About Us

Maharashtra Mandal of Kansas City (MMKC) is a cultural organization which was founded in 1995 to enable Marathi speaking families residing in Johnson County, Kansas to get together, make new friends and organize cultural events. Since its foundation, MMKC has been very active in promoting Maharashtrian culture and traditions. MMKC members work very hard to promote, preserve, cherish, and perpetuate the socio-cultural values of Maharashtra.MMKC is proudly affiliated to the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal (BMM) of North America and is registered as a non-profit organization in state of Kansas and Johnson County since 1997.

Until 1994, there were very few Maharashtrian families in Kansas City and surrounding towns like Overland Park, Olathe, Lawrence and Shawnee (maximum 15 families). The families were celebrating our festivals like Ganapati, Diwali and occasions like Gudhi Padwa at someone's house or in club house. Since 1996, due to the improvement in the technical field in Kansas City, more and more people especially in software engineering field started coming to Kansas City (either directly from India or from other states in USA).

Due to the increase in the number of Maharashtrians, it became difficult for the host to invite everyone for celebrating festivals like Diwali. An idea about forming a Maharashtra Mandal in Kansas city started circulating.

In early 1995, at Mr. Pravin Kulkarni's house where Mr. and Mrs. Shuke were invited for dinner along with other friends, Mr. and Mrs. Shuke and Mr. Pravin Kulkarni decided to establish Maharashtra Mandal. Mr. Kulkarni immediately greeted the idea. Afterwards, Mr. Limaye, Dr. Chhatre and Mr. Sane were among others to welcome the thought of forming a mandal. They suggested that Mr. and Mrs.Shuke take leading part in organizing the mandal. Later when requested by Mrs. Shuke, Mr. Sanjiv Shelar agreed enthusiastically to join and shared the responsibility of being the treasurer for the mandal. Mr. Pravin Kulkarni worked as an active member in the committee until he left for Toronto in 1997. A working committee was formed and Maharashtra Mandal was established on a very auspicious day of Maharashtra - Gudhi Padwa in 1995.

In MMKC, there has never been a formal election. All the committee members have the equal status. They all work together and take the decisions jointly. This tradition still continues. In forming Maharashtra Mandal, Mrs. Manda Shuke played a key role. She worked hard and patiently organized the menu and refreshment in all our events especially in the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively. She has been giving valuable suggestions, encouragement and advice in all our cultural programs. Her dedication is greatly appreciated by everyone.

Every member whether in committee or as a volunteer has contributed greatly in the success of the Mandal. Ladies have been organizing food groups and preparing delicious food at the various MMKC events.

Nilesh Matole President

Swapnil Deshpande Vice President

Vinit Chopade Treasurer

Roopa Matole Program Coordinator

Ambar Nirgudkar Program Coordinator

Rajesh Patil Program Coordinator

Makarand Deshpande Program Coordinator

Jayant Mahure Program Coordinator

Snehal Deshpande Program Coordinator

Nilesh Matole President

Deepak Thakur Vice President

Namrata Barve Secretary

Salil Kulkarni Treasurer

Roopa Matole Program Coordinator

Sheetal Takalkar Program Coordinator

Anirudhha Takalkar Program Coordinator

Makarand Deshpande Program Coordinator

Shruti Sathe Program Coordinator

Dhanashree Kale Program Coordinator

Kalyani Shankhapal Program Coordinator

Namrata Barve President

Snehal Deshpande Vice President and Secretary

Madhura Apte Treasurer

Sachin Dekhane Website Manager

Rucha Joshi Program Coordinator

Rrucha Bapat Program Coordinator

Ashutosh Bapat Program Coordinator

Mangesh Ratnaparkhi Program Coordinator

Reshma Sawant Program Coordinator

Jayant Mahure President

Gajanan Patil Vice President

Rajesh Patil Secretary

Mangesh Ratnaparkhi Treasurer

Vaishali Patil Website Manager

Manish Dharme Communication Coordinator

Sushma Mahure Program/Food Coordinator

Reshma Mairal Program/Food Coordinator

Chaitali Mahajan Program/Food Coordinator

Anupama Desai Program/Food Coordinator

Namrata Barve Program/Food Coordinator

Jayant Mahure President

Sanjay Akangire Vice President

Sunil Kulkarni Secretary

Santosh Bhadule Treasurer

Shamala Tat-Thorat Website Manager

Preetam Chidgupkar Communication Coordinator

Archana Bhadule Program Coordinator

Ashwini Kulkarni Program Coordinator

Smita Phadnis Program Coordinator

Pallavi Apte Program Coordinator

Sushma Mahure Food Coordinator

Manish Dharme Sound and Decoration Coordinator

Shaktiprasad Shimpi President

Sunil Kulkarni Vice President

Vaishali Shimpi Website Manager

Ashwini Kulkarni Communication Coordinator

Arvind Shuke Strategy Coordinator

Manasi Bhanushali Strategy Coordinator

Ketaki Ghanekar Program Coordinator

Abhinandan Shah Treasurer(First Half)

Prajakta Shah Food Coordinator(First Half)

Trupti Deshpande Program Coordinator(First Half)

Deepak Thakur President

Abhaya Kulkarni Treasurer

Smita Desai Secretary

Vaishali Shimpi Website Manager

Prasad Saraf Program Coordinator

Poonam Chhatre Food Coordinator

Vaishali Patil President

Shaktiprasad Shimpi Vice President

Anand Rajendra Treasurer

Rohit Malgaonkar Secretary

Vaishali Shimpi Website Manager

Milind Dabli Program Coordinator

Rrucha Bapat Program Coordinator (Cultural)

Ketaki Ghanekar Program Coordinator (Cultural)

Sampada Nagarkar Food Coordinator

Vinita Teleng Food Coordinator

Madhurima Dabli Food Coordinator

Atul Nagarkar Sound Coordinator

Gajanan Patil Strategy Coordinator

Shweta Sawarkar President

Swapnil Deshpande Vice-President

Sheetal Takalkar Treasurer

Sanil Prabhakar Secretary

Ambar Nirgudkar

Anirudha Takalkar

Ashvini Deshpande

Jayant Mahure

Makarand Deshpande

Mandatai Shuke Food coordinator

Manish Kadam

Nilesh Matole

Rita Kandalkar

Sharad Sawarkar

Shilpa Kamat

Nitin Kandalkar Website Manager

Mahesh Desai President

Anagha Deole Vice-President / Program Coordinator

Preetam Panditrao Program Coordinator

Atul Kulkarni Music System and Hall Arrangements

Anupama Desai Communication

Manjushree Kshirsagar Food Coordinator

Prabha Sakaray Food Coordinator

Vaishali Patil Food Coordinator

Sandhya Rao Treasurer

Amol Dhakappa Website Manager

Amita Thakur President

Anita Date Vice President

Shekhar Kulkarni Treasurer

Abhaya Kulkarni

Maya Dhakappa

Shweta Savarkar

Deepti Kadam

Sushma Mahure

Sandhya Rao

Udayan Apte President

Anita Date Vice-President

Shekhar Kulkarni Treasurer

Deepti Barve Secretary

Jayashree Pandit

Amita Thakur

Ruchir Joshi

Shishir Joshi

Sheetal Takalkar

Ashvini Prabhakar

Sanket Jayade

Sonali Joshi

Nitin Kadam

Anagha Deole President

Udayan Apte Vice-President

Trupti Kulkarni Treasurer

Seema Lokre​​

Amita Thankur

Mahesh Desai

Nirupama Madhwesh

Ruchir Joshi

Shishir Joshi

Nitin Kadam Website Manager

Rutvik Date Website Manager

Deepak Thakur President

Sumedha Joshi

Deepali Mahabaleshwarkar

Nitin Kadam

Girish Kshirsagar

Rutvik Date Website Manager

Girish Pednekar President

Charuta Mainkar Treasurer

Anita Date Food Co-ordinator

Sumedha Joshi Program Co-ordinator

Ramesh Shinde Logistics / Hall Bookings

Deepali

Mahabaleshwarkar Communication

Ameet Phadnis Website Manager

Kedar Deo President

Anita Date

Sumedha Joshi

Vijay Apte

Vaishali Shrouti

Smita Desai

Neeraj Hardikar

Harshvardhan Barve

Bhushan Deshpande Website Manager

Arvind Shuke President

Pramod Surve Treasurer

Milind Mainkar

Deepak Thakur

Unmesh Vartak

Bhushan Deshpande Website Manager

Dr. Madhukar Chhatre Trustees

Dr. Sunil Abhayankar Trustees

Jayant Limaye Trustees

Kalpana Nimkar President

Abhijit Apte Secretary

Milind Mainkar Treasurer

Ashwini Pathak

Deepak Pathak

Prasanna Joglekar

Radha Deshpande

Sandeep Rao President

Abhaya Kulkarni Treasurer

Girish Pednekar Hall Booking

Kalpana Nimkar Program Coordinator

Miti Pandit Kitchen Coordination

Nitin Kadam Music System

Prasanna Joglekar BMM Coordinator

Sadhana Palnitkar Patrak

Seema Lokre Communication

Sonali Joshi Website Manager

Sandeep Rao President

Purnima Deo

Anita Date

Girish Pednekar

Nitin Kadam

Smita Phadnis

Prasanna Joglekar

Abhaya Kulkarni

Seema Lokre

Priya Sane President

Sumedha Joshi

Purnima Deo

Anita Date

Poonam Chattre

Girish Pednekar

Nitin Kadam

Sandeep Rao

Prasanna Joglekar

Parag Sohoni

Sanjeev Shelar President

Shailesh Potnis

Patrick Correia

Uday Jadhav

Girish Joshi

Parag Sohoni

Padmaja Limaye

Priya Sane

Sandhya Rao

Sujata Halarnkar

Sanjeev Shelar President

Kalpana Nimkar

Patrick Correia

Shailesh Potnis

Shashank Date

Uday Jadhav

Girish Joshi

Parag Sohoni

Padmaja Limaye

Priya Sane

Arvind Shuke President

Mahesh Bhave

Kalpana Nimkar

Shekhar Kulkarni

Sanjiv Jadhav

Nanda Vaidya

Punam Chhatre

Shashank Date

Jayashree Pandit

Arvind Shuke President

Manda Shuke

Shekhar Kulkarni

Abhya Kulkarni

Shirish Pandit

Jayashree Pandit

Kalpana Nimkar

Dipak Phadke

Rohini Phadke

Pravin Kulkarni

Arvind Shuke President

Sanjiv Shelar

Manda Shuke

Nanda Vaidya

Deepali Mahabaleshwarkar

Anand Mahabaleshwarkar

Jayashree Pandit

Pravin Kulkarni

Premjit Halarnkar

Dipak Thakur