Shri Lakshman Rao Inamdar, popularly known as “Vakil Saheb” was born in Khatav, a village 130 kms south of Pune on 21st September 1917 in a large joint family having seven brothers (he was third among them) and two sisters. His father Shri Madhav Raoji was a canal Inspector. Madhav Rao had six sisters, out of these six sisters four became widows and moved into their ancestral house along with their children. Shri Madhav Rao had a transferable job and was constantly moving from one place to other, compelling him, to always maintain two establishments to save his family from frequently being uprooted and making adjustments in new locations. He was forced to maintain not only his large family but his four widow sisters and their children within the meagre income he earned. Living in these conditions Vakil Saheb learned the art of caring, sharing and coexistence very early in life. This childhood learning made him a true advocate of teamwork which is the cornerstone of ‘cooperation’.
The ideology he perceived for cooperatives led to the formation of “Sahakar Bharati”. The responsibility for taking the cooperative movement was soldered by Lakshman Rao Inamdar. Embedded with national fervour, a cooperative mindset and sensitivity towards poor, Shri Lakshman Rao Inamdar took up the challenge. He could accomplish the task since he was not an individual but an institution in himself. The mantle of furthering the vision and aspirations of the great leaders who helped in its formation is now on Sahakar Bharati.
Sahakar Bharati the dream project of the late Shri Lakshman Rao Inamdar came into existence on 11 January 1979 in Mumbai (Maharashtra). Shri Lakshman Rao Inamdar, who was also an advocate by qualification, was always open to new ideas.
It was perhaps the teachings of Shri Rao and lessons in cooperation learnt under his tutelage which must be echoing in the mind of our Hon’ble Prime Minister when he defined his module of development in the words “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”.
Sahkar Bharti Organisation (Vision): The Co-Operative Movement in our Country should be built up as one of the primary instruments of decentralised and labour –intensive economy, which only will generate speedy and balanced economic growth.
WHEREAS there is a pressing need of the time to make the Co-Operative Movement truly a shield of the weak and the down-trodden and to enlighten the masses about the benefits of the Co-Operative Movement.
WHEREAS with this end in view, it is desirable that by organising Training Camps, Lecture Series, Seminars, Conferences, etc. at regular intervals people at large should be enlightened to organise the Co-Operative Movement comprising of Self-sustaining and Self-reliant Institutions, which are free from external control and political manipulations.
AND WHEREAS with this background, the Sahakar Bharati envisages and endeavors to create a strong and devoted cadre of selfless and dedicated Co-Operators who would be well equipped for spreading the knowledge of the Co-Operative Movement which in the present circumstances can only act as the ‘savior’ for upliftment of Vanavasis (Tribals), Small farmers, Landless Labourers, Rural Artisans, Jobless Technicians and Consumers from the middle and lower income groups.
The aims and objective set out by Sahakar Bharati:
(i) To enlighten the masses about the benefits of the Co-Operative Movement.
(ii) To encourage people - at National, State, District, Taluka and Primary levels - to promote, form and run Co-Operatives of various types.
(iii) To advise and help the existing Co-Operatives to overcome problems and difficulties in their working.
(iv) To assist Co-Operatives to represent matters relating to promoting forming and their working with the Co-Operative Department, State and Central Governments, R B I and such other Institutions at State and National levels.
(v) To encourage, undertake, institute research in various fields, especially related to social, economic and Co-Operative sectors.
(vi) To provide techno-economic services to individuals, institutions and Co-Operatives.
(vii) To undertake surveys and studies and assist projects to improve socio-economic Conditions in rural and tribal areas.
(viii) To open branches for the fulfilment of the objectives of the Sahakar Bharati.
(ix) To do any other thing to help especially the backwards people and areas to improve their Social and Economic conditions through the Co-Operative Movement.
Activities of Sahkar Bharti:
(i) To organise Seminars, Conferences, Meetings, Camps, Sessions, Lectures, etc. to instruct, guide, educate and enlighten the people and all those associated with the Co-Operative Movement.
(ii) To publish, print, circulate and distribute Papers, Articles, Periodicals, Magazines, Reports, Books, etc. to further the objectives of the Co-Operative Movement.
(iii) To produce Films, Photographs, Posters, etc. and arrange their exhibition.
(iv) To establish, Educational and Training Institutions to empower all those associated with Social, Economic and Co-Operative fields, in various disciplines as per their needs.
(v) To form Cells, Branches, Offices, etc to undertake Projects, Surveys, Studies and Research and to provide techno-economic services.
(vi) To raise funds in order to help Individuals, Institutions carrying out activities similar to those of the Sahakar Bharati and to carry out various activities of Sahakar Bharati.
Purpose of the event:
- To celebrate 100 years of Shri Laxman Madhav Rao Inamdar ji and to laud and reiterate the importance of cooperative movement.
- To release two books proposed by NCUI:
(i) On Shri Laxman Rao Inamdar Ji
(ii) 9 important leaders of cooperative movement in India.
To recognize the excellent work done by 7 cooperatives in their respective fields by giving certificates and mementoes.