Suresh Harilal Soni

Suresh Harilal Soni (23 November 1944 – 23 April 2026) was an Indian social worker who worked for the welfare and rehabilitation of leprosy patients and intellectually disabled people. The Government of India conferred Padma Shri award in 2025 to Soni in recognition of his social works.

Background Soni completed Masters of Science with a First Class from M. S. University, Vadodara. He did not want to live his life as a Maths teacher. He used to stay with the leprosy affected at Shram Mandir trust for the entire day. In the year 1988, to help and give support to the affected, he founded Sahyog trust.

He was called Sabarkantha no Sahyojak (co-founder of Sabarkantha District).

Work Initially he established an institution for leprosy patients called Shram Ashram at Singhrot, 15 km from Vadodara. By 1978 they had 400 patients. Post this he left his job as professor and took up Social work as full time activity. Here they spent 10 years serving needy patients. Later on due to some issues with Trustees they left "Shram Mandir".

Awards The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu presenting the Padma Shri Award to Shri Suresh Harilal Soni at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on 28 April 2025. International Leprosy unit & Sasakava Memorial Health Foundation (Japan) 2006. The Government of India conferred Padma Shri award in 2025.