Padma Shri awardee Damodar Ganesh Bapat dies at 84
Damodar Ganesh Bapat, noted social worker and Padma Shri awardee, breathed his last on Friday night. He was 84. Damodar Ganesh Bapat, who was an octogenarian, dedicated his life to the treatment and service of leprosy patients.
Damodar Ganesh Bapat was associated with the Bharatiya Kushta Nivarak Sangh (BKNS) in Jangjir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh for four decades. He had joined BKNS as its secretary in 1972.
Born in Amaravati district of Maharashtra, Bapat was the youngest of three sons of a railway employee. He completed his graduation in Nagpur.
He started off as a teacher in backward tribal areas. That's when he visited BKNS and the plight of leprosy patients there concerned him.
He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2018 for his service to the society.
