Omkar Pawar, Chief Executive Officer of Nashik Zilla Parishad, has been selected for the S. S. Gadkari Award 2025-26. He is the only recipient from Maharashtra to receive this prestigious award, presented by the Indian Institute of Public Administration. The award recognizes his innovative initiatives, including Navchetana Abhiyan and Poshandoot, which aim to empower vulnerable women and combat malnutrition among children.

These initiatives have yielded notable results, with data on over 1.06 lakh women mapped and linked to government schemes, and 1,954 malnourished children tracked through an officer-led program. Further details on these initiatives and the award are available.