dna exclusive: In a first, dead Govinda's kin get insurance claim

The family of 25-year-old Shashikant Mane, a Govinda who died falling from a Dahi Handi pyramid on August 29 this year, became the first beneficiary under the Govinda Group Insurance Scheme.

Mane’s family received a sum of Rs1.5 lakh from the Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL).    

“We have cleared the death claim last week. This is the first claim that we passed in this category. The amount has been transferred to the account of the deceased’s parents who are residents of Mahad,” said Sachin Khanvilkar, administrative officer, OICL.

The risk factor for Govindas has gone up with the increase in the height of Dahi Handis. With the hike in prize money, the organisers have also increased the height of Dahi Handis. So, since the insurance company floated the group scheme about three years ago, an increasing number of mandals (organisers) are willingly buying it every year.    

When Mane fell from the human pyramid at Thane, he was left paralysed with severe limb and spinal injuries. He was admitted in KEM Hospital.

However, a week later, he succumbed to his injuries. A resident of Nalasopara, Mane was a member of Shiv Ganesh Mitra Mandal. He ran a vada-pav stall for a living. 

“We insured our Govindas under the scheme. After Mane’s death, we followed it up with the insurance company,” said Nirannjan Chindarkar, a member of the mandal.

This year, at least 1 lakh people were covered under this group scheme.

A mandal has to pay a premium of Rs25 for a Rs1.5 lakh claim.

Figures provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have shown a dramatic rise in cases of Govindas getting injured. This year, 365 Govindas were injured compared to last year’s 100.