https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Lokagrani_Adv._Balwantrao_Raga_alias_Balasaheb_DeshmukhLokagrani Adv. Balwantrao Raga alias Balasaheb Deshmukh - Revision history2026-08-01T15:52:26ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Lokagrani_Adv._Balwantrao_Raga_alias_Balasaheb_Deshmukh&diff=472154&oldid=prevDortheaBye at 16:37, 22 March 20252025-03-22T16:37:22Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian political leader}}<br />
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{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}<br />
'''Lokagrani Adv. Balwantrao Raga''' (27 March 1878 - 18 November 1957), also called the '''Balwantrao Narayanrao Deshmukh''' and '''Balasaheb Deshmukh''' was an Indian lawyer, [[Indian National Congress]] (INC) politician and independence activist from [[Chandrapur]] in [[Vidharbha]] region of [[Maharashtra]] state of India.<ref name=balw>[https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/district-reopsitory-detail.htm?23318], amritmahotsav.nic.in, accessed 3 March 2025.</ref><br />
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== Early life and education==<br />
He was born in the Daryapur village and hailed from his native village of Shivar. He completed his early schooling from Chandrapur, and the high school and college education from [[Nagpur]]. Later he obtained a law degree from [[Calcutta University]] in 1899.<ref name=balw/><br />
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== Legal Career==<br />
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He rejected a British government judicial post and established a legal practice in Chandrapur in 1900 becoming a renowned lawyer. He acted as a defense lawyer for those arrested during the 1942 [[Quit India movement]], specifically during the [[Chimur#History|Chimur incident]].<ref name=balw/><br />
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==Independence Movement Involvement==<br />
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He was a staunch follower of Lokmanya [[Balgangadhar Tilak]], whom he considered his political leader and [[guru]], and he promoted Tilak's ideologies of [[Swadeshi]], [[Swadeshi movement]], promotion of education for Indians and boycott of colonial British goods. He also supported [[Annie Besant]]'s [[Home Rule League]] movement of 1917 and [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s [[Non-Cooperation Movement]]. He joined INC and participated in INC sessions, including the 1906 session under [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], and organized public gatherings through [[Ganesh Jayanti]] and [[Shiv Jayanti|Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti]] celebrations to mobilise people for the [[Indian independence movement]]. He hosted Lokmanya Tilak during his 1918 Chandrapur visit for the [[Swaraj Party]]'s provincial sessions. He served as President of the [[Central Provinces and Berar]] INC Committee (1919-1920), member of the All India Congress Committee from 1919 to 1923, was elected to the Provincial Assembly in 1921-2026.<ref name=balw/><br />
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== Social Contributions==<br />
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He founded the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Mandal in Chandrapur, established the Lokmanya Tilak Vidyalaya, supported the [[Goa liberation movement]] of 1956, advocated for social equality and supported marginalized communities serving as president of the Choka Mela hostel.<ref name=balw/> <br />
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==Legacy ==<br />
He is remembered as a respected nationalist lawyer and social reformer, he received a testimonial from the Manciple committee in 1937.<ref name=balw/> <br />
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[[Shakuntala Railway]], originally named {{rws|Yavatmal}}–{{rws|Murtizapur Junction}}–{{rws|Achalpur}} railway, was renamed after '''Shakuntala Deshmukh [[née]] Jadhav''', who was wife of Balwantrao Deshmukh.<br />
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== See also ==<br />
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* [[List of Indian independence activists]] <br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Deshmukh, Lokagrani Adv. Balwantrao Raga alias Balasaheb}}<br />
[[Category:1878 births]]<br />
[[Category:1957 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Maharashtra]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]<br />
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