Shankar Baba Papalkar has been raising abandoned or orphaned children, many of whom have disabilities, for over 35 years. Some of them arrived as infants and never knew family warmth.
In 1990, Papalkar founded an orphanage on 25 acres of barren land in Vazzare, Amravati. Initially, there were only four girls with disabilities brought from different parts of the country. Over time, this land became a home for a family of 123 people.
These children needed more than just food and shelter. Among them were people with visual impairments, those who were deaf and unable to speak, as well as those suffering from physical or intellectual disabilities. Many of them were abandoned shortly after birth.
Papalkar recognized the vulnerability of abandoned children. While working on the Marathi journal in Mumbai, he learned that girls with disabilities were being exploited, falling into prostitution, and even being left to die. He decided to intervene in this situation.
Ultimately, Papalkar stopped accepting children when their number reached 123. Although there were many more in need, he understood that he could not responsibly care for a larger number of people.
Today, the ashram houses 98 girls and 25 boys. He also made a very personal decision: in the father's column of their Aadhaar cards, he listed his own name—Dr. Shankar Baba Pundlikao Papalkar. For children who grew up without parental care, this meant having a person they could call a father.
Papalkar wanted his children to grow up with a sense of responsibility and independence. According to his Vazzare Model, every resident has a role. Residents take care of each other, perform work according to their abilities, and acquire practical skills. For those who could not perform ordinary work, Papalkar found other meaningful duties. He taught people with intellectual disabilities plant care, using simple canisters to water trees at the roots.
Over time, the barren land became covered in greenery. Today, there are about 15,000 trees growing there, and the residents help maintain them. Papalkar's efforts extend beyond the ashram, aiming to secure the future of these people as adults.
Institutional care ends when a child turns 18. Papalkar worries that young adults who still need support may face exploitation, homelessness, or forced begging. He spent years advocating for the idea of lifelong rehabilitation and care for the needy.
Many of Papalkar's wards have managed to build their own lives. Twenty-one daughters and three sons have married, and 12 have secured government jobs. In 2025, one of his daughters achieved outstanding success. Mala was abandoned at Jalgaon railway station. Papalkar took her in when she was 10 years old, gave her his name, and taught her Braille. Despite 95% vision impairment, she passed the MPSC exam and became a revenue assistant in the Nagpur Collectorate.
When Papalkar received the Padma Shri award in 2024, he dedicated the honor to the disabled children he dedicated his life to supporting. The award bore his name, but he wanted the recognition to belong to them.