Vitthal Ramji Shinde

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Vitthal Ramji Shinde (23 April 1873 – 2 January 1944) was a social and religious reformer in Maharashtra, India. He was prominent among the liberal thinkers and reformists in India, prior to its independence. He has been recognised as a social reformer and an activist fighting for greater equality in Indian society. He is particularly noted for opposing the practice of 'untouchability', and for championing support and education for 'untouchables', such as Dalits.^[1][2][3]

Early life

He was born on 23 April 1873 in the

His intellectual awakening was influenced by the writings of many intellectuals such as Hari Narayan Apte, Principal Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, John Stuart Mill, Herbert Spencer and Max Müller, Chief Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, and Sir R. G. Bhandarkar.

Education

In 1898 he obtained a

After returning from England in 1903, he devoted his life to religious and social reforms.[4] He continued his missionary work for the Prarthana Samaj. His efforts were devoted mainly to the removal of untouchability in India. In 1905 he established a night school for the children of untouchables in Pune, and in 1906 he established the Depressed Classes Mission in (Bombay). Also in 1910 he founded Murali Pratibandhak Sabha, and in 1912 organised a "Asprushata Niwaran Parishad". In 1922, the mission's Ahalyashram building was completed at Pune. In 1917 he succeeded in getting the Indian National Congress to pass a resolution condemning the practice of untouchability.

From 1918 to 1920, he went on to convening all the India untouchability removal conferences. Some of these conferences were convened under the president-ship of

In 1930 he participated in the

In 1933 his book Bhartiya Asprushyatecha Prashna ("India’s untouchability question") was published. His thoughts and examination of the Hindu religion and social culture were similar to Dayananda Saraswati. In his writings, he opposes the caste system, idol worship, and inequities against women and depressed classes. He opposed meaningless rituals, the dominance of hereditary priesthood, and the requirement of a priest to mediate between God and his devotees.

Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde died on 2 January 1944.

Depressed Class Mission

Shinde was a prominent campaigner on behalf of the Dalit movement in India who established the Depressed Classes Mission of India to provide education to the Dalits.^[5] He laid the foundation of Depressed Class Mission on 18 October 1906 in order to work against untouchability on the national level.^[1][5] Aims of this mission were:

1. To try to get rid of untouchability.
2. To provide educational facilities to the untouchables.
3. To start schools, hostels, and hospitals for the untouchables.
4. To solve their social problems.

References