Loknete Balasaheb Desai Chair . Established in 2013-14 . Coordinator: Dr. Avanish Patil, Department of History The LOKNETE BALASAHEB DESAI CHAIR is named after Shri. Balasaheb Desai, an eminent leader of Modern Maharashtra who played an important role in laying the foundation of Shivaji University in Kolhapur. The State Government of Maharashtra has sanctioned the establishment of the Loknete Balasahbeb Desai Chair in Shivaji University during its Golden Jubilee Year (2013-14). It has sanctioned Rs. 3.00 Crore to be used as seed money for the Chair. The activities of the Chair are to be carried out from the yearly interest which occurs from keeping Rs. 3.00 crore seed money in fixed deposit. The yearly interest is estimated to be Rs. 30,00,000/ . The Chair has 06 posts including that of the Chair Professor. However, Shivaji University has not received any of the sanctioned amount. Therefore, the University authorities have sanctioned Rs. 50,000/- annually from the University Fund to begin the activities of the Chair. The activities of the Chair have begun from the academic year 2015-16. 2 The objectives of the Loknete Balasaheb Desai Chair are as follows: 1) To undertake research project to throw light on the life and work of Loknete Balasaheb Desai 2) To start a lecture series which will promote rethinking on the thoughts and policies of Loknete Balasaheb Desai 3) To publish the research , projects and writings on the thoughts, life and work of Loknete Balasaheb Desai. 4) To develop bridge courses on the subjects touched by the work of Loknete Balasaheb Desai, namely, Internal Security, Education, Agriculture and Rural Development, Youth Development etc. 3 LECTURE SERIES: 1) Prof. Arun Bhosale, on “Life and Work of Loknete Balasaheb Desai’ was held at Shivaji University on 10th March 2016 2) Dr. Vishvanath Pawar, Chhatrapati Shivaji College, Satara on “Contribution of Loknete Balasaheb Desai’ at Arts and Commerce, College, Pusegoan, Taluka- Khatav on 28th September 2016 4 3) Shri. A.G. Thorat, Biographer of Loknete, in Shivaji University on 10th March 2018 4) Prof. Arun Bhosale on “ Loknete and the politics of Maharashtra” at Kakasaheb Chavan College, Talmavale, Patan on 28th January 2019 5) Public lecture of eminent journalist Shri. Sharad Kharkhanis on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Loknete Balasaheb Desai at Shahu Smarak Bhavan, Kolhapur on 10th March 2019 5 WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS: 1) A state-level workshop was organized at Shri Shahaji Chhatrapati Mahavidyalaya, Kolhapur on 10th March 2017 on the topic “Contribution of Loknete Balasaheb Desai to the making of Modern Maharashtra” 2) One day workshop on 27th February 2018 at Chhatrapati Shivaji College, Satara. Chief Speaker: Prof. Prakash Pawar, Department of Political Science, Shivaji University. 6 COMPILATION OF SPEECHES: A committee to compile the writings of Loknete Balasaheb Desai was formed in the academic year 2016-17. The committee consisted of the following members: Dr. Arun Bhosale, former Head, Department of History, Shivaji University, Kolhapur - Chairman Shri. V.G. Panaskar, Islampur- Member Shri. A.G. Thorat, Karad - Member Dr. Bharatbhushan Mali – Member Dr. Avanish Patil- Secretary The first meeting of the committee was organized on 17th January 2017. It was unanimously decided to compile the speeches made by Loknete Balasaheb Desai in the legislative assembly in English and Marathi. The work of collecting the speeches and editing them is in progress. 7 MEDIA COVERAGE: 8 .