Vikas Mahatme

Vikas Mahatme (born 1952) is an Indian social worker, doctor, and member of the Rajya Sabha. Originally born in Amravati, he comes from Nagpur in the state of Maharashtra. He belongs to the Dhangar community. He is well known across Maharashtra for his charitable and social works. He received the Padma Shri for his work as an ophthalmologist. In June 2016, Mahatme was the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections, which he won unopposed. He has expressed support for implementing a reservation for Dhangar community in Maharashtra and is its first community member to get elected to parliament. His candidature was strongly backed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He has a charitable hospital in Nagpur as well as branches in Amravati, Gadchiroli, Pune and Mumbai. He is married to Sunita, a gynaecologist.