Sri Ashok Bhagat is a renowned social worker and the founder-secretary of Vikas Bharti Bishunpur, a nationally recognized voluntary social organization. In 1983, he established Vikas Bharti Bishunpur, an NGO dedicated to national integration and the holistic development of tribal communities in remote villages.

To truly understand and serve the community, he moved to Bishunpur in Gumla district, Jharkhand, and adopted the name Ashok Bhagat (formerly Ashok Rai). He is now widely known as ‘Baba’. Over the past 33 years, he has made remarkable contributions toward transforming the lives of tribal and marginalized communities. His relentless efforts have focused on reducing the exploitation of tribals under the Zamindari system, conserving forest resources, preserving and promoting indigenous art and culture, and addressing critical tribal issues.

His Ideology and Contributions:

• He has been a pioneer in tribal development.
• He chose to serve the most underprivileged sections of rural society, particularly tribal groups, including Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• His work follows the principle:
  "Go to the people, live with them, learn from them, and work according to their needs and demands."
  Following this philosophy, he settled in Chingri village, Bishunpur block, Gumla, Jharkhand, in 1982 and began working in alignment with the community’s needs.
• He developed an integrated model for tribal development, covering health, hygiene, education, agriculture, income generation, forest conservation, rural technology, and social awareness.
• His model is economically viable, locally acceptable, ecologically sustainable, and replicable.
• The foundation of his model is the belief:
  “Total transformation through total development with people’s initiative and participation.”

Through his dedication and innovative approach, Ashok Bhagat has significantly improved the lives of tribal communities, fostering self-sufficiency and sustainable development.