A brief Profile of the Trustees and Honorary Committee Members.
(For the period of 2010-2012)

Chairperson:
Shri Yashwant D. Mehendale:

- B.Sc . DIRW,
- Associated with SOFOSH since its inception in 1964
- Senior Positions in HRD for more than 40 years in various industries.
- Hon. Director, in the following Pune Institutes
- Maharshi Karve Educational institutes
- Hingane Stree Shikshan Sanstha
- Mahavasra Vidya Mandir
- Managing Director of "Shan Transformers Pvt. Ltd."


Vice-Chairperson :
Smt. Dipika Maharajsingh:

- M.A. Political Sc.
- Research Journalist for the Eastern Economist & Indian Institution of Public Opinion.
- Volunteer, St. Johns Home (1968- 1974)
- NAAF ( National Association of Adoptive Families)
- Associated with SOFOSH since 1974 and a Vice Chairperson from 2010.
- Felicitated her for life time contribution to adoption.
- Child Care Coordinator, B.S.S.K.
- Centre for Learning Resources, Research & Script writing

Smt. Harsheela Mansukhani:

- Post-graduation from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
- Managing Committee Member 1988 and Vice Chairperson from 2010.
- Medical Social Worker, Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune 1963 to 1974
- Member, Ethical Committee and Member, Institutional
- Honorary Consultant & Head, Dept. of Medical Social Work,
K.E.M. Hospital, Pune (1978 to-date)
- Member, Governing Board, CIF-India, Mumbai (1994 to-date)
- Review Board, B.J.Medical College, Pune (1999 to-date)
- Member, HIV Advisory Committee, Vanchit Vikas, Pune. (1999 to-date)
- Member, Advisory Committee, 'Childline', Pune (2001 to-date)

Hon-Secretary :
Smt. Nirmala Lahoti:

- Member, Maheshwari Vidya Prachark Mandal, Pune
- President, Ajit Lahoti Charitable Foundation, Pune.
- Director of Shefali Lahoti Cultural Foundation, Pune.
- Member of Maheshwari Pragati Mahila Samiti
- Member, Spectrum (A Ladies Study Group).

Joint Secretary:
Shri. Arvind Herlekar:

- B.Sc. Law (Gen)
- Associated with SOFOSH since 2004
- Teacher in B.K. Model High School, Belgaum.
- Commissioned Officer in the Border Security Force.
- Chief of HR, P & A, for RBG Group Pune.
- Participated in 1971 Indo-Pak War in Chamb-Jourian Sector.

Hon. Treasurer:
Shri Shyam Mehendale:

- Electrical Engineer having transport Business and is interested in social work.
- Mr. Mehendale has been in business since 1982.
- Businessman. Mehendale Transport
- Past president of All India Motor Transport.
- Owner of Manohar Mangal Karyalay.

Hon. Committee Members:

Dr. Mukund Abhyankar:

- M.A. P.hd. LLB.
- Member of Cosmos Bank from 1978 till date.
- Member of National Federation of Urban Co-op. Banks of Credit Societies, New Delhi till date
- Member of Task Force for Urban Co-Banks of Gujarath State from July 2007.
- Vice Chairman and Chairman of Karve Institute of Social Science.

Smt. Vibha Bokey:

- By profession she is an Interior Designer and involve with VIVAA CORPORATION as a partner.
- Actively involved with various Social activities and organizations for the development of Pune for last 5 years.
- Committee Member – Mahila Seva Gram
- Member of Pune District Education Association

Smt. Nivedita Gogte:

- BSc - Food Science and Technology, P G D - Marketing Management (IMDR,Pune).
- Entrepreneur
- Social Worker , Associated with SOFOSH since 4-5 years.
- Own business and looking after the administration and import documentation, marketing etc.

Mr. Vikas Kakatkar:

- B.A. Hons), M.B.A., L.L.B.
- Promoters & Builder
- Founder Director of Jai Hospitals Private Limited, Nasik. One of the leading Private Orthopedic and Accident Hospitals and Recognized Post Graduate Teaching Institute.
- Council Member and Governing Body Member with Deccan Education Society and presently
- Vice-chairman of Deccan Education Society.
- Managing Committee Member with Maharashtra Cricket Association.

Dr. Mrs. Kavita Kareer:

- MBBS(University of Pune)
- MD (Anesthesiology) (University of Pune). Received the Gold Medal for topping the university.
- Diploma in Interior Designing (2 years) Rachana Sansad School of Design, Mumbai. Topped both years.
- Post Graduate Diploma in child and adolescent psychology. (Jnana Prabhodini Institute of psychology)
- Worked as a lecturer in Anesthesiology and later as Associate profession Anesthesiology at Sangli Civil Hospital and BJ Medical College& Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune
- Currently Working as Interior designer and Counselor.
- Intend to work as a counselor for child & adolescent issues & help in dealing with medical problems of the children.

Smt. Suman Kirloskar:

- Trustee K.M. Mahila Seva Gram, Pune.
- Chairman, Mahila Udyog Ltd.,Pune
- Treasurer, Agrihorticultural Society, Pune
- Treasurer, Poona District Leprosy Committee
- Trustee, Voluntary Coordination Agency for Adoption, Pune

Shri. Shirish Sahasrabudhe:

- M.A. D.B.M.
- Director, English Language Teaching Institute of Symbiosis (ELTIS)
- Director ,Symbiosis Institute of Foreign & Indian Languages (SIFIL)
- Dean, Humanities Faculty Symbiosis International University
- Chairman, Board of Studies : ELTIS & SIFIL
- Trustee of Social service institutions (NGOs) of Nirdhar, Pariwar Mangal Trust and Pariwar Mangal Society.

Adv. Vijay Savant:

- Appointed as District Government Pleader & Public Prosecutor, Pune for 92 to 96.
- Initially, a Defence Counselor and later on as Public Prosecutor.
- Special Public Prosecutor for several cases in Maharashtra.
- Appeared successfully in various cases before Civil, Co-operative court and Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal.
- Visiting Lecturer, Law College of Bharati Vidyapeeth since 1980.
- Efforts in several sensational TADA and criminal cases were lauded by the Sessions Court, High Court, Supreme Court who specifically made reference to that effect in their judgement.

Director of Social Services:  Mrs. Madhuri Abhyankar

  • Master's degree in Social Work -  from University of Bombay
  • Working with SOFOSH since 1984
  • Oversees the complete working of the SOFOSH team.
  • Represented SOFOSH at various national / international conferences and seminars
  • Presented papers on "adoption" at various national / international conference.
  • She is on the Advisory Board of National Aids Research Centre, Akashwani
    ( Pune ) Camp Education Society, Bharati Vidya peeth and Pune University.
  • She has received a number of awards and falicitations notable among which is the late Pramila Kamathekar Award in 2002, Falicitated by Susanwad
    ( Pune) with the title of mother of all orphan, also falicitated by Rotary club and Jawaharlal Nehru Open University.
  • She is frequently called upon to share her views and experience in the field of adoption by various reputed organization , clubs and electronic media like Radio Station (Akashwani) and (T.V.)Doordarshan.
  • She is also interviewed by the Press for her option on child related issues frequently.
  • Felicitated for her work "Parvati Punya Bhushan Puraskar – 2008".

Staff members: All professionally qualified Social Workers.

Counselor (part time)

:

Ms. Mira Kodikal

Social Work Administrator of Foster Care

:

Ms. Sangita Pawar

Social Work Administrator of Shreevatsa

:

Ms. Sharmila Sayed

Social worker - Adoption

:

Ms. Urmila Gatne

Social worker - Adoption

:

Ms. Manisha Raskar

Resident co-ordinator-Shreevasta : Ms. Mamata Sarangi
Social Worker : Ms. Sangita Darandale
Social Worker : Ms. Manisha Jadhav
Senior Medical Social Worker (Patient Welfare) : Ms. Ratan Bhagwat
Medical Social Worker (Patient Welfare) : Ms. Purva Thakar
Medical Social Worker (Patient Welfare) : Ms. Asha Kanade
Office Administrator : Ms. Vijaya Chorge
Accounts in charge : Ms. Manasi Hasabnis
Typist-cum-clerk : Ms. Sandhya Kalekar
Office Assistant (TARA) : Ms. Ritu Dhende

Other Professionals -

Dr. Jayant Navarange
MD ( Pediatric ) Pediatrican in-charge of Shreevatsa and the Foster Care Programme since 1980.
  • MBBS ( Pune ) , DCH ( Mumbai) M.D (Pune) L.L B (Pune) Passed all the above exams with a first class, is a Gold Medallist and recipient of many awards.
  • Hon. Consultant and Prof. with Bharati Vidyapeeth ( Indian Law Society’s Law college (Pune).
  • Is a visiting consultant at Pune Hospital, Deenanth Mangeshkar Hospitals, and Seventh Day Adventist Hospital.
  • Associated with Bhartiya Samaj Seva Kendra, Pune Since 1983

Dr. Mona Shah: Visiting medical officer, Shreevatsa and foster family care program.

Dr. Rajesh Pusalkar: Homoeopathic consultant. Visiting Medical Officer

Mr. Rajendra Agarwal:

-Lawyer. Oversees all legal matters for adoption on the behalf of SOFOSH since 1989.
-Education : B.Com, L.L.B. (Pune)
-Has been a legal practioner in Adoption law ( In-country and Inter-country adoption ) & Family Court since 1989

Volunteers -

Committed team of close to 40 volunteers. Prominent amongst them are: - Tehmi Karbhari, Ann Rodgers, Hira Chiplunkar.

Other staff -

Apart from all the professionals mentioned above, SOFOSH has close to 60 workers such as nurses, cooks, house keepers, helpers, ayahs, etc.

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