Snake Rescuer Sanket Borkar, Who Has Saved Over 15,000 Snakes, Honored in Pune

Organized by Shri Dattabhakt Mitra Parivar at the Historic Dagdi Nagoba Temple

Pune: While many people have love for animals, only a few turn that emotion into real action. One such extraordinary individual is Sanket Borkar, a dedicated snake rescuer from Narayanpur, who has saved between 15,000 to 20,000 snakes over the past 17 years as an act of community service. On the occasion of Nag Panchami, he was specially honored in Pune.

The felicitation ceremony was organized by Shri Dattabhakt Mitra Parivar at the historic Dagdi Nagoba Temple in Ganesh Peth. The honor was conferred by Santosh Kadekar, trustee of the Dagdi Nagoba temple. Borkar was presented with a memento, shawl, coconut, and other tokens of appreciation. The event was coordinated by Ram Dahad, and dignitaries such as Suresh Kardile, Kishor Ippe, and Maheshanna Gaikwad from the Dattabhakt Mitra Parivar were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Sanket Borkar said, “Animal love runs in our family—from my grandparents to the younger generation. I have rescued and safely released around 15,000 to 20,000 snakes back into the wild. I’ve been doing this work across Purandar Taluka. There have been incidents where snakes have even come over my body during rescues, but I always took the necessary precautions and prioritized saving the snake.”

He further added, “Rescuing snakes requires extreme focus and care. Although we are registered as ‘Sarpamitra’ (snake friends), the government must provide us with proper support. If we are injured, we should receive medical care. We also hope the government will provide honorariums and medical expense coverage for snake rescuers like us.”