About G. S. Khaparde

A Photograph of the author G. S. Khaparde

Ganesh Srikrishna Khaparde (also known as Dadasaheb Khaparde) (27 August 1854 – 1 July 1938) was an Indian lawyer, scholar, political activist and a noted devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba and saint Gajanan Maharaj.

Born in a Deshastha Brahmin family at Ingroli in Berar, Khaparde studied Sanskrit and English Literature before beginning law. He graduated with an LLB in 1884, which led him to Government service. He served as a Munsiff and an assistant commissioner at Berar between 1885 and 1890. Closely associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he took a keen interest in politics and in 1890 resigned from service to begin his own law practice at Amravati. Khaparde was the chairman of the reception committee at the Amravati Congress in 1897. He attended, along with Tilak, the Shivaji Festival of the Congress at Calcutta in 1906. He was at this time associated with the “extremist” camp within the Congress, led by Lal Bal Pal trio of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. A close ally and one of the most trusted lieutenants of Tilak, Khaparde’s strong and singular personal influence in the Central Provinces earned him the epitaph of “the Nawab of Berar”. Between 1908 and 1910, Khaparde travelled to England to conduct Tilak’s appeal to the Privy Council. Intelligence reports indicate that along with Bipin Chandra Pal, he was at this time associated with the India House.

Later, Khaparde was a founding member of Tilak’s Indian Home Rule League in 1916, and was a member of the Congress’s deputation to the Viceroy on constitutional reforms, with Vasukaka Joshi. Between May 1919 and January 1920, Khaparde was in England again as a delegate of the Home Rule League’s deputation to the Joint Parliamentary committee. During his stay of seven months he made speeches in England. He became popular by way of his wit, humour and mannerism and hence some news-paper described him as Mark Twain.

Following the inauguration of Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, he was selected a member of the Imperial Legislative Council. However, in 1920, Khaparde left the Congress anticipating Gandhi’s Non-cooperation movement. Between 1920 and 1925, Khaparde elected a member of the Central Legislative Assembly.

As noted in Shree Gajanan Vijay, he was devotee of Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon. Many reference texts of his are available in the epic.

G.S. Khaparde was also a noted devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba. His first interaction with Sri Sai Baba was in December 1910 when he sought refuge at Shirdi escaping the incarceration and purge of political dissidents in India at the time. Between 1910 and 1918, his Shirdi diary recording visits to Sai Baba shed much light on Baba’s life, his routine, and his work.

G.S. Khaparde died on 1 July 1938. He was survived by his son Balkrishna Ganesh Khaparde, also a lawyer and leader.

Life-Sketch by Dr. B. G. Kunte (1978) (Source: Government of Maharashtra) ¶

Shrimant Ganesh Krishna Khaparde, Member of State Council 1918-1936

GANESH Krishna Khaparde (B. 1854-D. 1938) was born on Ganesh Chaturthi in the year 1854. He is well known as Dadasaheb Khaparde. He was born in Hyderabad State at Ingoli village. He took his education upto matriculation at Nagpur, Umaraoti and Akola. During his student days he studied Sanskrit under the famous Sanskrit Scholar Narayanshastri Pinjarkar. He took his higher education in Bombay in the Elphinstone College. He passed his B. A. in 1877 and became a fellow of the college. He passed his LL. B., degree in 1883, and joined the Government service as Extra Assistant Commissioner in which capacity he worked from 1884 to 89. He gave up service and became an Advocate to start an independent practice.

He soon made a name and became famous as a pleader both on the Criminal and Appellate sides. He was elected Vice-Chairman of the Umaraoti Municipality in 1895. He was also President of the Local Board from 1889 to 1907.

He was elected President of the Social Conference held at Nagpur in 1892 and also Chairman of the Reception Committee of the Indian National Congress at Umaraoti in 1897. Dadasaheb Khaparde came in contact with Lokmanya B. G. Tilak and became his devoted friend in the famous Tai Maharaj case. Baba Maharaj was a rich Jahagirdar of Kolhapur whose daughter was the daughter-in-law of Dadasaheb. When Baba Maharaj was on the death bed he made a Will making Dadasaheb and Lok. Tilak Trustees of his Jahagir. The friendship thus created by chance became firm and finally Dadasaheb became a close friend, philosopher, a camp follower, an ardent admirer and trusted colleague of Lok. B. G. Tilak.

In 1907, at the Surat Congress he played a singular role along with Tilak in posing a strong opposition to Sir P. M. Mehta. This, was naturally not to the liking of the Government which by a fiat dismissed him from the Presidentship of the Local Board. This action of the Government created a great furore and all elected members resigned their seats in protest.

When Lok. Tilak was given 6 years R. I. by the Bombay Government, Dadasaheb tried his best to help him and continued his efforts in India as also in Great Britain. He went all the way to London and by meeting friends who were convinced about the injustice done to Tilak tried to bring pressure on British Government to release him. From London he went to Mandalay-Burma to meet Lok. Tilak and returned home after two and a half years. In the meanwhile he lost his mother. After Lok. Tilak’s release he took prominent part in politics as a spokesman of Lok. Tilak. He was offered the Presidentship of the Belgaon Provincial Political Conference by Lok. Tilak. Later he took part in Montagu Reforms talks and went to England as a delegate of the Home Rule League. He made a number of speeches in England and became popular by his wit and humour and fine mannerisms and was described as ‘Mark Twain’ by some news-papers. He remained in England for more than seven months.

Dadasaheb was elected to the Council of States in 1918 in the New Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, and was member of the Council till 1936.

He hurried to Bombay when he learnt about the illness of Lok. Tilak. He was with him till his death. He continued to take part in politics but after the rise of Gandhiji, with his philosophy of nonviolent-non-cooperation, he was relegated to the background.

Shrimant Dadasaheb was known for his philanthropy. His house at one time was not only the seat of nascent politics but a get together for students, scholars, discoursers, sermonisers and the like. Dadasaheb became a veteran leader and those coming into contact with him, were duly impressed by his devotion, forthrightness, disciplined behaviour, patience and perseverance. He passed away at the ripe age of 84 at his house at Umaraoti. He was rightly nicknamed ‘Nawab of Vidarbha’.