'We ourselves hadn't heard it initially. Many people called us. The entire village was overjoyed.'
Key Points:
- Anup Pethkar's family arranged accidental risk insurance for 3,365 villagers in Bahadurpura, Nanded, on the occasion of his brother Siddheshwar's wedding, paying total premiums of around Rs 100,000.
- The family had earlier distributed 5,000 face masks to health officials during COVID-19, part of a pattern of social service the family says has continued across several occasions.
- The family learned of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mention on Mann Ki Baat only after villagers called to congratulate them.
From distributing 5,000 face masks to frontline municipal workers during the COVID-19 pandemic to handing out helmets as wedding gifts in 2021 and, more recently, gifting accidental insurance cover to every household in their village, the Pethkar family of Bahadarpura in Maharashtra's Nanded district has quietly built a tradition of giving back to society.
That tradition found national recognition on Sunday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi singled out the family in the 135th edition of Mann Ki Baat radio programme on June 28, 2026, praising them for turning a wedding celebration into a community welfare initiative.
The occasion was the May 20 wedding of Siddheshwar Pethkar, whose family chose to replace conventional wedding return gifts with accidental insurance policies for thousands of fellow villagers.
In Bahadarpura village in Kandhar taluka of Nanded district, the wedding became far more than a family celebration.
Instead of spending on elaborate gifts or entertainment, the family arranged accidental insurance cover for virtually the entire village -- a gesture that remained largely local news until it caught the prime minister's attention.
Speaking to Rediff, Anup Pethkar, Siddheshwar's elder brother, confirmed that the family purchased accidental insurance cover for 3,365 villagers at a total premium of around Rs 1 lakh. Each villager is entitled to a sum assured of Rs 1 lakh under this scheme.
The idea, he said, emerged from discussions within the family about making the wedding memorable in a meaningful way.
The insurance provides cover against accidental risks.
Explaining the policy, Anup clarified that it does not include natural deaths or illnesses.
"Only accidental risks are covered," he said.
Asked whether a fatal road accident would qualify, he confirmed that if a person dies in an accident -- for instance, while riding a motorcycle -- the insurance benefit would be available.
Former Maharashtra chief minister -- currently a Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha MP -- Ashok Chavan called on the family to congratulate them for the social cause.
"He had called in the morning the next day (June 29) and wished the family. He also showered his blessings on the newly-weds," Anup said.
A Family Tradition of Giving Back
The initiative reflected a philosophy the family has followed for years.
According to Anup, social service has long been woven into the family's way of life.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pethkars distributed around 5,000 face masks to municipal health workers and civic staff who continued working on the frontlines despite the risks posed by the virus.
The wedding insurance scheme itself was not their first unusual social initiative.
In 2021, during Anup's family wedding, the Pethkars distributed helmets to guests, encouraging road safety while marking the occasion.
That initiative, too, drew appreciation locally for combining celebration with public awareness.
The family says such initiatives are not isolated acts but part of a long-standing commitment to sharing a portion of their earnings with society.
The Pethkars describe themselves as a business family based in Nanded.
According to Anup, their commitment to philanthropy stretches back several generations.
His great-grandfathers established five flour mills in the region, and successive generations continued the practice of setting aside part of the family's earnings for social causes.
'The Entire Village Was Overjoyed'
Despite their growing reputation in the region, the family never imagined their work would be acknowledged by the country's highest elected leader.
Anup said they had no advance information that the prime minister would mention them in Mann Ki Baat.
"We ourselves hadn't heard it initially," he recalled.
Instead, villagers who had listened to the broadcast informed them that the prime minister had spoken about their family.
Soon afterwards, congratulatory phone calls began pouring in.
"Many people called us," Anup said.
Friends, relatives, well-wishers and acquaintances from different places telephoned to congratulate the family after hearing the prime minister praise their initiative.
The recognition quickly became a matter of celebration for the entire village.
Asked about the atmosphere following the broadcast, Anup replied simply: "The entire village was overjoyed."
Residents of Bahadarpura began visiting the family and calling them to express their happiness that a small village in Kandhar taluka had received national recognition.
For the Pethkars, the appreciation belonged as much to the village as it did to the family itself.
Modi Uses Story to Highlight Insurance Schemes
Prime Minister Modi used the story to highlight the importance of financial protection through affordable insurance.
Speaking during Mann Ki Baat, he said the Pethkar family had chosen to share the happiness of a wedding by arranging accidental insurance cover for nearly 3,500 villagers instead of limiting the celebrations to family members.
He observed that accidents often impose severe financial hardship on families and that even modest insurance support can make a significant difference during such crises.
The prime minister also used the occasion to encourage greater participation in government-backed insurance schemes.
He pointed out that more than 580 million Indians have enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, which provides accidental insurance cover of up to Rs 2 lakh for an annual premium of just Rs 20.
He added that more than 270 million people have joined the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, which offers life insurance protection at an affordable cost.
For Siddheshwar Pethkar, whose wedding inspired the initiative, the recognition carried special meaning.
Speaking separately to ANI, he said the prime minister's mention felt like validation that their effort had achieved its purpose.
For a young man from a small village to have his family's work acknowledged before the entire nation, he said, was a matter of immense pride.
The Pethkars insist they did not undertake the initiative expecting recognition.
Their objective, they say, was simply to ensure that every family in their village received at least some financial protection against unforeseen accidents.
The prime minister's appreciation, they believe, has only strengthened their resolve to continue using family celebrations as an opportunity to serve the wider community.
