Page 126 - JyotipunjEng
P. 126
158
bracelet on his wrist. Just then, the gentleman sitting next to
the Mahatma said to this child, “Give your gold bracelet to the
Mahatma, will you?” The child lost no time and placed the
bracelet on the palm of Mahatma Gandhi for the sake of
Motherland. Before the Mahatma could say anything, as the
others looked on in amazement, the child climbed down the
stage and was lost in the crowd.
This small child, who conquered others’ hearts with his act,
was Anta, the favourite child of the late Man. Hedgewar, who
rose to be Anantrao Kale, well-known among everybody in the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Gujarat.
In Introduction with the Sangh
Anantrao’s father ardently wished to get a primary school
opened in his village Undeel. He requested the education officer
to open a school in this small village located far-off from the
Taluka headquarters. After his untiring efforts, the education
officer agreed to open a school there with a condition that he
would open the school the following year if the children of the
village Undeel passed the first standard. He accepted this
condition of the government. At this time, Anantrao studied in
a school located in Bare Patan. His father told him about the
school and the condition attached to it. With this, Anantrao
suspended his studies for one year, and strived hard to teach
the village children and cultivate their interest in studies, so
that they could pass the first standard. His hard work bore fruit
and he heaved a sigh of relief only after the school was opened
in the village.
Gujarat is indebted to such resolute people. The only way to repay
their debt is to augment the capital constructed by them – with
our hard work, with our renunciation, with our ideals and with
our infinite determination and devotion.
With the exalted spirit of doing others’ good, he came to
Pune for further studies. Here, he came into the contact with
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.