Ms Maya Ranavare

Ms Maya Ranavare was born as a child of an affected mother and brought up in the leprosy colony. She was diagnosed with leprosy at the age of six. She struggled for survival, education, against discrimination and ostracism since her childhood. This had a great impact on her life and she committed to working for the affected people’s rights, empowerment and welfare.

She is the National President of APAL, Chair of Sakshi Vikas Sanstha, Coordinator of, the State Human Rights Commission, and key member of the District Leprosy Coordination Committee.

She has contributed to the Human Rights Commission reviewing and ruling in favour of persons affected, as well as in obtaining a special maintenance allowance from Municipal Corporations for more than 3,000 people affected by leprosy. She is also a mentor for livelihood projects run by Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation & Bajaj Foundation.

Ms Ranavare has participated in many national and international events, including International Leprosy Congress, Philippines, International conference on Women and Human Rights, Rome, Italy etc. She has received various awards, including Sasakawa India Leprosy Foundation’s ‘Rising to Dignity Award’ and R.K. Mehta Charitable Trust’s ‘Social Service Award’. In 2014, she was cast in a documentary called “The unsung Hero” Meet Maya, a remarkable person. Maya’s life mission is to work towards a world free from leprosy, stigma and discrimination.