Sampatrao Pawar has actively participated in various social movements. Between 1980 and 1982 he was a part of the Mukti Sangharsh movement that aimed at getting fair wages for farm labourers. He came into the limelight through Baliraja and Kranti Smritiwan projects. The times around 1983 were tough. The Khanapur tehsil in Sangli district was grappling with the issues of draught for 3 years. The Cotton mill workers in Mumbai were on strike and the economy was disturbed. This situation prompted Khanapur Tehsil Science Movement to invite late Dr. V. M. Dandekar (a noted water-expert) at Vita where a model for equal distribution of water and new cropping techniques were proposed. Thus, the Baliraja Small Dam Movement that was to be build through people’s cooperation, gathered pace. Sampatrao dedicated himself to this and soon the connection between uncontrolled excavation of sand from the riverbeds and draughts surfaced.