Padmashri Smt. Reema Nanavaty, Director of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), was conferred with the Santokbaa Humanitarian Award 2026 in recognition of her contribution to women’s empowerment, livelihood generation, and inclusive development.
The 20thedition of the award also honoured Padmashri Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao, Founder Chair of LV Prasad Eye Institute, for his pioneering contribution to making quality eye care accessible to millions. Additionally, SRKKF introduced the Santokbaa Social Entrepreneurship Award to recognise leaders driving social change through sustainable business models. Shri Srikanth Bolla, Founder of Bollant Industries, became the inaugural recipient of the award for championing inclusive employment and environmentally responsible manufacturing.
The 20thSantokbaa Humanitarian Award was presented by Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF), the philanthropic arm of Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK)in Surat.
Over the past several decades, Nanavaty has worked closely with women in the informal economy, helping expand access to livelihood opportunities, financial inclusion, social security, entrepreneurship, and climate-resilient development. Through her leadership at SEWA, initiatives focused on strengthening women’s economic participation have reached communities across rural and urban India.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Govind Dholakia, Founder & Chairman Emeritus, SRK and SRKKF, said, “The Santokbaa Humanitarian Award was established to recognise individuals whose work contributes meaningfully to society. As the award completes twenty years, we are pleased to honour Reema Nanavaty for her sustained efforts towards empowering women and strengthening communities
Instituted in 2006 by Shri Govind Dholakia, the Santokbaa Humanitarian Award honours individuals whose work has contributed to social development, humanitarian service, and nation-building. Previous recipients include Ratan Tata, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Sudha Murty, Kailash Satyarthi, Shiv Nadar, Cyrus Poonawalla, Verghese Kurien, and Drs. Abhay and Rani Bang.
As the award marked its 20th year, the recognition of Reema Nanavaty highlighted the growing importance of women-led development initiatives in addressing challenges related to livelihoods, inclusion, and sustainable growth. Her work continues to demonstrate how community-based approaches can create long-term social and economic impact at scale.