JITO Belagavi Celebrates 20th Foundation Day and Awards Night
On March 22, 2026, JITO Belagavi marked a historic milestone by celebrating its 20th Foundation Day at Millennium Garden, Belagavi. The grand ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, award recipients, and members of JITO Belagavi, including the Ladies’ Wing (JLW) and Youth Wing (JYW). The evening was dedicated to honoring the Jain community's achievers across various professional fields.
The event commenced with the sacred chanting of the Navakar Maha Mantra, followed by the traditional lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries present. In his welcome address, Chairman Mr. Harshavardhan Inchal congratulated the gathering on JITO’s global 20-year journey. He highlighted the organization’s significant growth through its core verticals and provided a brief overview of the Belagavi Chapter’s remarkable progress over the past 14 years.
The highlight of the evening was the JITO Belagavi Award Ceremony – 2026, where prestigious honors were presented to the following outstanding individuals and institutions:
1) Best Educational Institution - 2026: Awarded to Shri Bhadrabahu Rural Minority Education Society Shamanewadi, Tal. Nippani, Dist. Belagavi Represented Founder Chairman : Dr. Chandrakant ji Baburao Patil
2) Best Business Entity - 2026: Awarded to Super Disposal, Belagavi Represented by : Shri Suresh Porwal
3) Best Social Service - 2026: Awarded to Shri Rajendra Shiramoji, Bogur Village, Tal. Khanapur, Dist. Belagavi
4) Best Professional - 2026: Awarded to Dr. Sooraj Patil MBBS, MD, DM (Neurology), Consultant Neurologist
5) Best Lady Entrepreneur - 2026: Awarded to Mrs. Anupama Shirahatti, Director, Jain Engineers, Belagavi
6) Best Farmer - 2026: Awarded to Smt. Sumati & Shri Dinesh Patil, Peeranwadi, (Chinnapattana), Belagavi
All recipients were presented with mementos and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to JITO Belagavi for the prestigious recognition of their work.
Shri Pushpak Hanammannavar, Director-in-Charge of Minority Affairs, provided a detailed briefing on government minority schemes. He also issued a critical call to action regarding the upcoming national census, urging all attendees to ensure they record "Jain" in the religion category so that the true strength of the community is accurately reflected in national data.
The Chief Guest, Shri Mahendra H. Singhi, commended JITO Belagavi for its unity and impactful social initiatives. He congratulated the awardees and wished them continued success in their future endeavors. The event also marked the induction of two new members into the JITO family.
All members of JITO Belagavi, including the Ladies Wing and Youth Wing, were present, with the Master of Ceremony handled by Mr. Ankit Khoda
A vote of thanks was proposed by Chief Secretary Abhay Adimani, who expressed gratitude to Chief Guest, Awardees, Dignitatries and all members who contributed to the successful conduct of the 20th JITO Foundation Day.
The program concluded with a recitation of the National Anthem