A Tribute To Prof.Arun Kamble

It is a sad news learnt from internet that Mr. Arun Kamble is no more. His dead body was found in Hussein Sagar lake in Hydrabad on 21st Dec 2009 . He was undergoing depression during last phase of life. Prof. Arun Kamble , Raja Dhale, Arjun Dangle were the founders of Dalit Panthers, a youth movement of Dalit youths of Maharashtra. 1970 onwards Dalit Panthers had the capacity to fight Shiv Sena on the streets. Shiv Sena has grown from strength to strength but Dalit Panthers weakened year after year. The reasons are internal bickering & lack of financial support. Whereas Shiv Sena had better financial strength & clandestine support of successive govts for fighting against Dalit movement.

Prof. Kamble was on forefront in the movement of re christening the Marathwada University to Dr. Ambedkar Marathwada University. Prof. Kamble & his comrades have given new dimensions to Dalit literature which brought out Dalits from clutches of blind faiths & old illogical traditions. His marathi books Dharmantarachi Bhimgarjana & Chalwaliche Divas are worth mentioning. He was national General Secretary of Janata Dal & he was Ph.D. guide in Mumbai University.

His contributions to the movement of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar will be long remembered. Jai Bhim to Arun Kamble.

By-Bodhisattwa Shendre

Gadkari -another feather in Nagpur Cap

It is good to see wide & smooth roads in Nagpur. One can thoroughly enjoy driving a car in Nagpur. You don’t have to face mind boggling traffic jams of big cities. There is a sea change in infrastructure of Nagpur. Thanks to Mr. Chandrashekhar, Ex commissioner of Nagpur. Many pvt engg colleges & good restaurants are available in Nagpur city now. But I have only lament that it is lagging behind in speed in industrial progress as compared to cities like Mumbai & Pune. Very few job opportunities are available in software & other industries. State govt. has to give tax concessions for development of industries in Vidarbha region. Vidarbha could not get benefits from central govt meant for backward state as Vidharbha falls in progressive state of Maharashtra. Secondly state govt do not give any tax concessions for industrial development. Nagpur could not get any IIT or IIM as Central govt has adopted the policy of one institute for one state.

After a long gap , I heard the good news about Nagpur that a Nagpurian , Mr. Nitin Gadkari has become the BJP president. I think before him, Mr. Vasant Sathe & Mr. A.B. Bardhan are the only Nagpurians who have made marks in National politics.

Nagpur is famous for many things like oranges, RSS center & kind hearted people. Last but not least Nagpur is a important place for me because Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has embraced Buddhism along with his followers in Nagpur.

Bodhisattwa Shendre, Mumbai