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By:

Ashok Rane

27 August 2024 at 10:18:04 am

Annaji Deshpande: A Pioneer Pracharak of the RSS

He placed Sangh ideology above personal and family considerations. After the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925, its work spread across Nagpur and Vidarbha within a few years. Guru Pujan festivals and Sangh camps were launched, and expansion activities gathered momentum. RSS founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar aimed to spread Sangh work across Maharashtra and other provinces. As a result, 1939–1940 became a crucial period for the organisation's growth....

Annaji Deshpande: A Pioneer Pracharak of the RSS

He placed Sangh ideology above personal and family considerations. After the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925, its work spread across Nagpur and Vidarbha within a few years. Guru Pujan festivals and Sangh camps were launched, and expansion activities gathered momentum. RSS founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar aimed to spread Sangh work across Maharashtra and other provinces. As a result, 1939–1940 became a crucial period for the organisation's growth. During these years, young Swayamsevaks from Nagpur moved to different parts of the country and established Sangh work there. Among the Swayamsevaks who went to other provinces, Krishnarao Harihar Deshpande holds a prominent place in Sangh history. A first-batch pracharak, he was sent to Bihar, where he established Sangh work despite challenges such as unfamiliarity with the local language, lack of contacts, limited transport, financial constraints and inadequate accommodation. Today, the Sangh’s nationwide presence owes much to the tireless efforts of the first-batch pracharaks. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Sangh’s centenary is the result of the dedication and sacrifice of countless Sangh workers. Krishnarao Harihar “Annaji” Deshpande was born in Nagpur on 11 June 1919. He studied at Fate School in Mahal before his family moved to Dharmapeth, then a centre of Sangh activity. With Sangh workers frequently visiting their home, Annaji absorbed Sangh values from an early age. He came into direct contact with Sangh work in 1930 and went to Bihar as a full-time pracharak in 1939. While a pracharak, he completed his graduation and post-graduation from Patna University. Pracharak in Bihar In 1939, Dr. Hedgewar visited the Deshpande home in Dharmapeth and suggested that Annaji go to Bihar for higher studies while carrying out Sangh work. Annaji went to Bhagalpur as a pracharak, earning B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees while building the organisation there. He returned to Nagpur in 1944 and joined the Nagpur Agricultural College. On 10 March 1945, Annaji married Vimal Balkrishna Pimparikar of Amravati. Soon after, he lost his job for participating in the Satyagraha against the ban on the Sangh following Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and his imprisonment. He placed Sangh ideology above personal and family considerations. He later pursued private business alongside higher studies, earning M.Ed., LL.B. and Ph.D. degrees. In 1952, he joined a B.Ed. college in Nagpur and later headed its Department of Education. He was the first person from Vidarbha to earn the Acharya degree in education. Despite professional responsibilities, he remained deeply involved in Sangh work. He served as Karyavah of the Dharmapeth Shakha and later as Vibhag Karyavah. Under his guidance, many Dharmapeth pracharaks helped expand Sangh work. His son, Sunilji Deshpande, also became a pracharak in 1982 and currently holds the responsibility of Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Sampark (All-India Joint Contact) in the Sangh. Gandhinagar 261 Owing to his commitment to social harmony and selfless service, the Deshpande residence in Dharmapeth became a centre of Sangh activity in the 1960s. The family later moved to Gandhinagar 261, where their home became a gathering point for Swayamsevaks. Sangh office-bearers were frequent visitors, and after the formation of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the residence also functioned as an office for the Sangh, Jana Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad. Smt. Vimaltai was actively involved in the women’s wing of the Jana Sangh, while Annaji devoted himself to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Dharmapeth Education Society. During the 1962 and 1967 Lok Sabha elections, the Deshpande residence effectively served as the Jana Sangh office. Their home at 261, Gandhinagar, became a support centre for Swayamsevaks and workers. At a time when telephones were rare, its number—24779—was widely regarded as a public phone for the area, and messages received there reliably reached their recipients. Even today, veteran Nagpur workers fondly recall Annaji Deshpande, his home at 261 Gandhinagar, and the well-known telephone number 24779. Sarsanghchalaks Association Annaji Deshpande came into full contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1930 and remained devoted to its work until his passing in 2009, dedicating nearly 75 years to the organisation. Throughout, he received steadfast support from his wife, Smt. Vimaltai. He had the privilege of associating with RSS founder Dr. Hedgewar and successive Sangh leaders, including Pujya Shri Golwalkar Guruji, Balasaheb Deoras, Sudarshanji and Mohan Bhagwat. He also received guidance from senior pracharaks such as Bhaurao Deoras and Sheshadriji. The highly educated Annaji Deshpande was a source of knowledge for students and ordinary people and a pillar of strength for Sangh workers. His words and actions were always in harmony. He served as president of the Dharmapeth Education Society, Vidarbha provincial secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, and mentor to several Sangh-affiliated organisations. After a life of dedicated service, Annaji Deshpande passed away on 23 September 2009. (The writer is a resident of Akola. Views personal.)

Lateral upgrade to ailing annihilation

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

Lateral upgrade to ailing annihilation

Being the first person from the private sector to be appointed as chairperson of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as part of the government’s lateral initiative, Madhabi Puri Buch also holds the honour of being the first woman to hold the top post as capital market regulator.

But the laurels that the former private sector banker enjoyed in her earlier stint with ICICI Bank, was marred with allegations that she and her husband were having a stake in offshore entities, which were used to artificially inflate shares of Adani group companies.

Terming the allegation as `character assassination, Buch clarified that all disclosures have already been furnished and the fund in question did not invest in any securities involving the Adani group.

When it rains, it pours. This allegation was subsequently followed by Congress Party allegation that Buch had received salary and post-retirement benefits from ICICI Bank after she quit the private sector bank.

In its clarification to the stock exchanges, ICICI Bank asserted that the payments made to Buch were purely retirement benefits after her exit from the bank and they were neither salary nor employee stock options.

Prior to these allegations, Buch tenure at SEBI was all about bringing in quick reforms on operational issues by changing the format of consultation paper to bring in larger responses digitally. Being data savvy, the rationale of her decisions were democratic based on big data analysis derived from the responses received to the consultation papers.

Further she bifurcated the duties of the SEBI staff between operations and enforcement, which were done by the same persons earlier. Having worked for the private sector in the capital market domain space, Buch had a better understanding of the subject compared to officers from the administrative service in the past that reflected even in her orders as a whole-time director at SEBI before becoming the chairperson. As a whole time director at SEBI, her orders on adjudication issues were more directional to the capital market space, according to experts in the compliance space. She was also quick to revamp the old provisions of the 90s at SEBI.

Being tech and data savvy, Buch enhanced regulatory surveillance and detection of market manipulation, insider trading and fraud while also emphasizing on strengthening corporate governance by introducing stricter rules for independent directors and enhancing disclosures for related-party transactions.

To put in perspective, the annual report of the capital market regulator in the just concluded financial year revealed that the number of investigations related to insider trading jumped to 175 in 2023-24 from 85 in the preceding year while probes related to front running jumped over three times to 83 from 24 in the preceding year.

Transparency in mutual funds by implementing measures to protect retail investors along with tightening norms for initial public offers, particularly in the SME platforms were some of her other positive initiatives including confirmation of denial of any market rumours within 24 hours for the top 100 listed companies which will be extended to top 250 companies from December 1. However increased transparency and compliance with tightening regulations led to increased operational costs for the market participants and hence faced resistance from certain quarters. Born in 1966, Buch completed her primary education in Mumbai and graduated with specialization in Mathematics from Delhi and later obtained a management degree from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. In between, she got engaged to Dhawal Buch, a director at a consumer goods multinational at the age of eighteen and got married at the age of 21.

Besides ICICI Bank, Buch also worked as a lecturer at a college in England, worked at Greater Pacific Capital in Singapore and ICICI Securities as its CEO. She also worked as executive director on several private sector companies and as a consultant for New Development Bank (Brics Bank).

What now remains to be seen, is whether Buch, who survived the 26/11 terror attack when she along with her husband, was attending a meeting at Taj, be able to overcome the current ordeal. Keeping fingers crossed for the times to come.

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