Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation

PM’s address at the release of autobiography of Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil

  • I am immensely grateful to Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil ji, his family and all my friends from Ahmednagar who have invited me to be a part of this pious occasion. Initially it was decided that I would be present there with you all. But due to Corona pandemic, we are participating in this event virtually today.
  • Friends, Although the autobiography of Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil ji has been released today, the stories of his life can be found in every part of Maharashtra. I too have seen closely how Balasaheb Vikhe Patil had devoted himself to the development of Maharashtra, following the footsteps of Dr. Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil ji.
  • Mitigating the sufferings of the villages and the poor, and making the lives of the farmers easy have been the mainstay of Vikhe Patil’s life.
  • He has also written in his autobiography – “मीस्वत: सत्तेपासून वा राजकारणा पासून अलिप्त राहिलो नाही, मात्र ‘समाजा-साठीच राजकारण आणि सत्ता’ हे पथ्य मी कायम सांभाललं। राजकारण करताना माझा सतत समाजाचे प्रश्न सोडवण्यावर भर राहिला”। He had always worked for the betterment of society through power and politics.
  • He always stressed on how to make politics a medium for bringing a meaningful change to the society, how to solve the problems of the villages and the poor. This idea of Balasaheb Vikhe Patil made him different from others.
  • This is the reason why even today, he musters great respect from every party. His contribution and efforts for the development of the village poor, for education, and the success of cooperative movement in Maharashtra will always inspire generations to come. Therefore, this book on the life of Balasaheb Vikhe Patil is very important for all of us.
  • Friends, Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil had witnessed, understood and felt the pain of the village, the poor and the peasants closely. So he brought the farmers together, connected them with co-operative movement.
  • It is due to his efforts that the area which was once forced to live in tottering condition has been completely transformed today.
  • On the importance of co-operative movement, he has written that सहकारी चलवल ही खरी निधर्मी चलवल आहे।ती कुठल्या जातीची किंवा धर्माची बटीक नाही। आतापर्यंत सगल्या समाजाला, जातीं नाही प्रतिनिधित्व दिले आहे। That is, the cooperative campaign is truly impartial.
  • It has nothing to do with any caste or creed. It represents all the sections of society. In a way, for him, cooperative was the path of welfare for all.
  • As a Minister in Atal ji’s government, he encouraged cooperative movement not only in Maharashtra, but in many other areas of the country. In such a situation, the title ‘Deh Vechava Karani’ is relevant to his ‘autobiography’; it is quite apt. This line of Saint Tukaram Ji Maharaj have the essence of Balasaheb Vikhe Patil’s life.
  • Friends, When no one talked of rural education in the country, at that time he had worked to encourage the youth of the villages through Pravara Rural Education Society.
  • We are well aware of the work that he had done through this Society to create awareness in the villages and for the education and skill development of the youth in the villages.
  • In such a situation, it is equally appropriate to associate Balasaheb’s name with Pravara Rural Education Society.