Gangajal Nature Foundation, Mumbai

14. Prize Distribution Ceremony of 2nd National Photography and Documentary Competition at Rachana Sansad, Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 29th March 2009

What a nice function it was at Rachana Sansad, Prabhadevi on the evening of 29th March!! We had Water man of India, Dr. Rajendra Singh as Chief Guest. We had welknown writer, journalist Abhijit Ghorpade as Special Guest. We felicited him by the title "Nadee Mitra" (Friend of Rivers) Award . Then we had almost all the winners present with the judges of the compitition. And all this was accomanpanied by a nice audience of nature lovers spread across the country. All in all, we had a program we were dreaming of since last 6 months.

13. Member's Annual Get Together of Gangajal Nature Foundation At 'Visawa Resort', Murbad, Maharashtra - 2nd November 2008

12. Gangajal's Helping Hands to Flood Affected Bihar - 15th October 2008 To 23rd October 2008

A strong agitation by Raj Thakare for protecting right of people of the land is creating whirlpools across the India. On this backdrop, nature lovers from Maharashtra responded to the SOS for flood affected Bihari people and displayed the true side of Maharashtian tradition of helping hand to people at distress across the India.

Recently Kosi River swaps many villages covering almost 3 Lakh hectors of farming land and property worth about 800 Crores. Gangajal Nature Foundation, a Mumbai based NGO with objectives of Nature Conservation and pollution prevention of fresh water resources rushed to help people of flood affected Bihar.

Since 2006 Gangajal Nature Foundation, Mumbai is taking pain in creating awareness about prevention pollution in fresh water resources through Photo exhibition and Documentary screening. Gangajal Nature Foundation, Mumbai also motivates enthusiast to participate in photo competition and making of documentaries on fresh water resources.

Between year 2001 to 2006 Vijay Mudshingikar, founder of Gangajal Nature Foundation, Mumbai had traveled 2500 km across the length of river Ganga for studying Ganga Pollution. This study created foundation for the Gangajal. This attachment towards the river system forced them to give open call for help. Among many others Badlapur based Gayatri Charitable Trust, under guidance of Bapat Guruji contributed 2 tones of various material.

A multi faced team consists of Veteran photographer Sham Manchekar, Writer Sureshchandra Varghade, Dr P D Kadam and Vijay Mudshingikar step up to help flood affected Bihar. Achyut Marathe of Maharashtra Bhavan at Gaya and Ashok Soman of Maharashtra Mandal at Patna served direct linkage to Ashvini Thakare District Collector of Purnia District and thus aid rests straight in the hands of flood-affected people in need. District Collector of Purnia, Ashvini Thakare had made very special efforts to support this mission by providing required infrastructure in the form of security and administration.

State of Bihar witnessed the contradiction, on the one side, there is strong agitation against Biharis ways of snatching jobs of locals and anger against Raj Thakare and MNS and on the other side Maharashtian helping attitude towards flood affected Biharis. People of Purnia District will always remember their District Collector Ashvini Thakare and Gangajal Nature Foundation, Mumbai for their wonderful job.

11. Village Murebe, Palghar Dist- Thane - 13th April 2008

Gangajal Nature Foundation, for the first time, arranged Free Eye checkup & surgery medical camp. The idea behind organizing such camp was to help numorous people who need eye checkup and care but are ignorant because of financial or likewise reasons. We have always tried to clear peoples' vision to see the pollution and act against it. It was more of physical eye checkup and surgery camp.

10. Rachana Sansad, Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 30th March 2008

The prize distribution ceremony of National Documentory and Photography Competition organized on the occasion of World Water Year 2007 received overwhelming support by large number of environment aware citizens and our respected guests on 30th March 2008 at Rachana Sansad, Prabhadevi, Mumbai.

Our chief guests for this spectacular event were :

• Dr. Premanand Ramani (International Neuro Spinal Surgeon )
• Dr. Goldin Quadros (Education Officer W.W.F.)
• Shri. Avinash Kubal (Dy. Director, Maharshtra Nature Park)
• Shri. Kaka Hardas (Nature Photographer & Social Worker, Kalyan)

Judges for Photography Competition were :

• Shri. Shyam Manchekar (International Photogarpher)
• Shri. Datta Sawant (Famous Photographer)
• Shri. Vishwas Mourya (Famous Photographer)

Judges for Documentary Competition were :

• Shri. Avdhoot Paralkar (News Editor, Mumbai Doordarshan, Worli)
• Shri. Suresh Tondwalkar (Famous Documentary maker and Editor)
• Shri. Arun Gongade (Head of Dept, Animation, Film Division, Govt. of India)

The Winners of the Documentary Competition :

• Consolation Prize Mr. Nikhil Bhopale, Jal-Sa, Panvel, Maharashtra
• Consolation Prize Mr. Santosh Deodhar, Construction Water, Mulund, Mumbai
• Consolation Prize Mr. Swapnil Chaskar, Prawah, Dombivali, Maharashtra
• Consolation Prize Mr. Dayanand Kudari, 2025, Pune

The Winners of the Photography Competition :

• 1st Prize : Caption: "Quenching Thirst" by Mr. Abhijit Bhattacharya, Kolkata, West Bengal
• 2nd Prize: Caption: "The Thirsty" by Mr. Ramesh Pednekar, Mumbai
• 3rd Prize: Caption: "Livelihood" by Mr. Partha Saarthi Bose, Kolkata, West Bengal
• 4th Prize: Caption: "Useful of Leakage" by Mr. Milind Kadam, Ambarnath, Maharashtra

Some glimpses of the event...

9. Nagindas Khandelwal College, Malad (west), Mumbai - 24th and 25th January 2008

Exhibition Organized by Giography Division, Nagindas Khandelwal College, Malad (west), Mumbai. Inaugurated by Mr. Avinashbhai Parekh (Joint Secretory, Malad and Kandivali Education Society), Principal Mrs. N.C. Jose and
Vice Principal Mr. V.G. Varadkar.

8. Panvel - 20th January 2008

Organized by : Lapracy Control Comittee Friends Gathering at Nere Village, Panvel

7. Grant Medical College, Mumbai - From 29th September 2007

Inaugurated by : Dy. Dean Dr. Sarode, Shri Dhanraj Vanjari ACP Mumbai police.

6. Everest Hall, Dombivali - From 5th to 10th June 2007

Inaugurated by : Shri. Abasaheb Patwari, Prof. Surendra Vajpai

5. Yandyavalkya, Kalyan - From 25th to 30th May 2007

Inaugurated by : Shri. Kaka Hardas

4. Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul, Vile Parle - From 23th April to 3rd May 2007

Inaugurated by : International Photographer and Professor Shri. Shrikant Maluste and Dr. Ramesh Prabhu, Ex Mayor Mumbai. Hon Shri R. R. Patil, Dy. Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited the exhibition.

3. P.L.Deshpande Kala Academy, Mumbai - From 10th to 14th January 2007

Inaugurated by : Hon. Shri Ashok Chavan Cultural Minister, International Photographer Shri. Shyam Manchekar

2. NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai - From 6th to 14th January 2007

Inaugurated by : Swami Sundaranandji, Hon. Shri. Kumar Ketkar

1. Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi - From 13th to 20th August 2006

Inaugurated by : Hon. Dr.P.S.Ramani, Hon. Artist Shri. K.R.Subbana