Gopal Ganesh Agarkar

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (1856–1895) was a social reformer from Maharashtra, India during the British Raj.

Early life

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar was born on 14 July 1856 in Tembhu , a village in Satara district of Maharashtra. Agarkar had his primary education from Karad (till 3rd Standard, English medium). After doing some clerical work in a court at Karad, he went to Ratnagiri but could not get education there. In 1878, he got his B. A. degree followed by later M. A. in 1880.

Achievements and philosophy

Agarkar was a founding member of the Deccan Education Society in 1884, a pioneering educational institution of the Deccan. He also founded new english school 1880 in Pune, Maharashtra and famous Fergusson college during last years of his life in 1885.

He was the first editor of Kesari, a prominent Marathi weekly in those days which was started by Lokmanya Tilak in 1880-81. He subsequently left Kesari out of ideological differences with Tilak concerning the primacy of political reform versus social reform; with Agarkar believing that the need for social reform was more immediate. He started his own periodical Sudharak in which he campaigned against the injustices of untouchability and the caste system. Agarkar abhorred blind adherence to and glorification of tradition and the past. He supported widow re-marriage. Though Agarkar championed social reforms he let his wife observe all the old traditions of Hindu faith and never once came in...
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