Goenche Rakhankar credited Bhandari for his social work during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he, along with his Jana Sena team, served on the frontline, providing vital assistance and support to people in need.
Through the Congress party and through his own forums/NGOs, Bhandari has raised a number of issues to protect Goan land, the Goan environment and Goan identity.
When contacted, Bhandari said: “This award will give me more strength, more energy and more enthusiasm to work fearlessly to protect my beloved land, environment and Goans as a whole.”
