In 2020, Pawar Popatrao Bhaguji was awarded Padma Bhushan for his contribution in the field of social work.
Social Work
He is a farmer, sarpanch of Hiware Bazar panchayat in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Pawar also serves as the Executive Director of Maharashtra state government’s Model Village programme.
He is credited with having transformed it from an impoverished village into a model of development that the government of Maharashtra wishes to implement across the state.
He led Hiware Bazar’s transformation from a drought- prone village to a green and prosperous model village.
In relation to the control of malaria he is quoted to have said “Show me one mosquito (in Hiware bazar) and take away Rs 100.”
The Hiware bazare gram panchayat, with Pawar as its sarpanch, won the first National Award for community led water conservation in 2007.
