Panjabrao Deshmukh

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Krishi Ratna
Panjabrao Deshmukh
Member of Parliament of Amravati
In office
17 April 1952 – 10 April 1965
Succeeded byVimalabai Deshmukh
Personal details
Born(1898-12-27)27 December 1898
British India
(now in Maharashtra, India)
Died10 April 1965(1965-04-10) (aged 66)
Delhi, India
SpouseVimalabai Deshmukh
ProfessionLawyer

Panjabrao Shamrao Deshmukh (27 December 1898 – 10 April 1965), also known as Bhausaheb Deshmukh was a social activist and a leader to farmers in India. He was the Minister of Agriculture in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952.[1]

Early life

He was born into

Maratha family at Papal in Amravati district of Maharashtra on 27 December 1898, his family practised agriculture. His father's name is Shamrao and mother's name is Radhabai. His original surname was Kadam.[citation needed] After completing his primary education in his hometown, he was sent to Songaon and then to Karanja Lad. At Karanja Lad, he reached ninth grade, before he was admitted into Hind High School, Amravati, and Fergusson College in Pune.[1]

At that time, higher education was not available in India. Many students traveled to England for further education. He wanted to be a

Ph.D. with the subject Origin and Development of Religion in Vedic Literature.[1]

Social activities

He studied under

Mahatma Phule. He did satyagraha to allow untouchables to enter Ambabai Temple, Amravati, which was condemned by the upper castes. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
supported him in this movement. The management of the temple later allowed untouchables to enter the temple. Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh started another equality movement from his home. After the death of his father, his mother asked him to conduct traditional activity "Shradhha" with Brahmins. He brought untouchable students home from his school hostel and his mother treated them as Brahmins.

His marriage ceremony was simple and held in Mumbai. After the marriage ceremony, when he reached Amravati, his friends convinced Deshmukh to give a party. He held a small dinner party for them. The meal was served by youths wearing white. After dinner Bhausaheb stated that the servers were untouchables (violating the prohibition). Many such events were conducted by Dr. Deshmukh to remove untouchability from our society.

Educational activist

Statue of Deshmukh at the Punjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University in Nagpur.

In 1931 he established

Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth. He strengthened the foundation of education throughout Maharashtra.[2]

Politics

He was elected thrice for the

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
.

Leader of peasants

He dedicated his talent and energy for the formulation and implementation of the policies that would bring prosperity to agriculture and the agriculturist. He established the Bharat Krishak Samaj and launched a campaign called Food for Millions in 1955. He introduced the Japanese method of rice cultivation in 1958 and organized the World Agriculture Fair in 1959. The fair was visited by dignitaries across the world, including US President

Dwight Eisenhower, Soviet first secretary Nikita Khrushchev, Lord and Lady Mountbatten.[2]

He started the process of establishing agricultural universities across the country and supported agricultural education and research.[2]

Lawyer

He appeared for poor peasants in many cases at the district court of Amravati. His most predominant case was British Government vs. Azad Hind Sena, in which he assisted Jawaharlal Nehru.

Legacy

Dr. Deshmukh died on 10 April 1965 at Delhi. He was survived by his wife Vimalabai Deshmukh and one son.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Life-sketch of Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh". shivajiedusocamt.org. Retrieved 21 January 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d "A great Philanthropist of Vidarbha Region". Shivaji Education Society. Retrieved 21 January 2009.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panjabrao Deshmukh.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Panjabrao_Deshmukh&oldid=1194078607"