Naam Foundation, the work he leaned on most

Nana Patekar (born Vishwanath Patekar) died on October 8, 2026, at the age of 75, due to cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. He was declared deceased at 5:20 A.M. at Manipal Hospital. He received many national awards for his roles in both Hindi and Marathi films. He was also honoured with the Padma Shri award in 2013. Nana Patekar spent much of his life working to improve the quality of life for farmers and those living in rural areas of India. Along with his close friend and fellow actor Makarand Anaspure, Nana Patekar established the Naam Foundation in 2015 to address some of the most pressing concerns facing rural India, including farmer suicides and severe water scarcity.

At the beginning of the last decade, farmers in Maharashtra were in a bad way. In 2015, there was a drought and a series of failed crops in the Marathwada region, which forced several families to borrow money and go further into debt. Patekar was saving to buy a luxury car when he saw a news report about a farmer’s family who had recently lost their breadwinner to suicide.

Patekar spoke to The Lallantop and said he had saved 1.5 crore rupees to purchase a car. He changed his mind and decided to give 15,000 rupees to 1000 farmers instead. He was advised to give the money to the widows of the farmers first. Patekar realised giving the money to the farmers’ wives was not enough, and decided to do the same, to give the families of the farmer suicides dignity, when they were grieving.

Patekar and Anaspure first started their efforts in Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli districts of Maharashtra. Patekar and Anaspure realised that to really combat poverty, they needed a sustainable solution. Hence, they established the Naam Foundation in September 2015.

The foundation received strong support from the public. It reported that it collected around Rs 80 lakh on its first day and over Rs 6.5 crore within two weeks. Patekar credited ordinary people, especially those from middle- and lower-middle-class families, for contributing. Patekar said the public trust encouraged people to give money when they knew their money would help those in need.

Naam Foundation’s work in villages and communities grew as it focused on improving water supplies, support to agriculture, village development and livelihoods. It restored check dams, cleared sediment from waterways, provided sewing machines, and sponsored education and housing projects to make families financially independent and privileged.

Another example is Dhondal village in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Before the foundation intervened, the village relied heavily on water tankers because its check dams could not store enough water. In 2015, Patekar and Anaspure visited the village to begin a water conservation project. The removal of silt improved the dams’ capacity to store water, raising groundwater levels and supporting farming. The availability of water also reenergized the village’s dairy business and helped it grow its local economy.

The foundation also provided financial help to families. Rajashri Pardeshi, of Beed district, was bedridden because her husband died in a construction site accident. The sewing machine helped her make a living, pay household bills and send her children to school. Other families were helped to buy houses and schooling when their primary breadwinners died in farmer suicides. These donations provided tangible help to people attempting to rebuild their lives following financial hardship.

Over the years, Naam Foundation claimed to have reached over 77 lakh farmers, 51,000 families affected by the disasters and provided support for nearly 5,000 widows through its welfare program. It also helped improve educational and village development facilities and provided assistance for military and paramilitary families. The NAFOR aimed at alleviating rural problems like water scarcity, unemployment, and poverty.

Patekar remained involved with the foundation and continued his acting career. In May 2026, he addressed the Jal Kranti Parishad in Nagpur, saying that the happiness Naam Foundation had given him was more than any award and money he had accumulated through cinema. He also touched on the importance of social work in his life. Acting gave him recognition, but helping others gave him a sense of purpose.

In addition to the 2018 sexual harassment allegation made by actor Tanushree Dutta, which he denied, his legacy was also marked by the 2018 sexual harassment case. A police report on the cases was filed in 2019, and a court in Mumbai sealed them in March 2025 because of time limits and inadequate evidence. The allegations were not tested at trial.

Nana Patekar will be remembered for his powerful performances. His work through Naam Foundation shows another side to his legacy. He used his resources and influence to help struggling communities, helping farmers overcome their hardships, and allowing families to rebuild their lives. The work of the foundation has continued a purpose that was the centre of his life after films.

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