Ahmednagar | June 9 | Rayat Samachar
(Press) Eminent personalities expressed the view that a fitting memorial should be established in memory of journalist and history researcher Bhushan Deshmukh, who dedicated himself to preserving the history and heritage of Ahilyanagar city.
(Press) A condolence meeting was organized at CSRD College by journalists and the CSRD institution to pay tribute to the late Bhushan Deshmukh. Senior journalist Mahadev Kulkarni presided over the gathering. Mayor Jyoti Amol Gade, former Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sarjerao Nimse, former MLA Lahu Kanade, Padma Shri Popatrao Pawar, CSRD Director Dr. Suresh Pathare, and Subhash Gundecha were among the dignitaries present. Members of Deshmukh’s family also attended the event.
(Press) Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Nimse said that Deshmukh constantly worked to promote the fame of the city’s historical monuments. He recalled how Deshmukh made special efforts to obtain a book on Buddhism written by Acharya Narendra Dev, who had hoisted the first national flag at the Bhuikot Fort after India’s independence.
Popatrao Pawar stated that Deshmukh deserved a proper memorial in the city because of his relentless efforts to preserve history. He added that Deshmukh’s dream of restoring the old Municipal Council Hall should be fulfilled. Dr. Pathare highlighted Deshmukh’s contributions to journalism, historical research, and journalism education. Sculptor Pramod Kamble and Jayant Yelulkar also shared memories of Deshmukh and emphasized the need to preserve his legacy.
Several speakers, including Sayyam Maryam, Subhash Ware, Dnyanesh Kulkarni, Arvind Pargaonkar, Pawan Naik, Ramdas Dhamale, Shilpa Rasal, Dr. Sudha Kankaria, Prakash Patil, Aniruddha Devchakke, Raju Inamdar, Abasaheb Gade, Amrit Mutha, Satish Gugale, CA Abhaykumar Kataria, CA Rajendra Kale, and Ajay Dhopavkar, expressed their condolences and shared their memories.
The meeting was attended by a large number of journalists, social workers, educators, and citizens. The event was anchored by Sudam Deshmukh, while Vijaysingh Holam delivered the vote of thanks.
Proposal to Restore the Council Hall
Bhushan Deshmukh was deeply saddened after the old Municipal Council Hall was damaged by fire. Restoring and beautifying the historic hall was one of his dreams. Dr. Girish Kulkarni of Snehalaya suggested that the hall could be renovated and dedicated in Deshmukh’s name. He announced that Deshmukh’s family would contribute ₹10 lakh towards the project. Former MLA Lahu Kanade also pledged ₹1 lakh for the initiative.
Ahmednagar’s History Reached Bangladesh
Dr. Girish Kulkarni also recalled a memorable incident from a Snehalaya India-Bangladesh tour, during which Bhushan Deshmukh passionately explained the history of Ahmednagar’s Bhuikot Fort and the Marathas to ministers in Bangladesh, showcasing his dedication to promoting the city’s heritage beyond national borders.