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.)
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