Dr Ratnappa Bharamappa Kumbhar ( September 15, 1909 – 23 December 1998), also called Deshbhakt Ratnappa Kumbhar, was an

Indian independence activist The Indian independence movement consisted of efforts by individuals and organizations from a wide spectrum of society to obtain political independence from the British, French and Portuguese rule through the use of a many methods. This is a l ...

from

Ichalkaranji Ichalkaranji ( t͡səlkəɾəɳd͡ʒiː is a city in Kolhapur District, Indian state of Maharashtra, governed by a municipal corporation. It is known for its textile manufacturing industry and "Manchester City of Maharashtra". Ichalkaranji ...

, who actively participated in the

Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

. He was one of the persons to sign the Final Draft of the

Constitution of India The Constitution of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme law of India. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental ...

along with

B. R. Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served ...

. He received

Padma Shri Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...

award in 1985 (social work). He was Member of the Parliament, Member of Legislative Council and also worked as a Minister of Food and Civil Supplies in Maharashtra Government.

Biography

Dr. Ratnappa Kumbhar was born into a Lingayat potter family at Nimshirgaon village in

Shirol Shirol is a historic place also. It was named "Shirol", because there is story behind it. The story is:"there was great war between Shivaji Maharaj & Mughal’s. In that war, the Mughals were defeated & the heads of Mughal soldiers were hanged ...

tehsil.

Indian independence movement

During his youth he was keenly interested in political and social work and mobilized support under the Prajaparishad banner against the local princely state rulers with

Madhavrao Bagal Madhavrao Khanderao Bagal (28 May 1895 – 6 March 1986), also called Bhai Madhavrao Bagal, was a noted writer, artist, journalist, social reformer, political activist, orator and freedom fighter from Kolhapur. Early life He was born on 28 ...

and other associates like

Dinakara Desai Dinakara Desai (ದಿನಕರ ದೇಸಾಯಿ) was a poet, writer, educationist, and political activist. He was famous for his poetry form called ''chutuka'' (also known as ''Chutuka Brahma''). Chutuka or chutuku is a quadraplet poem. Thi ...

Freedom movement in princely states of Maharashtra by Arun Bhosale, Ashok S. Chousalkar, Lakshminarayana Tarodi, Shivaji University Shivaji University, 200 pp 57-60, 104-125 He and Desai were arrested on 8 July 1939. Kumbhar, Bagal, Desai and others were arrested and fined by Kolhapur State He actively participated in the freedom movement and later went underground for about 6 years. He was on the forefront of an agitation for dissolution of princely states. He was also elected as a member of the

Constituent Assembly of India The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to frame the Constitution of India. It was elected by the 'Provincial Assembly'. Following India's independence from the British rule in 1947, its members served as the nation's first Parliament as ...

. For his long devotion to the independence movement, he was called Deshbhakt ("Patriot") Ratnappa Kumbhar.

Political career

After Independence, Kumbhar was elected to the

1st Lok Sabha The First Lok Sabha was constituted on 17 April 1952 after India's first general election. The 1st Lok Sabha lasted its full tenure of five years and was dissolved on 4 April 1957. The First Session of this Lok Sabha commenced on 13 May 1952. ...

from the Kolhapur cum Satara constituency. He was responsible for founding a sugar mill in

. Between 1962 and 1982 and from 1990 till his death in 1998, he was a member of the

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha or the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the legislature of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is situated in the Nariman Point area of South Mumbai in the capital Mumbai. Presently, 288 me ...

representing the Shirol constituency. From 1974 until 1978 he was Minister of State for home and civil supplies. He was instrumental in bringing about the industrial and agricultural prosperity of Shirol and Hatkanangle tehsil of Kolhapur.

Co-operative Movement

Ratnappa Kumbhar, undertook various Co-operative Movements and also ran them successfully, including : # Panchaganga Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd. Ganganagar Ichalkaranji. # Peoples Co-operative Bank Ltd. # The Kolhapur Zilla Sahakari Shetakari Vinkari Soot Girani Ltd # The Janata Central co-operative consumer stores Ltd. Ratnappa Kumbhar died in the morning of 23 December 1998, at the age of 89. Th
Deshbhakt Ratnappa Kumbhar College of Commerce
college in Kolhapur is named after him. In Kamptee district Nagpur of Maharashtra Mr. Ramdas Khopey established a school name Deshbhakta Ratnappa Kumbhar Vidyalaya.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumbhar, Ratnappa Indian civil rights activists Indian socialists 1909 births 1998 deaths Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work People from Ichalkaranji Indian independence activists from Maharashtra Members of the Constituent Assembly of India Maharashtra MLAs 1962–1967 Maharashtra MLAs 1967–1972 Maharashtra MLAs 1972–1978 Maharashtra MLAs 1978–1980 Maharashtra MLAs 1990–1995 State cabinet ministers of Maharashtra Maharashtra MLAs 1980–1985 Indian National Congress politicians from Maharashtra Prisoners and detainees of British India India MPs 1952–1957 Marathi politicians 20th-century Indian educators Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra People from Kolhapur district Social workers from Maharashtra