About the founders
Late Shri. Madhavrao Deshpande, childhood friend of Late Acharya Vinoba Bhave, mentor of Bhoodan and Sarvodaya movement, also a freedom fighter himself, Lawyer by profession, along with his like-minded friends Shri Ratanchand Semlani, Shri Mugutlal Bhatt, Shri Chhaganlal Thakkar and freedom fighter Smt Bhikubai Samant contributed Rs 2000/- each and purchased the plot from the then Bandra Municipal Corporation. The land, priced at Rs 2/- square yard, was bought for a total of Rs 4600/. The remaining amount went towards building the office of the Trust. The flag hoisting on the day of our Independence, i.e. 15th August 1947, marked the beginning of the Trust’s work. The Trust was founded with the objective of serving the people in accordance with the principles of ‘Sarvoday-Good of all’ as laid down in the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Initially, focus of the Trust was on several Sarvodaya activities and low cost medical facilities for the poor and needy.
History
The Quit India movement of 1942 saw a great uprising from the western part of Shirala Taluka i.e Arale, Bilashi, Charan etc. This created hatred towards the British Rule. Several freedom fighters used to gather secretly and conducted several activities like charkha spinning, weaving and other village industry education. Their Center was the present Mahatma Gandhi Seva Mandir, Gudhe. In 1952-53 an ashram school was started. Presently, the Trust owns land of seventy-six acres, received by way of donation from many people.
Present day
Late Shri Shrinivas Madhav Deshpande, son of late Shri Madhavrao Deshpande was a civil engineer by profession, who would also help his father with the Trust’s work. However, after the death of his father, he focused completely on Mahatma Gandhi Seva Mandir Sanstha. Post a lot of hard work, he built a three storied building on the land belonging to the Trust in 1998, with the help of Godrej Industries.
Today, the Trust operates unhindered from this building. The social work and social service now caters to all areas. The Trust now works in three fields: medical, educational and cultural. The work of the Trust is carried out from two centers namely, Bandra-Mumbai, and Gudhe-District Sangli.
