Dr. Shivaji Govindrao Mhaske is a junior college lecturer or teacher of class 11 and 12 of Biology subject at Saraswati Junior College. The school is at Janephal in Buldhana district in the state of Maharashtra. A PhD in Botany from S.G.B. Amravati University Amravati in 2016, and M.A. (History) from S.G.B. Amravati University Amravati in 2003, he has 27 years of teaching experience. On 5th September, 2012 he received the State teacher award from the Maharashtra state Government. He is always keen to participates in co-curricular activities and initiatives of national importance and social relevance.
According to Dr Mhaske, “From the beginning I have been interested in patriotic stories, freedom fighters and stories of revolutionaries. They have always fascinated me. And my favourite subject is history. When I came to know about the project DDR, I thought this was a great opportunity to contribute towards national interest.”
He also talks about the challenges. Sometimes, there would be lack of data or documents and at other times, being a science student, there would lack of skills of storytelling on how to make it an interesting read. Says Dr Mhaske, “I would often fall back upon some additional literature if I was not getting enough material. I would read books. To know the writing style and technique, I would often take guidance from CCRT team in New Delhi.”
He had some very moving and touching experiences. The best of the lot was when he had gone to find out about a freedom fighter called Gulam Rabbani Khan who was born in Pimpalgaon Raja. He met second generation of this revolutionary and his name was Qamar Ahmed Khan who was very happy to receive him, and was feeling a sense of great pride sharing the story for a government portal. His eyes were moist when Dr Mhaske was leaving.
And his worst experience was when he went to find out about one Mr Anand Swamy in Jambhura and no one had any information, or document or even a photo. Even though he was such a social reformer and had made great contribution to the freedom struggle, there was no photo of his at the Gram Panchyat office and it was very sad to know how people had written him off.
What was his key takeaway. Says Dr Mhaske, “ When the British government was ruling over us, we were all in it together and there was another level of patriotic fervour. However, now people have become selfish and corrupt. It is sad to see that they don’t value the freedom.”
