(Samaj Weekly)
Rashtra Pita Mahatma Jyotiba & Mata Sawetribai Fule was initiated for primary education by established the 1st school on 3rd July, 1851 in Pune for the down-trodden communities ie today’s (SC, ST, OBC& Minorities) and weaker sections of Indian Society.
Chhatrapati Rajeshri Shahuji Maharaj countinued as a role model to Jyotiba & Sawetribai, he was started Middle Schools & Hostels for the aforesaid deprived class of the society.
In continuation of fulfilling the dreams & keeping as a Role model to Fule-Shahu, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar pursuied the highest goal of education in higher & research studies he initiated the concept of People’s Education Society(PES).
On the 8th of July 1945, the purpose of which Bodhisatv Vishva Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar set out, is as follows: ‘
The People’s Education Society’s objective is not merely to give education but to give education in such a manner as to promote intellectual, moral and social democracy. This is what modern India needs today and this is what all well wishers of India must promote.’ He firmly believed that education was the only effective lever for the upliftment of the down-trodden. As an educationist, Babasaheb has carved an abiding niche for himself in the temple of fame. He firmly believed that it was only through education that the suffering Indian masses could be made conscious of their rights as human beings. He said to his people : ‘ My final word of advice to you is educate, agitate and organize, have faith in yourself. With justice on our side, I do not see how we can lose our battle.
It is a battle for freedom it is a battle for the reclamation of the human personality. ’ Under its well-spread umbrella, keeping the views & motto’d of NALANDA, TAKHSEELA, VIKRAMADITYA world famous Universities etc. in those days similarly keeping the views & expectation from the People’s Education Society runs 12 University affiliated colleges, 6 of which are affiliated to the University of Mumbai, 5 to the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Karnataka University and one to University of Pune imparting University Education to as many as more than 30,000 students of whom over 15,000 belong to the under privileged classes. Besides these, the society runs many High Schools, Diploma, UG&PG Degree’s in Engineering & Technological Institutes and Hostels. Started for imparting education to the poorer people in general and the weaker sections namely SC, ST OBC and Minorities of Indian population in particular, the society has spread like a mighty Bodhi Vruksha, with a large variety of educational institution in its shade.
The motto of the society is KNOWLEDGE AND COMPASSION. MORNING CLASSES The People’s Education Society rendered a single service to the city of Mumbai when the Siddharth College of Arts and Science, opened morning classes for working young men and women who never had such an opportunity of getting higher education before. This was a revolutionary step. Thousands of matriculates have become graduates and double graduates as a result of this facility, thus fulfilling one of the cherished objectives of the Society, affording opportunity to LEARN WHILE THE EARN. PIONEER PROJECTS. Pioneering is the word to describe the endeavours of the Society to carry the torch of learning among the backward areas in Marathwada.It was the master-mind of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar which conceived the project of starting centres of education there. It was because of Babasaheb’s efforts, foresightedness and initiative the Marathwada University renamed as Dr Babasaheb M.U. came into existence at Aurangabad. It is significantly noteworthy that the teaching faculty and the administrative set-up of this University has been initially manned by persons from MILIND MAHAVIDYALAYA. To commemorate the famous Choudar Tank Satyagraha, the People’s Education Society runs a College at Mahad (Dist. Raigad) as a memorial to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar to spread higher education in KONKAN which is a Backward Region economically and educationally.
MINIATURE INDIA The Society’s institutions are run to encourage education amongst the poorer and weaker sections of the Society and the Society is very proud to have on its rolls Hindus, Parsees, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Jains, Buddhists, North Indians and South Indians, both amongst the students and Staff a MINATURE INDIA in every sense of the term.
There are thousands of students of PES’s throughout the world who had achieved the goals & made their life of high & respectful as dignitaries. They proudly said that they are the products of Siddharthian & Milindian.
Our emancipators were tremendously sacrificed & put their lifetime in the crucial period from year 1848 to 1956 ( History of 108 Yrs) continue struggles without careing their children & countinued traveling against the manuwadi & casteist flows in those days throughout their life for the Self-Respect Movement.
Therefore, in order to achive & fullfill the dreams of ours emancipators. This is the high time that, we all the educated & benefited of this movment must be think positively & unite in order to carry on this self respect movement for the sake of our next generation.
Thanks,
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– Bhagwan Nitnaware,
Bahujan Thinker
Mumbai.
