Famous People
Notable people of Kasheli
Although Kasheli is a small village, it has produced a remarkable line of Sanskrit scholars, writers, educators, artists, industrialists, professionals and social reformers. The 1987 V.S. Gurjar Vidyamandir Smaranika records the following biographies of distinguished sons and daughters of the village.
Rajaramshastri Bhagvat (1851–1908)
The first widely-known son of Kasheli. Born in the village, educated in Mumbai. He studied Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Arabic, Latin, Greek, French and Hindi, with special focus on the Rig Veda, Maratha history and Marathi culture. He served as Professor of Sanskrit at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, for 30 years. His views were considered revolutionary; after Mahatma Phule he took up the cause of the brahmanetar, Dalit and oppressed communities. His teaching was that the Vedic dharma has no room for caste distinction, greed, ignorance or untruth.
Sakharam Keshav (“Bapusaheb”) Bhagvat (1861–1934)
Born in Kasheli. B.A., LL.B. in Mumbai, then practiced as Government Pleader in Thane for many years. In 1920 the government honoured him with the title “Rao Bahadur.”
Rajaram Sakharam Bhagvat (1885–1968)
Born in Kasheli. Educated in Mumbai; M.A. in Chemistry. He was regarded as a literary heir of Annie Besant. His books include Punarjanma Aahe Ka?, Mrityu ani Mrityunantar, Annie Besant Charitra, Karmancha Siddhanta, J. Krishnamurti Charitra, Rajayogachi Multattve and Sant va Sakshatkar. He never married, dedicating his life to Theosophy. On the centenary of his birth, the journal Jagriti published a special Bhagvat issue.
Sitaram Babaji Gurjar
A literary figure who wrote two or three works in Sanskrit, including the play Udar Damodar. Father of V.S. Gurjar.
Vithal Sitaram Gurjar (18 May 1885 – 19 Sept 1962)
Born in Kasheli, educated in Mumbai. Inheriting his father’s literary legacy, he wrote roughly 1,000 short stories, 10 plays and 10 novels, and adapted novels from Bengali and English. The short-story collection Drakshanche Ghos is celebrated; the immortal songs of Ekach Pyala are his work. He lived in Kasheli for 40 unbroken years, writing continuously. — See the full Smaranika →
Tryambak Shankar Shejwalkar (25 May 1895 – 28 Nov 1963)
Born in Kasheli, educated in Mumbai, B.A. His interest in history led him to study history, geography, geomorphology, chronology, political science, sociology, military strategy, Sanskrit and mathematics. In 1929 he became editor of the weekly Pragati. His monographs Panipat 1761 and Nanasaheb stirred controversy. The Government of India commissioned him to write a definitive biography of Shivaji Maharaj — the materials he gathered for it are unmatched in Marathi historiography.
Raghunath Bhagvant Kalke
Born and lived in Kasheli. Self-taught but a serious student of Sanskrit. He produced a critical reading of the Ramayana that shook orthodox readers, and used astronomical methods to date the Ramayana era. In his lifetime he was among the four elders consulted on all weighty matters in the village.
Vithal Hari Kulkarni (14 Aug 1902 – 9 Dec 1982)
Born in Kasheli, educated in Mumbai — M.A. (English). Joined Ruia College in 1941 as Professor of English and taught there until 1962, a hugely popular and student-loved teacher. He edited the journals Pratibha and Jyotsna. His books include Vyaktichitre, the Kelkar Charitra and the A. B. Kolhatkar Charitra. He wrote As You Like Him as a tribute to his own teacher. He died at his son’s home in the United States.
Rajaram Hari Shejwalkar
Born in Kasheli. He became Head of the Modelling Section at the Mayo School of Fine Arts, Lahore, and won the gold medal at the All-India sculpture competition. He named his Lahore home “Maharashtra Mandal”; when Lokmanya Tilak, D. V. Paluskar and other prominent Maharashtrians visited Lahore they stayed there.
Mahadev Vishnu Saware
Born in Kasheli; later Head of the Drawing Section at the Mayo School of Fine Arts, Lahore.
Shridhar Balaji Kulkarni (18 Apr 1920 – Dec 1954)
Born in Kasheli, primary schooling in the village, high school at Hind Vidyalaya, Mumbai; B.A. with English. An accomplished English teacher. He founded the Yuvak Chalval in Kasheli and the Janata Sahakari Patpedhi. Worked on the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement under the guidance of N. R. Phatak, Barrister Nath Pai, M. M. Dhatu and Vaman Potdar. In January 1951 he founded the “Janata Tutorial Academy” at Mehendale Building, Girgaon, mentoring students on academic, personal and family matters — many regarded him as family. He died in a motorcycle accident in December 1954. His widow Smt. Vidyavahini still runs the classes.
Shankar Balkrishna Olkar (1890–1973)
Born in Kasheli into poverty. In 1912 he began work at a mill on a salary of ₹ 10 per month. Through honesty, perseverance and constant learning he rose to become Manager of the Gujarat Cotton Mills, Ahmedabad. He retired in 1942, returned to Kasheli and devoted himself to village social work.
Gunaji Vitthal Mali
Born into a poor Kunbi family in Kasheli. He moved to Mumbai for work and devoted himself to the welfare of his community. To uplift the poor Kunbi community he founded the “Kunbi Sahakari Bank,” which today has branches in Mumbai, Pune and other cities — a remarkable feat of foresight given that only about 5% of the Kunbi community was literate at the time.
Sakharam Sadashiv Bhagvat (1902–1957)
Brought to Kasheli at age four, where he had his primary schooling. Drawn to the tabla, he learnt the instrument from Apa Damle at Asud village in the traditional way — first beating each phrase out on a wooden board and only then on the drum once the guru approved. He accompanied the celebrated singer Hiradevi Chatterjee and other distinguished musicians on a tour to England. From 1933 to 1953 he taught and performed tabla in Mumbai; in 1953 he returned to Kasheli and trained many young people of the area until his death.
Ramchandra Bhikaji Naphade (1855–1952)
Born in Kasheli. While still a student he left school for a chance to study tabla, and went to Baroda. He served as court tabla-player at the Nagpur Sansthan and accompanied many of Hindustan’s most celebrated singers. He worked with the Rajapurkar Natak Mandali and the Prabhat Company, and later as an independent accompanist. He was also an excellent pakhawaj player. He trained many disciples, was famous for being scrupulously clean and punctual, and also performed kirtan. He returned to Kasheli in his later years and remained there until his death.
Bhaskar Neelkanth Saware (1880–1945)
A towering figure in the moulding of modern Kasheli — described in the Smaranika as “the lion of the village.” He worked tirelessly to establish the “Kasheli Society” and ran it successfully, and was instrumental in founding the Kasheli Gram Panchayat. He took special care of the routine and renovation works at the village’s Kanakaditya temple and the Aryadurga temple at Devihsol. After his death the villagers built the Kasheli Society building in his memory.
Babaji Krishnaji Kulkarni — “Babulya-bhau Kulkarni” (1890–1960)
An important worker of the early Kasheli Society and Gram Panchayat. He personally took charge of the daily worship and festival arrangements at the Lakshminarayan and Agavadevi temples and earned wide respect for his clean conduct.
Rajarambhau Hardikar
A great public worker. He laboured for the establishment of the Gram Panchayat and the village cooperative society. He donated his own land for the building of Kasheli School No. 1 — without his gift the school building would not have been raised.
Jagannath Vishnu Saware
Born in Kasheli; began his career as a village primary teacher. While teaching, he wrote a textbook, “Geography of Ratnagiri District,” which the government prescribed for Standard III across the state. He was also a tantrik — his consecrated water (mantrache pani) was widely believed to neutralise all kinds of poisons, and he treated many cases of dermatitis the same way. He wrote a book, Janavaranche Rog va Tyavar Ilaj (Cattle Diseases and Their Treatment), still used by later generations of veterinarians. In 1930 he opened the first high school in Rajapur taluka at Kasheli, with attached boarding so that boys from distant villages could attend. The school had to close in 1949 when the government discontinued the 7th-standard English examination.
Anant Govind Awalkar — “Tatya Khot”
The village khot (revenue collector) — but without the failings of his class. Simple in living, socialist in outlook, he was loved by the Dalit and Kunbi communities. At a time when Harijan children were not admitted to schools, he brought them into his own home and taught them; his kin and caste-fellows strongly criticised him, but he did not stop.
Anant Asubhau Kulkarni
Worked on foreign-going ships in Africa. After retirement he started the first post office at Kasheli and became its first postmaster. He experimented seriously with mango grafting and demonstrated the rare feat of getting fruits of several different mango varieties from a single tree.
Govind Mahadev Hardikar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli, then Mumbai. He passed the legal examinations and worked as Railway counsel. An exceptional legal scholar and an excellent speaker, he retired in 1945 and returned to Kasheli, where he became a generous patron of the poor and Dalits and took part in every village function until the end of his life.
Baburao Sutar (Mestri)
An exceptionally skilled carpenter and wood-sculptor. The twelve-foot-long, three-foot-wide solid wooden pillars of the Kanakaditya temple sabha-mandap, and their fine ornamental carving, were turned and finished by him entirely by hand, without any machinery.
Anantrao Bhagvat — “Antukaka Bhagvat”
Kasheli’s first police patil. So well-versed in law that he once arrested a visiting government officer without a warrant, on solid legal grounds. His standing in government circles was high.
Lakshman Gangadhar Bhagvat — “Lakhunana Bhagvat” (1885–1984)
Extraordinarily quiet and gentle. He had mastered the craft of bone-setting and set the broken bones of countless villagers free of charge. He treated snake-bite and poisoning by scorpion, centipede and other creatures with herbal remedies; many lives were saved by his medicines.
Narayan Harsheth Gurjar (1871–1956)
The village’s old cattle physician. He treated sick animals with plant-based remedies and was also expert at delivering cows and buffaloes in difficult labour. People from all the surrounding villages relied on him in crises.
Gunaji Dubam
Another animal-doctor of the same era. He cured many cattle diseases with plant remedies; for certain conditions he branded the animal on specific parts of the body, and had remarkable skill in extracting thorns and splinters deeply embedded in the feet of cattle. All this work he did free of charge as a public service.
Vasudev Vinayak Lad
Born in Kasheli, into a poor Kunbi family. Went to Mumbai for work and trained in bhajan-singing, becoming a famous bhajani-buva.
Ramchandra Shrikrishna Hardikar (d. 29 Jan 1977)
Advocate. Primary schooling in Kasheli; high school in Rajapur; college (B.A., LL.B.) at Deccan College, Pune. Practised in the Rajapur court with a deep grasp of the law — lawyers in many cases referred matters back to him for opinion. Equally deep was his command of Vedic, religious, literary and Sanskrit studies, and he had a good working knowledge of trigonometry, which he used to help the Gulvani Panchang compilers. He was for many years President of the Rajapur High School and Sanskrit School.
Yashwant Bhaskar Bhagvat (1928–1984)
Born in Kasheli; Marathi schooling in the village; high school in Rajapur. In 1942 he left his studies to join the freedom movement and was once arrested for his part in it. He later ran a medical shop in Mumbai for about a decade, then returned to Kasheli. He served as Sarpanch of the village, was for several years President of the Rajapur taluka Janata Party, and sat on the board of the cooperative bank.
Bhaskar Yashwant Olkar (b. 1938)
Born in Kasheli; primary in the village, high school in Rajapur, higher studies in Mumbai. Joined Bank of India as an officer; was posted for five years at the bank’s London branch, then for ten years as a senior officer at the Hong Kong branch. Currently posted at Pune.
Digambar Sitaram Phodkar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; moved to Mumbai for work and completed his higher education there. Currently an officer at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation; an active participant in all village public work.
Bhargav Ravji Haldankar
Born and educated in Kasheli; took up farming and toddy-tapping. A first-class hunter, he killed many of the tigers and wild boar that troubled the village cultivators, and was for many years a leader of the wider community.
Raghunath Ravji Haldankar
Born and educated in Kasheli; runs a farm and a toddy shop. He buys raw mangoes on advance from many big orchard-holders of the area, in the season-long contract style of the Konkan mango trade. Widely regarded as exceptionally generous.
Ramchandra Parshuram Kashalkar
Born and educated in Kasheli. After some years working as a goldsmith outside the village he returned home and took up farming and orchard-keeping. He has taken particular care to protect the village forests, and has killed several tigers and wild boars that endangered the cultivators’ crops.
Chandrakant Raghunath Kashelkar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; later worked in Mumbai while completing his high-school and college education. Currently a gazetted officer. He is General Secretary of the Konkan Pranta Panchal (Sutar) Samaj Mandal, founder-secretary of the Vishwakarma Jnatibandhav Kasheli Sutarwadi, and a director of the Vivah Mandal, Mumbai.
Bhiva Nagu Gothankar
Born and educated in Kasheli; came to Mumbai for high school. After a spell at Tide Chemicals in Dombivli he is now Managing Director of Pure Light Co. Pvt. Ltd., with overall responsibility for the firm’s chemical-manufacturing operations.
Sahdev Dharmaji Satope
An active participant in Kasheli’s public life. Worked hard for the Janata Sahakari Patpedhi.
Sharad Balkrishna Dhakas
A progressive farmer. Even in the drought year of 1986 he raised a record paddy crop and won the first prize from the district authorities.
Ramchandra Dharmaji Satope
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; later took a job in Mumbai while completing his high-school education. He currently runs the Maharashtra Night High School.
Raja Sutar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; finished high school in Mumbai while working. For twenty-five years he has been a public worker, active in many social and religious bodies. He is currently the Shiv Sena sub-zone (Bandra to Andheri) chief.
Parshuram Baburao Phanse
Born and educated in Kasheli; came to Mumbai with little formal schooling and built a name as an outstanding builder/contractor.
Narayan Dhondu Phanse
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; joined a watch-strap factory in Mumbai and later opened his own. He now successfully runs his own “Imitation Jewellery” factory.
Kashinath Chandrakant Jadhav
Born at Welye; primary education at Kasheli, which he considers his own village. Currently an officer at the Stamp Office. A keen amateur actor, he has taken leading husband-and-wife roles in many plays.
Haribhau Mahadev Jadhav
Born at Welye; primary education at Kasheli, high school in Mumbai. Worked as an officer at the Mumbai Municipality. Now retired, he has acquired a large plot near Rajapur where he has planted coconut, betel-nut, mango and cashew. A disciple of P.P. Panchalegavkar Maharaj.
Madhukar Shankar Jadhav
Born at Welye; primary in Kasheli; high school and graduate degree in Mumbai. Began service at the State Secretariat and is currently an officer at the Shipping Corporation. His wife Suvidya is an officer at the Maharashtra State Marketing Federation.
Ganpat Mahadev Thakurul
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai. On his own initiative he founded and runs the successful screen-printing business “Sharp Enterprises”. Active in village service for the past fifteen years.
Narendra Harishchandra Ghanekar
Born and entirely educated in Mumbai. Works at Associated Cement Companies. Inducted into public service early by his father; for the past fifteen years he has been engaged in social work across the Kasheli–Gavkhdi–Adivare area. Director of the Tilori Kunbi Bank.
Madhukar Maruti Pednekar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai. Officer at the Stamp Office. Bears a heavy share of the work of every Kasheli social and religious body, especially the Datta-mandir.
Shriram Vinayak Bhagvat
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai. Moved to Ahmedabad and has built up his own engineering workshop.
Shripad Ramchandra Hardikar
Born in Kasheli; high school in Rajapur; higher studies in Mumbai. Joined S.T. Corporation and retired as Administrative Officer.
Bhikaji Lakhan — “Doctor Bhika”
An older-generation village physician who treated both animals and people with herbal remedies. He was also called on to help women in difficult labour and was equally adept at delivering cows and buffaloes safely.
Hari Gopal Shinde
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. The current-generation village veterinarian, healing animals with the herbal remedies recorded in late Jagannath Saware’s book and his own experience — he has cured thousands of animals. Sitting member of the Kasheli Gram Panchayat.
Ramesh Pandurang Olkar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. Lover of public causes; currently Vice-Sarpanch of the Kasheli Gram Panchayat. Runs his own farm, orchard and shop, and is well known for doing odd jobs for poor families free of charge — the village calls him “Appa.”
Murlidhar Ramchandra Kashalkar
Born and primary/high-school-educated in Kasheli. A celebrated goldsmith and one of the leading hunters of his generation. A pillar of the Jakhadevi temple, Gram Panchayat and Kasheli Society work.
Ramakant Bhargav Haldankar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Adivare. Runs his own shop in Kasheli; takes an active part in every public undertaking.
Vay. Ti. Haldankar
Born and educated in Kasheli. Joined service as a talathi and rose to Circle Inspector. A government servant who has won taluka-wide respect — the rural poor across the area affectionately call him “Amdar” (M.L.A.).
Bhaskar Krishnaji Natekar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. After a spell in Mumbai he returned and opened a grocery shop in Kasheli. Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat for five years. An accomplished singer, prominent in the bhajan and other activities at the Lakshminarayan temple.
Bhiku Sakharam Shirvadkar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; a farmer. He takes great pains in the management of the Agavadevi temple, and serves on the committee of the Shri Lakshminarayan Shikshan Prasarak Mandal.
Shiva Nagu Gothankar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. Sitting member of the Kasheli Gram Panchayat; active in every village concern.
Bhaskar Narayan Bhagvat
Trained as a primary teacher in Kasheli; currently a primary teacher at Adivare. A key worker at the Kanakaditya temple and a member of the V.S. Gurjar Vidyamandir School Committee.
Chintamani Sakharam Bhagvat
Born in Kasheli; educated in Kasheli and Mumbai. Famous as a tabla player and bhajani-buva. He has been performing bhajan and song programmes on All India Radio Ratnagiri for many years; though he lost his eyesight ten years ago, his service to music has never ceased.
Rajaram Hari Thakur
Kasheli’s first Chartered Accountant. Practised successfully in Mumbai for many years and is now retired; provides invaluable guidance to the Janata Sahakari Patpedhi.
Motiram Shankar Kashalkar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Rajapur. Graduated as a commercial artist in Mumbai and worked many years for Black & White Artists. Went to England for advanced studies in screen-printing. On return, set up India’s first plastic-presentation-articles factory.
Vaman Balaji Kulkarni (b. 1919, Ajoli)
Primary in Kasheli; M.A. from Wilson College, Mumbai (1943). Served five or six years in the State Secretariat before being transferred to State Transport, where he held various senior posts and retired in 1977 as Deputy General Manager. Subsequently Stores-cum-Deputy General Manager at Rajasthan State Transport, then stores chief in a private firm until 1985. Still acknowledged as a leading expert on inventory management. While at S.T. in 1954 he opened up the Kasheli–Adivare–Nate area by introducing bus services — a turning point for the region’s development. Mentor to the Janata Seva Sangh and Janata Sahakari Patpedhi.
Dr. Gangadhar Balaji Kulkarni (b. 1926)
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school and M.B.B.S. in Mumbai. Began his career at Nair Hospital and then opened his own clinic at Girgaon. Famous for accurate diagnosis and for the love he gives to his patients. He has been the family doctor of countless people in many neighbourhoods. Devoted special attention to the Janata Seva Sangh and the Janata Sahakari Patpedhi.
Smt. Janakibai Bhagvant Palsule — “Mamutai Palsule” (b. 1917)
Born and educated in Kasheli. From the founding of the Kasheli Gram Panchayat she served as its Mahila Member for 25 years, and for five years as Mahila Member of the Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad. She founded the Jagriti Mahila Mandal at Kasheli, running sewing classes, a balwadi and many other activities for the welfare of women. Her career began in childhood, teaching Harijan children at her father’s school — that fire for social service still burns in her old age.
Jagannath Ramchandra Naphade
Born at Ajoli (Nate). B.A. in Mumbai, then moved to Ahmedabad. Worked at Khatav Mill and Snyder Steel as Personnel Manager. Currently General Manager (Personnel) at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. For the spread of education in Ratnagiri-district villages he founded the “Seva Sankalp” Trust. Through it he built a sturdy four-room pucca school building at Kasheli — with toilet, bathroom and well — at a cost of about ₹ 1.5 lakh, and donated the founding library collection of books. Three further rooms are being added.
Shankar Bhaskar Saware
Chairman of the Kasheli Society for an unbroken 25 years and Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat for fifteen years. Kasheli’s public progress owes much to him. Now aged seventy-five, he remains a director of the Society and an active participant in its affairs.
Narayan Anant Borgavkar (b. 1910)
Born in Kasheli; high school in Rajapur. Joined the Weights & Measures service and retired as Inspector. After retirement, settled in Kasheli and was a prime mover in the founding of the Kasheli Sahakari Kaul Karkhana (cooperative tile-factory). Sarpanch, Society Chairman, and a great contributor to village development.
Balkrishna Dinkar Dhakas
Kasheli farmer; born and primary-educated in the village. He has experimented widely in agriculture and set records in yield. Chairman of the Sahakari Kaul Karkhana for several years.
Bhaskar Anant Bhagvat
Marathi schooling in Kasheli; high school in Rajapur; LL.B. from Elphinstone College, Mumbai. Practised in the Rajapur court as a successful lawyer to the end of his life.
Late Dr. Shivram Bhau Yudum
Began as compounder at Parlekar Doctor’s clinic in Mumbai; learned medicine, qualified as a Registered Medical Practitioner and set up an independent practice at Hurane.
Shankar Anant Naphad (b. 1910)
Born and educated up to Standard IV in Kasheli. Refused a meagre Mumbai high-school job and took up vegetable selling; opened a milk shop in 1932 and made a steady fortune. Recently sold the shop and retired. A self-made man from nothing.
Shivram Kashinath Hardikar (b. 1916, Nagothne)
Primary at Adivare. The death of his father forced him to abandon English schooling. Farmed at Kasheli from 1932 to 1935, then went to Mumbai and learned tailoring. He soon began a roadside tea business, then a wedding-utensil hiring service and a mandap-decorating service — his enterprises today have a turnover of ₹ 4–5 lakhs. Worked hard for the founding of the Kaul Karkhana.
Achyut Balaji Kulkarni (b. 23 Sept 1915)
Primary at Kasheli and Adivare; high school in Mumbai (which took him seven years instead of four). In the Second World War he served with the Scottish Highlanders in Burma, Ceylon and other theatres. He mastered electrical work by his own intelligence and craft. Discharged on health grounds, he established the Kanhad Soldiers’ Association and started the Kanhad Co-Op Workshop, which he has managed for 40 years — the pioneer of the cooperative tile-factory movement in the area.
Narayan Rajaram Shejwalkar (b. 27 Dec 1914)
Primary at Kasheli; high school at Rajapur. Took the Drawing Teachers’ Diploma at the Mayo School, Lahore, but changed field and became a Hindi teacher and propagandist. Won the All-India Award for the Best Hindi Teacher in 1975. Settled in Goa after retirement and still holds Kasheli and Goa — his karmabhoomi and shraddhabhoomi — in deep affection.
Dr. Shriram Vasudev Bhagvat (b. 1915)
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli, then M.A. and Ph.D. in Mumbai. Editor; worked at Nagpur University. In 1935 he wrote a thesis on the science of script (Lipi-shastra) and also published work on shorthand.
Dr. Shivram Vasudev Bhagvat (b. 1924, Murtijapur)
Matriculation in Mumbai with Metallurgy as a special subject. Worked first as Metallurgist at Sumartola Co., then at Hospet’s Lokhand factory; currently Plant Manager at the Kanhad Khandelwal factory.
Dr. Rajaram Vasudev Bhagvat (b. 1921)
Primary and English schooling at Chhabildas High School, Mumbai. Won many prizes at school; M.Sc., Ph.D. Recognised as a Professor by the University of Mumbai and rose to the post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor. So upright and unpretentious that students and admirers gave a donation of ₹ 21,000 in his name to the university — an act that itself testified to his worth.
Late Narayan Rajaram Hardikar (1896–1967)
Primary in Kasheli; took up farming and orchard work at Bhandara. Showed enterprise unusual for his time, planting khus and sugarcane and producing jaggery and refined sugar. So pleased was the landowner with his work that he eventually sold the farm to him; Narayan modernised it with up-to-date machinery.
Bhaskar Narayan Hardikar
Educated at Bhandara and took up his father’s mantle in farming, adding a transport business. A leading citizen of Bhandara, recently elected to the Director Board of the Bhandara District Central Cooperative Bank.
Shrikrishna Vinayak Gurjar
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. Sat for the Chartered Accountancy examination, qualified at Ahmednagar, and set up his own firm, Gurjar & Co., Chartered Accountants. Provides invaluable professional help to the Sahakari Kaul Karkhana, the Lakshminarayan Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, the Shri Dev Kanakaditya temple trust and the Shri Dev Lakshminarayan temple trust.
Late Dhondu Ravji Pednekar
An elder of the previous generation, refined and gentle. Apart from a tailor’s trade he made his name as an idol-maker, sculpting Ganpati murtis of fine artistic quality.
Pundalik Gunaji Pednekar
Born in Kasheli; carries on the family farming. Took part in many village public works and served as an active member of the Gram Panchayat for fifteen years; still active in village development.
Vinayak Lakshman Vaghdhare
Born at Gavkhdi, but with all his dealings in Kasheli. Went to Mumbai for body-building work and gave displays of incredible strength: pulling a three-ton truck by his teeth, halting a galloping horse with his teeth, supporting a moving truck on his chest. These feats earned him the title “Bharatacha Poladi Purush” (the Steel Man of India) and worldwide fame. He also served five years as a Shiv Sena ward worker at the Mumbai Mahapalika.
P.P. Swami Vishwanath Maharaj Borkar
Born in Kasheli; came to Mumbai for work at Scindia Steamships. While employed he progressed deeply on the spiritual path; on instructions from Datta Maharaj he built a completely personal Datta Mandir at Phodkar Wadi, near Kasheli. Every year a seven-day Datta Jayanti festival is celebrated there with great enthusiasm, drawing devotees from as far away as Mumbai.
Vasant Shivram Phodkar
Born in Kasheli; came to Mumbai for work. Trained in body-building and weight-lifting under Vinayak Vaghdhare and gave spectacular displays of strength. Won the body-physique award of the Maharashtra Wrestling Council at the hands of Shri Bhausaheb Hire.
Kumar Phodkar
Born in Mumbai. Began his career in a textile mill and entered the world of theatre. Played the role of Siddharth in the play Purush under Nana Patekar’s direction, and currently holds a leading role in Doosra Samna.
Sadashiv Bhagvant Palsule
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; English to Std. III at J.V. Saware’s school, then to Std. XI at King George High School, Dadar. Qualified as a Pharmacist in 1953 and opened his business at Kasheli the same year. Founded the village’s Ravikiran Yuvak Mandal; ran shramadan road-clearing and drain-cleaning camps; founded the Ravikiran Vidyamandir high school in 1961 (closed after two years due to small numbers and lack of government recognition). Served Kasheli’s Sahakari Society as Chairman and is in his tenth year on its board; five years a director of the Sahakari Kaul Karkhana; one year Chairman of the Rajapur Taluka Sahakari Kharedi-Vikri Sangh; five years on the Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad Animal Husbandry Committee; two years on the board of an urban cooperative bank; five years Secretary of the Rajapur Taluka Congress (I) Committee; for the last nine years Sarpanch of Kasheli and Chairman of V.S. Gurjar Vidyamandir. The Government of Maharashtra has appointed him a Special Executive Magistrate. He was also a director of the Ratnagiri District Sawmill Association.
Damodar Balaji Kulkarni
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai. Returned to Kasheli, took up orchard-keeping and served many years on the Gram Panchayat. Has worked steadily at the Lakshminarayan and Agavadevi temples and is currently Trustee of the Shri Lakshminarayan Shikshan Prasarak Mandal. Famous as a generous and helpful man.
Balwant Vasudev Kulkarni
Born and educated in Kasheli. Has been Postmaster for fifteen to twenty years and received a Departmental Commendation in 1952 for outstanding service. A lover of bhajan and theatre; founded the Aryadurga Prasadi Lalitotsav Pravartak Mandali, which has staged many fine plays in the village — he is the area’s only kingari (male performer of female roles).
Dwarkanath Bhikashet Potde (b. 1925)
Primary in Kasheli. Thirty-eight years of educational service at the primary schools of the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation; the National Foundation for Teachers’ Welfare named him an “Adarsha Shikshak” (Ideal Teacher) in 1982. After passing the Hindi-teaching sanad, he taught Hindi through the University of Mumbai for many years. Completed the three-year physical-training course of the Maharashtriya Mandal, Pune; founded the Samartha Vyayam Mandir at Dadar. Worked ten years at this institution and twelve years as Principal of the Mahapalika’s Balbhavan Kendra. Twenty-one years as the Mahapalika schools’ Scouting teacher. Retired 1 June 1983.
Dr. Bhagvant Rajaram Kalke (b. 1927)
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai; M.B.B.S. After several years of government hospital service he went to England and the United States and pioneered work on artificial heart valves. Earlier valves were made from non-living materials; Kalke developed valves from living tissue extracted from the pig’s heart which the human body accepts immediately — these are known as the Kalke-Lillehei valves. After his return he was Dean at J.J. Hospital, Nair Hospital and Sion Hospital and Professor of Surgery at T.N. Medical College, then served as Professor of Surgery at New York Hospital and Minnesota Hospital and retired as Emeritus Professor and Heart-Disease Consultant. Currently Consulting Surgeon at Dr. N.B. Nene Pathological Laboratory (Charni Road), M.S. Medical Centre (Santacruz), Dr. Bhagat Polyclinic (Borivali) and Dhanvantari Hospital (Shivaji Park). Degrees: M.B. (Bom.), M.S.F.C.P.S., F.I.C.A. (USA), F.I.C.S. (USA), Ph.D. (Minn. USA).
Col. Dr. Govind Dattatraya Bhagvat
Began as a Dentist in the Army Medical Corps and rose to the rank of Colonel. His son too serves as an officer in the Army. He has built his own home in Pune.
Shrinivas Dattatraya Bhagvat
Currently Regional Manager at Indo-Burma Petroleum.
Bha. Ra. Bhagvat
Originally from Kasheli, now in Pune. A prolific writer of children’s literature. His wife Lilatai also writes children’s literature; her televised interview on Mumbai Doordarshan and her election as President of the Children’s Literature Association have recently brought the couple wide recognition. Both are strong supporters of Kasheli’s development.
Pramod Vishwanath Kashalkar
Born in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai followed by B.Tech. from IIT Kanpur and a D.B.M.A. business-management course. Currently Assistant Engineer at National Chemical & Fertilizers, Chembur.
Shankar Vinayak Natekar
Topped the University of Mumbai Sanskrit examinations and won many prizes. Spent his career as Industrial Relations Manager at Chougule Co., Goa, retiring recently as Deputy General Manager.
Pandurang Narayan Bawkar
Born in Kasheli; came to Mumbai for work. After service with the Saraswat Cooperative Bank he has now spent 38 years with the Janata Sahakari Patpedhi at Kasheli.
Ku. Leela Vinayak Natekar
For 29 years a teacher in the Mumbai Mahapalika schools. Won the Mayor’s Prize in 1980–81; her essay “The Textbook as an Important Resource” won the state third prize in 1981–82; in 1984–85 she received the National Teacher Award from the hands of the President of India. She runs the Gunavardhan Kendra for the inculcation of moral values, and was elected to the All India Radio School Programme Advisory Committee.
Dr. M. N. Bhagvat
D.A.M. from Podar Medical College. Worked some years at the Bhalavali Primary Health Centre and now practises independently at Kotapur and Kasheli. Always immersed in religious work; a follower of P.P. Swami Swarupanand Maharaj. Did much in raising funds and land for the Kanakaditya temple.
B. J. Thakurul
Born in V.S. Gurjar’s Sawrewadi neighbourhood; primary in Kasheli, then to Mumbai for work, with higher education taken alongside service. Currently Manager at the Bombay Port Trust Chembur Container Depot. Always at the forefront of Kasheli social work.
Dinkar Vinayak Naphade
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; high school in Mumbai. Worked on the technical side at Raman & Demane Co., taking tabla lessons in his spare time under Shridhar Yashwant Padhye of Adivare. Took first place in the All India Radio tabla competition, bringing honour to his grandparents’ name.
Janardan Vishwanath (“Babinana”) Kashelkar
Police Patil of Kasheli for several years; Chairman of the Kasheli Society; President of the Mushtiphand Sansthecha; active in every village undertaking.
Keshav Appa Radye
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; runs his family farm. Played a leading role in the building of the Aagavadevi Wadi school. Sitting member of the Kasheli Gram Panchayat.
Shridhar Sakharam Mestri
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. An expert at laying wooden plank-bridges; contractor for building works; and manufacturer of Ganesh idols in Kasheli.
Ramchandra Bhikaji Jadhav
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; worked at the Mumbai Municipality. Now retired to the village, he is active in the affairs of the Kasheli Society and the school.
Dr. Ramchandra Vinayak Bhagvat
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli. B.D.S. — Kasheli’s first dentist. Currently settled at Thane.
Ku. Shailesh Vasant Bhagvat
Born and educated in Mumbai. Disciple of Ustad Bismillah Khan; an accomplished shehnai player who has won many prizes. Lives at Thane.
Late Dr. Shankar Sakharam Bhagvat
Born and primary-educated in Kasheli; higher education in Mumbai. After his medical degree he spent some years abroad and then practised medicine at Thane.
Dr. Prabhakar Shankar Bhagvat, M.B.B.S., and Dr. Shila Prabhakar Bhagvat, M.B.B.S.
Husband-and-wife doctors, both born and brought up in Thane and educated at Thane and Mumbai. They continued the family’s medical practice at Thane, running their own hospital.
Dr. Milind Prabhakar Bhagvat, M.B.B.S., M.S.
Born and educated at Thane. Continues the family medical practice into its third generation.
Source: Vithal Sitaram Gurjar Vidyamandir Smaranika (1987), pp. 52–71 — “Kashelitil Naamavanta Vyakti.”