On the 10th of February 2024, Mrs. Maya Ranavare and the authorities from the Association of Persons Affected by Leprosy (APAL) had the honour of meeting with the 19th Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ram Naik, at their premises. This meeting was a significant opportunity for the APAL authorities to interact with a distinguished political figure and offer their congratulations to him on his recent Padma Bhushan award.

Mr. Ram Naik is a veteran politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who has had a long and illustrious career in Indian politics. He held the position of Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha for several years. The government appointed him as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh in 2014, a role he served in until 2019. Furthermore, Mr. Naik has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan award in recognition of his invaluable contributions to public service.

During the meeting, the APAL authorities extended their congratulations to Mr. Naik on his recent accolade and expressed their sincere admiration for his unwavering dedication to the field of public service. Moreover, they brought up important topics related to PM Awas Yojana and Disability Pension, which offered insights into various areas that will help persons affected by leprosy all across the country.

Overall, the meeting was incredibly informative and gave the APAL authorities the chance to engage with a seasoned political figure. Mr. Naik shared his extensive knowledge with the authorities, and the meeting ended successfully on all fronts. It is a reminder of the great strides being made towards addressing health and social concerns impacting people affected by leprosy across the country.