Members from different castes and creed make up the team viz. 2 main Directors both human rights activists, retired senior Jail officials, a few doctors, lawyers, retired Directors of multinationals and several other volunteers from diverse fields.
Currently establishing the reformation and rehabilitation centre for males, females and juveniles in Raigad Dist. Mahad 180 kms away from Mumbai.
We have realized that both the jail officials and NGOs have not been successful in reformation of the prisoners for the reasons mentioned below :
To reform prisoners in the jails becomes difficult even after convincing an individual to leave their criminal life and adopt the right way of life for the following reasons :
- Orientation to whatever level fizzles out as the inmates come in contact with the seasoned inmates. The prisoners promise their fellow prisoners greater yield and opportunities to satisfy their own goals.
- As soon as the inmate walks out of prison he is all confused and does not know how to start life anew.
- He is in danger of entering crime again through his associates.
- Job opportunities are nil for him as he will have no references given. Many times, basic human needs like food, shelter, clothing and finance is not available to him from family and friends.
- After a gap of time, there is environmental and infrastructure changes which the inmate finds difficult to adjust to.
All these facts lead us to firmly believe that a released prisoner ought to have an after care centre in order to become normal in mind, attitude and behaviour.
The centre will also cater to the adult who is aggressive and violent and who proves to be a menace to the family and society. At the moment there is no such centre in the country which provides such holistic treatment.
Our Team
The People who make a difference
Ravi Das
Founder, Director
Mr Ravi Das has been working since 2006 in the Mumbai jails as Personnel Officer with Prison Ministry India, a national organization which has its branches in all the jails and remand homes in India.
However, he has started the organization Prison Reforms and Rehabilitation as he realized that both reformation and rehabilitation discourses are much needed for the released prisoners. He believes that crime is the outcome of a diseased mind and jail must have the environment of hospitals for the treatment and care of the prisoners.
Miss Janet Fernandes
Director
Miss Janet Fernandes holds a B.A (Hons.) degree and has majored in Literature & Psychology.
She is a very successful counsellor and has helped people of varied ages and interests to get relief psychologically and to move on smoothly with their lives. She is a trained counsellor and she attributes this as a God-given gift.
She has also been instrumental in the group counselling in the jails.
She is a Human Rights and Civic activist.
She is responsible for inviting the Canara Bank team to the Ladies Byculla jail during which time they were taught home industry thus making them independent when they were released. Many of the inmates availed of this golden opportunity of an interest-free loan of Rs.25,000/- without any guarantor.
Retd. D.I.G Mr Rajendra Dhamne
Mr Rajendra Dhamne is the first officer in Maharashtra, Prison department, to rise from Basic Group II Jailor to reach the position of Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.
He is the recipient of the ADGP Award and received the Gold Medal Award twice for the best training. He was also awarded twice the Presidential Award – once in 2001 and the other in 2016.
In his 32 and odd years of service, he excelled in the entire prison department.
His contribution to the Yerwada & other jails in Maharashtra is praise worthy.
In Yerwada Central jail he started high scale leather industry and developed the growth of mushrooms in a big way.
He constructed a big community hall on the land of Yerwada jail. This hall has a capacity for 3000 persons. The revenue from this hall goes to the Prison Department and to the inmates working in this hall.
When he was Superintendent of Thane prison, he was given additional charge to look after the construction of Taloja prison which he did diligently by altering the plans as and when it was required. It took him 3 years to complete the construction. This prison is one of the best planned in Maharashtra.
He is an expert in handling high profile prisoners, terrorists and organised crime bosses. He is an excellent disciplinarian and he tolerated no nonsense with the jail staff as well as the prisoners. He is a multi-tasker.
The recent Prison Manual has his contribution of approximately 40%. In a great way, he encouraged NGOs to carry out the work in the prisons. He is also a lawyer. He is an advisor to the jail officials whenever needed.
Mr Ramesh Kamble
Sr Superintendent of Maharashtra Prisons, retired on 31.8.2021.
Edu qual: B Com, MSW Ist class.
He had postings in many parts of the Maharashtra state.
Mr Kamble is a very soft spoken and calm gentleman. He believes more in listening than in speaking. He was a result oriented person. He was extremely particular in maintaining hygiene in the jail kitchens and made sure that the food quality served to the prisoners was of a good standard.
Although he was high profile, he was of a very modest background. Whatever he undertook he did perfectly well leaving no loose-ends. His uniform was impeccable and he was very particular about his appearance in toto. He was very friendly with the NGOs and guests visiting the jails but very cautious.
He was the first Superintendent to start goat farming in Nasik & Amravati jails.
He started the Plant Nursery in Yerwada Open Jail , Pune.
He initiated the website for the jails.
He started sale centre in Amravati jail for products made by the prisoners.
When he was Principal of the Training College in Pune for jail officers, he started the gym, computer labs, basket ball court.
In 2013 he compiled a book named Handsome and it was published.
He also initiated a poetry book compiled by the prisoners named Kavya Bahar.
He was a good counsellor and administrator.
In the year 2008 he brought Indian prisoner to Mumbai from Mauritius on deportation.
Retd. Sup. Sudhir Kingre
Mr Sudhir Kingre successfully completed 32 years of dedicated service as a Jail Officer and retired as Superintendent of various jails in Maharashtra.
He diligently worked on preparing the Prison Directory, the first of its kind, in the Maharashtra Prison department.
He is the first Superintendent who started video conferencing interview of prisoners at Kolhapur Central Prison.
He successfully worked as a Research Officer in the Office of the Additional Director General of Prisons, Pune. He also contributed towards the compiling of the Prison Manual during that tenure.
He handled high profile prisoners with great expertise.
He was a very disciplined person and hence always expected his staff as well as the prisoners to be disciplined too.
When he was Superintendent of Byculla District Prison, he started the Balwadi ( playschool for children) both for the children of prison staff and prisoners and equipped it with modern toys.
He also developed a garden for the children of the Prison staff.
The children of the prisoners had a great love for him because of the care and concern he had for them during their stay in the Prison.
Dr. Gitanjali Sandeep Chavan
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Gitanjali Chavan is a Clinical Psychologist from Pune. She has completed PhD in Psychology from North Maharashtra University.
As a part of her PhD thesis, she has closely studied the impact of imprisonment on quality of life of inmates of open and closed prisons. Her study has provided invaluable insights for reform of prisoners’ lives inside the system.
She has served as a resource person for a training institute which is involved in capacity building of Prison Officers.
Before that, for a couple of years she has served as a Psychology professor for a degree college in Saswad, Pune.
From 2015 to 2018 she operated through her counselling centre – Manovedh, through which she possesses hands-on experience to work with care providers of people with various kinds of mental illnesses, counselling of parents of children with behavioural problems, aptitude testing and career counselling of adolescents.
Dr.Nirmala S Rao
M.D., D.P.M. and Aavishkar Team
Education:
- Qualifications: M.D., D.P.M.
- Always a rank holder with National & State scholarships.
- Hailing from Hyderabad, completed her M.D. in Bombay University and ranked third.
Accomplishments At-A-Glance::
- Started practice in 1987 as a consultant and therapist working in association with clinical psychologists.
- Established ‘Aavishkar’ in 1993 with a vision to extend the scope of psychiatry far beyond mere clinical practice.
- Certified Trainer for Situational Self Leadership from KEN AND BLANCHARD, USA.
- Certified Trainer in Presentation Skills from Delta College, Michigan.
- Led her team to Dubai to participate in the Well-being Show 2005 at Jumeriah. Spoke on “Managing Emotions” and “You are the CEO of Your Life” to an international audience.
- Samaj Shakti Award winner for Best Social Contribution in 2006.
- Assisted D.F.I.D. (UK) in the pilot programme for “Effective Rural Lending” by conducting behavioural programs for Rural Branch Managers in Bhopal.
- Led the panel at International Women’s Day on Entrepreneurship and Social Contribution.
- Frequently interviewed by T.V. channels, Radio Stations, and News Papers on various aspects of mental health.
- Conducts Workshops for parents, children & teenagers.
- Free counseling for disaster victims to deal with post-traumatic stress.
- Visited the earthquake affected areas of Bhuj and interacted with the victims of the bomb blast, terrorist attack in Mumbai.
- Support Groups for Senior Citizens and Single Women.
- Provided financial aid to provide teaching & learning aids to rural schools and colleges with special emphasis on girl education.
- Conducted various workshops for PSUs, Banks, Petroleum Companies,
Private Sectors, Educational Institutes, Multinational Organizations.
Dr Nirmala S Rao and her Aavishkar Team have participated in various initiatives within the justice system. Programs were conducted for jailors in Taloja: the aim was to allow them to share their issues, gain support and learn strategies for self-management and self-development. Similar programs were planned in other jails, but had to be postponed due to the global pandemic and resulting lockdown. Our counsellors also conducted clinical interactions with inmates at the Arthur Road jail, assessing for mental health and functioning and providing support.