Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Senior member of Marathwada Shikshan Prasarak Mandal (MSPM), Panditrao Harshe, died of old age early Sunday morning. He was 86 and is survived by one son, two daughters, and grandchildren. His last rites were performed at his native village (Patharwala (Kh), Gundewadi, Ambad, Jalna).
Panditrao Harshe was the former founding president of the Jalna Ginning Mill Cooperative Society and served as the chairman of the Ambad Panchayat Samiti from 1967 to 1972.
In 1972, he held the position of Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the then Aurangabad Zilla Parishad. Harshe served as a member of the executive committee of the Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, for 18 years.
Being deeply connected with the Warkari tradition, he participated in the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage from Alandi to Pandharpur for 36 years. Harshe represented the generation that had the privilege of being closely associated with the MSP Mandal’s founder, Vinayakrao Patil.
In the early years of the MSP Mandal, he played an active role in the institution's development. He made significant contributions to the progress of Deogiri College. “Panditrao Harshe was known for always helping students and artists from underprivileged and Bahujan communities,” said MLC Satish Chavan, the MPS Mandal’s General Secretary.