Gopal Ganesh Agarkar


Gopal Ganesh Agarkar was an Indian social reformer, educationist, and thinker from Maharashtra, India.
At one time a close associate of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he was a co-founder of educational institutes such as the New English School, the Deccan Education Society and Fergusson College along with Tilak, Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, Mahadev Ballal Namjoshi, V. S. Apte, V. B. Kelkar, M. S. Gole and N. K. Dharap. He was the first editor of the weekly Kesari and founder and editor of a periodical, Sudharak. He was the second Principal of Fergusson College and served that post from August-1892 until his death, aged around 39.

Early life

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar was born in a Chitpavan Brahmin family on 14 July 1856 in Tembhu, a village in Karad taluk, Satara district, Maharashtra. He was a friend of Nilkanth Tidke
Agarkar was schooled in Karad and then worked as a clerk in a court there.,In 1878, he got his B. A. degree, and in 1880 was awarded an M.A.
1892 to 95 Principal of Ferguson college

Achievements and philosophy

He was the first editor of Kesari, a prominent Marathi-language weekly newspaper that had been founded by Lokmanya Tilak in 1880-81. Ideological differences with Tilak caused him later to leave: they disagreed regarding 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 remarriage.

Publications

Agarkar writes in his biography in the "Futke Nashib" that he was the only social worker who witnessed his own funeral, He has also written a book 'Alankar Mimmansa'
"Dongarichy Turangatil 101 divas 1882"
"Vikar visit 1883" Hamlet the Marathi bhashantar.
He also did the translation of hamlet book.
He was the first writer of Kesari newspaper.
Due to severe asthma, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar died on 17 June 1895