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Valjhade Shripat Rajaram

Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

September 29, 2023

Valjhade Shripat Rajaram was born in Sangamner, District Ahmednagar in the year 1902. He was born into a Teli family. His father had a small business in the Sangamner Market area. He completed his studies up to the 3rd standard. Later, he started assisting his father in his business. During this time, Sangamner became a prominent centre of the freedom struggle. Lokmanya Tilak held a meeting in Sangamner on 19 May 1917. On 22 May 1921, Mahatma Gandhi also held a meeting in Sangamner. Shripat and his brothers Kisan and Narayan often attended these gatherings with their colleagues, which ignited in him a desire to contribute to the freedom struggle.

The largest forest satyagraha in the state commenced in 1930 in Sangamner, guided by Ramakrishna Das Maharaj. According to the plan, the Jungle Satyagraha started at various places in Sangamner. Alongside Ramakrishna Das Maharaj, Bapusaheb Paregaonkar, Bhaiyyasaheb Kulkarni, and Bhai Datta Kulkarni began preparations in the Sangamner area. A grand procession was organized in Sangamner and he participated in it. He was chosen to support the leader of the Chandanapuri area. They raised awareness among the villagers and collected grains for the Satyagraha. People from various places gathered and arrangements were made for them to stay at Maruti's temple in Maliwada, Jagannath Dalvi's house, and Bapusaheb Paregaonkar's house. Bhaiyasaheb Kulkarni was appointed as the Director of Satyagraha for Sangamner Taluka.

The forest inspector ly reported this to the Sangamner Tehsil office, leading to the dispatch of additional police and vehicles to the hills near Chandnapuri. Valjhade and all the Satyagrahis, including children aged 12-15, were put into vehicles to be taken to the Sangamner Magistrate. The officials managed to take the remaining Satyagrahis, including Shripat, to Sangamner, where they appeared before the Magistrate the next day.

Under Section 225, Shripat was fined Rs 50 or faced two months' imprisonment. He firmly stated before the Sangamner Magistrate that he had not committed any crime and would not pay the fine. Consequently, he was imprisoned in Yerwada Jail in Pune for two months. Even after his release from prison, he remained actively involved in the freedom movement. During the 1942 movement, he stayed with Bhaiyyasaheb Kulkarni and engaged in underground activities. After independence, he returned to his traditional business.

Valjhade Shripat Rajaram passed away on 3 September 1981.

Information mentioned in Gazetteer, Government of Maharashtra

Source: Vijay Balasaheb Pawbake, Contributor for CCRT

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