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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Pioneer of education leaves behind a lasting legacy

Kolhapur: Padma Shri awardee, eminent educationist, former Governor and renowned philanthropist Dr Dnyandeo Yashwantrao (D Y) Patil passed away at his residence in Kasaba Bawada, Kolhapur, on Tuesday morning following age-related ailments. He was 91. With his demise, the country has lost one of the foremost architects of modern private education and healthcare, whose institutions transformed the lives of lakhs of students and patients across India. Born into a humble farming family, Dr Patil...

Pioneer of education leaves behind a lasting legacy

Kolhapur: Padma Shri awardee, eminent educationist, former Governor and renowned philanthropist Dr Dnyandeo Yashwantrao (D Y) Patil passed away at his residence in Kasaba Bawada, Kolhapur, on Tuesday morning following age-related ailments. He was 91. With his demise, the country has lost one of the foremost architects of modern private education and healthcare, whose institutions transformed the lives of lakhs of students and patients across India. Born into a humble farming family, Dr Patil believed education was the most powerful instrument of social transformation. Guided by this vision, he established a vast network of educational institutions across Maharashtra and other parts of the country, making professional education in medicine, engineering, dentistry, nursing, management, agriculture and allied disciplines accessible to generations of students. Political career Dr Patil entered public life in 1957 after being elected to the Kolhapur Municipal Council. He later represented the Panhala Assembly constituency twice in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Known for his development-oriented and consensus-driven approach, he earned recognition far beyond state politics. In 2009, he was appointed Governor of Tripura. He subsequently served as the Governor of Bihar and, in 2014, also held additional charge as the Governor of West Bengal. Transforming Education Dr Patil's contribution to higher education remains unparalleled. He established universities, medical colleges, engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, nursing and management institutions, besides schools, at Kolhapur, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Belagavi and several other centres. Today, lakhs of graduates from institutions founded by him are serving in India and abroad across diverse professions. Alongside educational institutions, Dr Patil developed state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospitals that significantly expanded access to quality healthcare in both urban and rural areas. By integrating medical education, clinical services and research, he created institutions that have become benchmarks in healthcare delivery. Social Service A committed philanthropist, Dr Patil worked tirelessly to expand educational opportunities for underprivileged students, strengthen rural healthcare and support numerous social initiatives. He was also a strong patron of sports and was instrumental in creating world-class sporting infrastructure, reflecting his belief in the holistic development of young people. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to education and social service, the Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on Dr Patil. He was also the recipient of several honorary doctorates and lifetime achievement awards from universities and institutions in India and abroad. Large Family Dr Patil is survived by his wife; former Minister of State (Home) and Congress MLA Satej (Bunty) Patil; Chancellor of D Y Patil University, Kolhapur, Sanjay D Patil; Chancellor of D Y Patil University, Navi Mumbai, Ajinkya D Patil; daughter-in-law Pallavi D Patil; grandchildren and an extended family. His family continues to carry forward his vision through the D Y Patil group's network of educational, medical and research institutions spread across the country. Leaders cutting across party lines, educationists, industrialists, former students and people from all walks of life have expressed grief over his demise, describing him as a visionary who redefined higher education and healthcare in India. The last rites of Dr D Y Patil will be performed with full state honours on Wednesday, at the D Y Patil Educational Campus, Kasaba Bawada, Kolhapur. His mortal remains will be kept at the campus from Wednesday morning to enable the public to pay their last respects. A large number of political leaders, dignitaries, educationists, former students, teachers and citizens are expected to attend the funeral. ‘Cash King’ of yore By Quaid Najmi Mumbai: Around 1993, when the new Oberoi Hotel at Nariman Point was still a novelty and credit cards yet to gain currency, the legendary but somewhat rustic education baron Dr. Dynandeo Yashwantrao Patil, had invited a young journalist for an audience there. After a sumptuous cocktail-lunch and a generous three-hour long, no-holds-barred interview, the immaculate kurta-pyjama clad leader snapped his fingers and called for the bill, possibly running into a few thousand rupees. The discreet waitperson brought it and politely asked, “Card, Sir?” but Patil did not look up and shook his head. Instead, he moved a little in his cushioned chair, dug into his ‘deep’ pockets and fished out a thick wad of at least five crisp bundles of Rs. 500, much to the shock of the hotel staff and the wide-eyed journo. Patil again glanced at the invoice, and without batting an eyelid, casually and stylishly flicked out the required number of notes before quietly slipping the bankroll into his pocket mini-treasury. Later, some senior colleagues enlightened the astounded journalist that “Patil Sa’b always carries a lot of cash, like a King!” A situation like this would be unimaginable in the modern times – what with a horde of state or central agencies keeping tabs on such prosperous political bigwigs, virtually 24x7x365…!

Lingua Pragmatica

Updated: Mar 20, 2025

As Southern leaders like M.K. Stalin rage against Hindi, Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu offers a model of pragmatism over parochialism.

Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh

Amid the cacophony of opposition in southern states to Hindi, Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has taken a markedly pragmatic stance by remarking recently in the state Assembly that there was no harm in learning other languages. Hindi, Naidu noted, was useful for communication across India, particularly in political and commercial hubs like Delhi. His remarks, though avoiding explicit mention of the NEP, were widely seen as an endorsement of multilingualism and a rebuke to the linguistic chauvinism that has gripped parts of the South.


Few issues in India stir political passions quite like language. It is not merely a means of communication but a marker of identity, a relic of colonial resistance, and a source of political mobilization. In the southern states, where anti-Hindi sentiment has long been entrenched, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its three-language formula have reignited old tensions. No state embodies this defiance more than Tamil Nadu, where the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by M.K. Stalin has framed the policy as an assault on its linguistic autonomy.


Naidu’s words, welcomed by his ally and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, mark a sharp contrast with the DMK’s position. Tamil Nadu’s hostility towards Hindi dates back to the 1930s, when C. Rajagopalachari’s attempt to introduce it in schools met with fierce resistance. The anti-Hindi agitations of the 1960s cemented the DMK’s ideological stance, with its first Chief Minister, C.N. Annadurai, famously warning that Hindi imposition could push Tamil Nadu towards secession.


The question, however, is whether this rigid opposition serves Tamil Nadu’s interests. While Stalin, with an eye to the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, has been relentlessly portraying Hindi as a threat to his state’s regional identity, Naidu, a partner of the BJP-led Centre, is framing it as a tool for economic mobility. His argument is not that Hindi should replace Telugu or English but that it offers a competitive advantage.


The economic case for multilingualism is compelling. Indians who speak multiple languages tend to have better job prospects, higher earnings and greater geographic mobility. Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu-speaking diaspora is a case in point. Telugus make up a significant proportion of Indian-origin professionals in the United States, the Gulf, and Southeast Asia as Naidu pointed out, hinting that this success story was built not on linguistic rigidity but on adaptability.


In a country where inter-state migration is rising and where Hindi remains the most widely spoken language, refusing to learn it amounts to self-imposed isolation. Tamil Nadu’s approach, by contrast, risks limiting its youth. The DMK government has refused to implement the three-language policy, keeping schools strictly bilingual with Tamil and English. Its justification that Hindi is not necessary for global success could be true in a narrow sense but ignores the domestic context. If Tamil filmmakers can dub their movies into Hindi to expand their audience, why should Tamil students be denied access to the language that could open more doors for them within India?


The DMK has accused successive central governments, particularly under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of pushing Hindi at the expense of regional languages. Yet, rejecting Hindi outright is an overcorrection. The reality is that Hindi is an important language in India’s economic and political landscape. Naidu’s position, one of accommodation rather than confrontation, offers a middle ground that other Southern leaders would do well to consider.


Some states already recognize this. Karnataka, despite its own history of linguistic pride, has allowed Hindi to be taught as an optional language. Kerala, whose migrants work in Hindi-speaking regions and the Gulf, has been less hostile to Hindi education. Naidu’s model, balancing regional identity with practical necessity, offers a way forward. Languages should be embraced, not politicized. Southern leaders would do well to listen to him.

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