Dr. Umesh Gadekar is an Assistant Director/Assistant Professor in Master of Social Work Programme in Yashwantrao Chavan School of Rural Development, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (MS) India. He has obtained his Ph.D from University of Mumbai. He has worked with Private Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Bharatiy Sammruddhi Finance Ltd. and Janalakshmi Financial Services Ltd. for more than five year at various levels.  He has published three books named Equitable Water Distribution and Social Justice, Nutrition among the Tribal Children in Melghat of Maharashtra and Karmveer Bhaurao Patil, Yashwantrao Chavan and Hamid Ali. He has presented various research papers in various national and international conferences. He is also author of various articles in various academic journals. His research area is Poverty, Microfinance, Women Empowerment and Rural Development.