Pune: In a significant step towards the empowerment of the Katkari tribal community, 550 citizens from Mulshi Taluka’s Male village were given caste certificates in a distribution ceremony held at the Hutatma Nagya Mahadu Katkari Community Development Center.

This long-awaited recognition will allow the Katkari people to access various government schemes and services, helping to uplift their socio-economic status.

The event marked the culmination of efforts led by Janjati Kalyan Ashram and supported by Suhas Lunkad, a Pune-based construction businessman.

For years, members of the Katkari community have struggled without official documentation like caste certificates or Aadhar cards, preventing them from fully participating in governmental programs aimed at their welfare.

Officials from the Mulshi division, including Group Development Officer Sudhir Bhagwat, Taluka Health Officer Vaman Kanjale, and others from various social and governmental organizations, attended the event.

They acknowledged the importance of this initiative in giving the Katkari community an official identity. The caste certificates will enable these families to claim their rightful access to state and central government welfare programs.

At the event, the community’s historic contributions were also recognized, particularly their involvement in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Swarajya movement and the later legacy of Hutatma Nagya Mahadu Katkari.

Over time, the Katkari people had been sidelined from mainstream development, but this move is seen as a step toward reintegrating them, with education being highlighted as the key to their future success.

Dr. Pravin Dabadghav, regional coordinator of the RSS, noted that girls from the Katkari community are now pursuing education at higher rates than boys, and he encouraged both boys and girls to continue their education to help bring their community into the mainstream.