Tilak Vidyalaya, Dhantoli, Nagpur

rs of occupation of this ancient country. The death of Lokmannya Tilak on 1.8.1920 signalled the end of the era of responsive cooperation and launching by the Mahatma of his programme urging the countrymen to withdraw their voluntary cooperation to the British Government which ruled this country from a distance of 6000 miles with the help of our countrymen. School and colleges, Govt. Service and foreign cloths. II. In this background the Tilak Vidyalaya came into being primarily due to the efforts of Pandit Sunderlal the veteran champion of Gandhi’s programme with the help of Mahatama Bhagwandeenji. The national education formed one item of Lokmanya Tilak’s four pronged drive to usher in our own rule and naturally therefore the name of Tilak was associated with the institute which in those days attracted 1200 students, 50 teachers and held then as many as four or five branches – one being entirely pupilled by muslim students and Shri Tahirali as its head. III. But with passage of time the movement of Gandhiji ran into disrepute and most of the non-cooperators went back to their old jobs and activities and a time came when Tilak Vidyalaya had hardly two dozen boys and half dozen teachers. The management then embarked upon a new plan and in 1925-26 at their Fadniswada location on Walker Road started a residential hostel meant primarily for youngsters from villages who were provided lodging, boarding and some vocational training to make their self respecting and independent youths earning their own bread by some kind of industrial enterprise. Thus were started –
a.Carpentary Department
b.Tailoring Department
c.Sign Board Painting
d.Weaving of Asanas and other such small scale occupation. The hostel was named Samartha Chatralaya and Shri Bapurao Harkare was placed in charge of that Body. IV. Professor Kothare, the saffron bobed person from Bombay was roped in by Shri Patwardhan who started his college of Fine Arts. His was a unique personality, but without using a brush himself he trained some students in his own way. Two such students are well employed. V The Vidyalaya started an exceptionally successful “Winter Lecture Series “ in 1928-29 at which prominent leaders of all schools of thought came to speak at their own expense and gave the benefit of their intellectual treat to the citizens of Nagpur . It was good fortune of the Vidyalaya to host Mahatma Gandhi at their premises for two days during which period Comrade Saklatwala, M.P. (England) and E.Raghavendra Rai, Home Minister of M.P.Govt. called upon the Mahatma to seek his guidance

VI. The Vidyalaya students and teachers took active part in the Civil disobedience Movement of 1930 and 1932 when in the latter year it was declared an unlawful association and all its property confiscated. One can very well recall the same when the entire Walker Road from one end to the other was full of people to witness the sight when the students were asked to leave theses premises with their sparse bundles on their head and were directed to go to different sympathetic Citizens to ask for shelter. The Vidyalaya was then center of Congress activities and centers for the batches of Satyagrahis who marched off to participate in the boycott of liquor and foreign cloth. VII. It may also be pointed out that the Vidyalaya teachers and students under the guidance of Shri Ganpatraoji Tikekar were the pioneers in spreading the sale and popularity of Khadi as they hawked it from door to door. VIII. Then the Vidyalaya was also the center of Congress activities. About Lokmanya’s politics it may be pointed out that his massage of Home Rule reached only the literate and middlemen and did not pe*****te down to the masses as did Gandhijis. His discarding of normal clothes taking to loom cloth was meant to signify that he allied himself with half naked and half starved millions and this was the secret of his great hold on the toiling millions. IX. The Vidyalaya too did its bit in furthering the cause of self help and constructive activities. During the hey day of non-cooperation ie. 1921-22 the large number of students and teachers took out long processions and at the time of Prince-of-Wales visit to India, advocated boycott of all functions to be held in his honour by some of the loyal citizens. X. During these years 1922-23 there was the “Mulshi Satyagrah” against the Tata’s taking over the lands of farmers in the region and stalwarts like Shankarrao Deo and Dastane courted arrests and even flogging. About a dozen teachers and students of the Tilak Vidyalaya went to take part in that Satyagraha to name:
Shri Tijare, Patwardhan, Shri Kanitkar , Kango, Vaidya, Khandeshwar, Neloo Date , Shri Dinkar Tikekar and others. XI Similarly, in the National Flag Satyagraha of 1923 the first batch of Satyagrahis consisted of Awari, Baburao Badhe, Shri Ambulkar, and Abhimanyu Panikar students. In this connection the meeting of all India Congress Committee was held in the Tilak Vidyalaya Hall and among the big guns were Pt. Motilal Nehru, C.R.Das, Rajaji and others. Thus the Vidyalaya hosted this meeting in those memorable times. We therefore naturally feel proud that our Vidyalaya in Dhantoli and at Walker Road, Fadnis wada was in stairtups as it were and did everything to rise to the height of patriotic fervour. Speakers like Dada Dharmadhikari, Shri Kanetkar, Shri Harkare, Shri Ambulkar toured the four districts preaching the message of Gandhiji’s non-violence fight. XII The Vidyalaya had also started an institute known as Swarajya Vidyalaya when teachers like Daftari, Haribhau Mohani, Gajananrao Gokhale coached a dozen grown up youngsters like Sohoni, Ranade, Deshpande, Waghmare and others who were expected to go out preaching the message of Gandhiji in villages. XIII It may also be noted that the students Hostel Samarth Chatralaya made no distinct of caste or creed there were Harijans, Moslems, Bramhins and other caste boys who sat in the same line for meals and mixed freely among the entire Boarding and lodging facilities. The time table for these boarders was strictly like Gandhiji Ashram, 4 a.m start prayer and then some physical exercise, Nashta and Craft Teaching Class – through nicely and regular teaching classes. XIV The Vidyalaya had a band – group and also a concert troupe which toured different places earning and spreading the message of Gandhiji’s Swaraj. They toured as far as Raigard and Amarkantak and were well received wherever the troup went. XV Two Khadi Bhandars one in Itwari and one in Mahal managed by Dada Wachasunder and Bhaiyya Sahastrubuddhye were run by the Vidyalaya and spread the gospel of Khadi which howked by our boys under Shri Tikekar’s leadership. Thus the Tilak Vidyalaya was the pioneer institute to spread the message of Khadi in Nagpur. XVI Amongst others, the Vidyalaya produced great freedom fighter, who daringly took bullets of British Military on his chest with boldness and was martoyr in whose memory the city of Nagpur has built a statue on the prominent square of Mayo Hospital – namely Shahid Kakde. Such was the spirit and love which was imbibed in this institution that numerous persons like Kakde might have devoted their blood and lifetime for national freedom cause, that in the shade of the past history, somebody’s name might have been missed to be recorded. XVI The Vidyalaya is today running a Primary School and Balak Mandir since 1947, which originally was started by some of the students of the Vidyalaya known as Tilak Vidyalaya Sneh-sanmwardhak Sangh which subsequently was handed over the Tilak Vidyalaya , with a view to prepare the kids to learn the basic principles of self help and constructive activities. High School was started in the year 1988 and English Medium Primary School was started in the year 1979. Integration Scheme of Government of India was undertaken by the School from 1995, wherein Deaf and Dumb students sit shoulder to shoulder and learn with them upto std. Xth. Tilak Computer Institute was also started in the year 1994 and now the lab is equipped with 25 PC’s , Scanner, Web Camera, and Other peripherals. The institution is still continuing by the spirit of nationalism and national integration and is actively following the footsteps of the national leaders. Presently there are about 1000 students enrolled under various units of the School and over 70 number of Staff is actively imparting value education amongst them. The School has brought laurels and achieved heights by clinching various sports and cultural trophies and still following the philosophy that success lies in continuous efforts. Lot of past students of this institutions are occupying the prestigious assignments and working devotedly for the social and national cause. Some have attained the feat in the international business like Shri Kishor Chinchwadkar, who holds a business conglomerate in the United States of America. Past Executive Committee include Late Shri Dada Dharmadhikari, Shri G.T.Madkholkar, Shri Bhavanishankar Niyogi, Shri R.K.Manohar, Shri Dr.N.B.Khare, Shri Narkesari Barrister Abhyankar, Shri Dinkarrao Tikekar, Shri Harkare , Shri Gadre, Shri Bapurao Sowani.