Page 91 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

landowner in Bhamburda, Lokmanya inaugurated Fergusson
College. In the first seven-eight years of his social career,
Lokmanya worked hard to set up this educational institution.
He created a generation of extraordinary teachers. The extent
to which Lokmanya was passionate about education is evident
from the detailed letter he wrote while resigning from the
Deccan Education Society. In the letter, he said, “I feel like I’m
losing my purpose in life as I leave this institution.”
During his career as an editor and as a political leader,
Lokmanya wrote many articles and gave speeches on education.
Though it has been a hundred years since, Lokmanya’s views
on education are still relevant.
When the Deccan Education Society was formed, its first
objective was clear. To achieve independence, it was necessary
to create a generation of young people who are loyal to their
country, religion, and culture. It was planned that many young
people would participate in the national movement by running
their own business without having to pursue a government job,
and that they would be educated in this place. Fortunately, Vishnu
Shastri Chiplunkar, Agarkar and Namjoshi were pursuing the
same goal. Therefore, the new generation of Deccan Education
Society staff and students were developed as Tilak wanted
them to be - dedicated teachers and heroic students were both
developed by the Deccan Education Society.
Expanding Education and Developing Self-Reliant Students

Wrangler Paranjape, the principal of Ferguson College, was
one of the most respected figures in the field of mathematics in the
whole country. Under his leadership, the college made excellent
progress. But the Deccan Education Society was not limited
to progress in education. After the first school was established
in a small castle in 1880, gradually the Deccan Education
Society started many schools and colleges. Willingdon College
was established in Sangli. A new Marathi medium school was
established in Pune. Schools were established in Satara and Wai.
In its formative years, Deccan Education has never lost sight
of the national movement and social reform in its educational
thinking. That is why Dhondo Keshav Karve, who worked as

89 Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata