, rehabilitate and reunify wandering mentally-ill destitute from the streets of India with their families. In the last 30 years, Shraddha, under the pioneering leadership of Dr. Vatwani has reunited more than 7000 mentally-ill destitute with their families.

Inspired by the legendary social worker Baba Amte, Shraddha set up a huge Rehabilitation Center in 2006 on a 6.5-acre plot of land in Karjat, on the outskirts of Mumbai. At any given time, 120 plus mentally-ill destitute are treated and cared for, before being reunited with their families.