Balwantrao Ragav (Aged 79) also known as Balasaheb Deshmukh, was born on 27 March 1878 in Chandrapur. He was a political leader who became famous not only in Chandrapur but also in the whole of Vidharbha due to his qualities and devotion. He was a prominent leader of the Tilak era and received his primary and pre-secondary education in Chandrapur, followed by his high school and college education in Nagpur. He obtained his law degree from Calcutta University in 1899. Although the British government offered him a post of Judge, he refused to accept it and instead started his legal profession on 29 October 1900 in Chandrapur, becoming a renowned lawyer in Vidharbha and Maharashtra.
Balwantrao did not intend to be solely a lawyer, so he entered the Indian independence movement and became active in politics. He inspired people with the aspiration of freedom and urged them to fight against the British Raj. He accepted the leadership of Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak and regarded him as his political leader and guru. In 1917, Dr. Annie Besant initiated the Home Rule League Movement in India, which Balwantrao actively supported and propagated in Chandrapur and Vidharbha.
After the sad demise of Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi took charge of the freedom movement and unanimously decided to launch the Non-Cooperative Movement in India against British rule. Balwantrao Deshmukh supported this and, along with some other lawyers in Chandrapur, boycotted the court for about a year. He was a clever and famous lawyer in Maharashtra, especially for conducting criminal cases, and his efforts often led political leaders to visit Chandrapur.
In 1942, during the “Quit India Movement,” the people of Chimur Tehsil in Chandrapur assembled in front of the Police Station Chimur, attacked it, and burned some of the policemen. Balwantrao arranged to defend all the political accused and further arranged for the residence of the relatives of the accused during their trial in court by erecting a pendol in front of his house and making necessary arrangements for their residence and food. Some of the accused were convicted, and their appeals came to be filed before the Nagpur High Court. However, India gained independence before the appeals were heard, and all the accused, being political prisoners, were pardoned.
Balwantrao had a natural love for poor and downtrodden people. He was the president of Choka Mela hostel until his death, which was meant for the education of youth from poor and downtrodden families. He monitored and helped many societies, orphanages, asylums, etc. He passed away on 18 November 1957, and people felt as though they had lost their well-wisher and close friend.
Balasaheb Deshmukh
(1878 – 1957) – (Maharashtra)
Balwantrao Ragav (Aged 79) also known as Balasaheb Deshmukh, was born on 27 March 1878 in Chandrapur. He was a political leader who became famous not only in Chandrapur but also in the whole of Vidharbha due to his qualities and devotion. He was a prominent leader of the Tilak era and received his primary and pre-secondary education in Chandrapur, followed by his high school and college education in Nagpur. He obtained his law degree from Calcutta University in 1899. Although the British government offered him a post of Judge, he refused to accept it and instead started his legal profession on 29 October 1900 in Chandrapur, becoming a renowned lawyer in Vidharbha and Maharashtra.
Balwantrao did not intend to be solely a lawyer, so he entered the Indian independence movement and became active in politics. He inspired people with the aspiration of freedom and urged them to fight against the British Raj. He accepted the leadership of Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak and regarded him as his political leader and guru. In 1917, Dr. Annie Besant initiated the Home Rule League Movement in India, which Balwantrao actively supported and propagated in Chandrapur and Vidharbha.
After the sad demise of Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi took charge of the freedom movement and unanimously decided to launch the Non-Cooperative Movement in India against British rule. Balwantrao Deshmukh supported this and, along with some other lawyers in Chandrapur, boycotted the court for about a year. He was a clever and famous lawyer in Maharashtra, especially for conducting criminal cases, and his efforts often led political leaders to visit Chandrapur.
In 1942, during the “Quit India Movement,” the people of Chimur Tehsil in Chandrapur assembled in front of the Police Station Chimur, attacked it, and burned some of the policemen. Balwantrao arranged to defend all the political accused and further arranged for the residence of the relatives of the accused during their trial in court by erecting a pendol in front of his house and making necessary arrangements for their residence and food. Some of the accused were convicted, and their appeals came to be filed before the Nagpur High Court. However, India gained independence before the appeals were heard, and all the accused, being political prisoners, were pardoned.
Balwantrao had a natural love for poor and downtrodden people. He was the president of Choka Mela hostel until his death, which was meant for the education of youth from poor and downtrodden families. He monitored and helped many societies, orphanages, asylums, etc. He passed away on 18 November 1957, and people felt as though they had lost their well-wisher and close friend.
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