Sunil’s Journey of Leadership and Courage

A friend, a social worker, and an active member of the society, Sunil Ahire lives in Ulhasnagar, Mumbai. Sunil runs an organization that works towards the welfare of people who work in the informal sector by addressing issues such as wages, gender discrimination, and many other problems that they face. Sunil’s passion for his cause is reflected in his journey that spans over a decade. 

After working for a social organization for nearly over a decade, Sunil decided to work on his own after the organization shut down due to lack of resources. It was a courageous decision, and one that posed various challenges, such as raising funds or getting access to other resources. However, he did not back down. He continued to believe in the connection he had built with the community over the years. Sunil would go to the Labour Chowk in Ulhasnagar, sit with the workers, and listen to the problems that the workers had to share with him. Not getting minimum wages, gender discrimination in wage rates, and not getting their wages on time were some of the issues that were brought up by the workers. One of the major problems was pertaining to the lack of constitutional laws and the non-participation in social security schemes owing to the inability to access them. 

Sunil spent almost a year working towards bringing the workers together so that their issues could be addressed. In 2017, his fellow workers established the organization Asangit Kashtakari Kamgar from the money saved from their daily wages. The responsibility of the organization was then handed to Sunil. Due to Sunil’s tireless efforts and continuous hard work, today the organization has 4500 active members. Daily wage workers, domestic workers, construction workers, young boys, and girls are all a part of the organization. This organization completely belongs to the workers, Sunil says, as the rent is paid by the membership fees of the workers. 

Sunil attended the Samvidhan Se Samadhan training program as a Disom Fellow. He shares that the training increased his understanding of the constitution and gave him a deeper insight into the connection of constitutional values with life. This understanding is also reflected in the work Sunil does; he created savings accounts for the members of the community to help them financially. 

Sunil is also actively involved in working towards the education of women in the community, organizing camps and training for women’s health. He supports students by educating them about scholarships and helping them secure them; he also supports the community by imparting information about social welfare schemes. With his consistent efforts, he has helped women in the community be more financially sound. His efforts are also reflected in the spirit of the organization. 

Sunil actively works with his community for their betterment. He leads his life in accordance with constitutional values and continues to showcase the dedication he has for his community through his work, thoughts, and his leadership.

The above story has been written and published with the explicit consent of the individual involved. All facts presented are based on WTPA's direct interaction with the individual, ensuring accuracy and integrity in our reporting.