Ganeshotsav Adarsh Mandal Puraskar 2027 — Early Announcement, Expansion Plans and Open Invitation

What was the Puraskar 2026?

In September 2026, Team Samarpan Foundation launched Maharashtra's first grassroots Adarsh Mandal Puraskar (Ideal Ganesh Mandal Award) covering 28 mandals across three villages — Soygaon, Aamkheda and Galwada. A panel of 5 independent judges evaluated each mandal on six criteria (visual arrangement, cleanliness, cultural programming, social initiative, eco-friendliness, discipline). The 2026 winners are published on our Winners page, and the full report is available in our complete event report.

Why a 2027 edition — and why announce early?

The 2026 edition revealed a pattern: the mandals that scored highest had planned their work months in advance. The mandals that performed below their potential had excellent intentions but prepared only in the final week. By announcing 2027 early, we want to give every participating mandal a fair, long runway to prepare — not just the ones that happened to hear about the award first in 2026.

What's expanding in 2027

1. Geographic expansion

The 2026 edition covered 3 villages (Soygaon, Aamkheda, Galwada). For 2027, we are inviting mandals from a wider set of villages across Soygaon Taluka:

• Soygaon (continuing)
• Aamkheda (continuing)
• Galwada (continuing)
• Additional invited villages: to be confirmed based on expressions of interest received by June 2027

Village mandals from across Soygaon Taluka interested in participating should reach out via teamsamarpan.org by June 2027 so we can plan judging panel capacity accordingly.

2. Updated scoring criteria (proposed)

Based on 2026 learnings, we are proposing a refined 6-criterion scorecard. Final weightings will be published 60 days before the event:

The weighting shift increases emphasis on cleanliness, social initiative and eco-friendliness — the three areas where 2026 mandals had the most room to grow.

3. Expanded award categories

• प्रथम / द्वितीय / तृतीय क्रमांक — Top 3 (continuing from 2026)
• विशेष पुरस्कार — 6 Special Awards for notable work in specific areas (continuing)
• नवागत पुरस्कार (new in 2027) — Best New Mandal, for mandals participating for the first time
• युवा नेतृत्व पुरस्कार (new in 2027) — Youth Leadership Award, for the mandal with the strongest youth volunteer base
• पर्यावरण पुरस्कार (new in 2027) — Eco-Mandal of the Year, for the most environmentally responsible celebration

4. Judging panel refresh

Judges will again be independent (no mandal member can be a judge). The 2027 panel will include at least one woman judge and one judge from outside Soygaon Taluka, to broaden perspective.

5. Pre-event mandal preparation workshops

In July–August 2027, Team Samarpan Foundation will host free workshops for interested mandals on topics like: eco-friendly idol sourcing, cultural programming on tight budgets, waste management logistics, and sound-rule compliance. These workshops are open to all participating mandals and are not scored — they are purely capacity-building.

How to pre-register your mandal for 2027

1. Visit teamsamarpan.org and use the contact form
2. Share: Mandal name, village, approximate age of the mandal (years running), key coordinator's name and phone, and best contact window
3. A Team Samarpan volunteer will reach out to confirm your inclusion in the 2027 cohort
4. Early registrants (before 30 June 2027) will receive the full 2027 scoring rubric and judging guidelines as soon as they are finalized

Honest learnings from 2026 we want to carry forward

What worked: Independent judging panel. Public winner reveal. Transparent scoring on 6 named criteria. Full winners list published online. 28 mandals participating in Year 1 was far above expectation.

What we'll improve: Earlier judging-criteria communication (we published final rubric too late in 2026). Clearer eco-friendliness definition (some mandals asked what "eco-friendly" meant in practice). More structured feedback for non-winning mandals — every participating mandal in 2027 will receive a short, confidential score breakdown with constructive notes.

Why this matters beyond the award

The Puraskar is not about trophies. It is about creating a healthy, public standard for what a good Ganeshotsav looks like in rural Maharashtra in the 2020s — one that honours tradition, protects the environment, uplifts the community and leaves the village a little better than it found it. If a small Soygaon Taluka initiative can prove that model works, other talukas may replicate it. That is the long-term ambition.

For the full 2026 story, read our complete 2026 report, see the 2026 winning mandals, or learn about the founder behind the Puraskar.