Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya, Karjat — known today as DP College Karjat or DPM Karjat — has a history rooted in the social education movement of Maharashtra. The college was established in 1964 under Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Satara and is named after Dalitmitra Dada Patil — a devoted educationist and loyal follower of the Sanstha’s founder, Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil.
The story of this college cannot be told without understanding the larger story of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha and the two men whose meeting in 1948 set in motion the founding of educational institutions in Karjat and across Ahmednagar district.
Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — The Founding Organisation
Rayat Shikshan Sanstha was founded in October 1919 by Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil during a meeting of the Satyashodhak Samaj at Kale, Tal-Karad, Dist-Satara. The Sanstha began with a single boarding house at Kale — meant to provide shelter and schooling for children from poor, rural and socially backward backgrounds who had no access to education.
In 1924, the headquarters of the Sanstha was shifted to Satara, where it continues to be based today. Over the decades that followed, Rayat Shikshan Sanstha grew from one boarding house in a small village to one of the largest educational organisations in Asia — operating across 14 districts in Maharashtra and 1 district in Karnataka, with 737 branches ranging from pre-primary schools to colleges, ashram schools and hostels.
Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil — Founder of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha
Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil was a man of the masses who devoted his entire life to the cause of education for the poor, the rural and the socially disadvantaged. He was influenced by the social reform movements of 19th century Maharashtra — particularly the work of Jyotirao Phule and Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur — who had championed education for oppressed communities.
Dr. Bhaurao Patil believed that education alone could correct the deep-rooted social ills of his time — caste hierarchy, untouchability, money-lending, superstition and economic inequality. He worked relentlessly to bring this belief into practice, starting with nothing but determination and growing the Sanstha into an institution that has educated generations of students from rural Maharashtra.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil |
| Also Known As | Karmaveer Anna |
| Title | Padmabhushan |
| Padmabhushan Awarded | 26 January 1959 — by Government of India |
| D.Litt. Degree | 5 April 1959 — University of Pune (SPPU) |
| Organisation Founded | Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — 1919 |
| First Institution | Boarding House at Kale, Tal-Karad, Dist-Satara — 1919 |
| Mission | Education of the downtrodden, poor and rural masses |
His wife Sou. Laxmibai Patil is remembered for her own exemplary sacrifices in support of the Sanstha’s mission. Their joint contribution to education in Maharashtra is considered irreplaceable in the social history of the state.
Dalitmitra Dada Patil — Who He Was
Dalitmitra Dada Patil was a loyal follower of Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil and a dedicated educationist from Karjat in Ahmednagar district. The title ‘Dalitmitra’ — meaning friend of the oppressed — was conferred upon him by the Social Welfare Department of the Government of Maharashtra on 26 March 1975, in recognition of his lifelong work for the upliftment of students from the lower strata of society.
Dada Patil is described in official college records as a “true Rayat lover” who worked with sincerity and sacrifice to bring quality education to the most underserved sections of society in Karjat and the surrounding Ahmednagar district.
The 1948 Meeting — Where It All Began
The story of Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya begins with a single meeting. Dada Patil and Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil met for the first time at Ahmednagar in 1948. Dada Patil was deeply moved after hearing Karmaveer Anna’s thoughts on education and his vision for bringing the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha’s work to every corner of Maharashtra.
In that meeting, Dada Patil made a commitment — he promised Karmaveer Anna to extend all kinds of help to start a branch of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha at Karjat. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, having witnessed Dada Patil’s genuine passion for education, his spirit of sacrifice and his determination, gave his approval.
The result of that promise was the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya at Karjat in 1949 — marking the beginning of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha’s presence in Ahmednagar district. This was a foundational moment not just for one school but for the entire network of educational institutions that Dada Patil would go on to build across the district over the following decades.
Building Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in Ahmednagar
After the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya in 1949, Dada Patil did not stop. He devoted himself to expanding the Sanstha’s reach across Ahmednagar district — working to start new branches, secure land, arrange resources and gather community support for institutions that would serve students who had no other means of accessing education.
Dada Patil sacrificed his own household responsibilities in pursuit of this larger mission. Official college records describe his contribution as having been instrumental in bringing multiple branches of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha to Ahmednagar district — making him not just the founder of one college but a key figure in the spread of the Sanstha’s educational mission into an entire region of Maharashtra.
Establishment of the College — 1964
As part of this effort, Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya was established at Karjat in 1964 under Rayat Shikshan Sanstha. The college was set up to provide higher education — arts, commerce and science — to students from Karjat town and the surrounding villages and talukas of Ahmednagar district, many of whom had no access to a college nearby.
| Milestone | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting between Dada Patil and Karmaveer Anna | 1948 | At Ahmednagar — Dada Patil’s commitment to bring Rayat Sanstha to Karjat |
| Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya established at Karjat | 1949 | First Rayat Shikshan Sanstha institution in Ahmednagar district |
| College established at Karjat | 1964 | Under Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — arts, commerce and science courses |
| Dada Patil honoured with ‘Dalitmitra’ title | 26 March 1975 | Social Welfare Department, Government of Maharashtra |
| College renamed as Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya | 22 September 1980 | On Birth Anniversary of Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil |
| NAAC A++ accreditation | 2023 | Cycle 4 — CGPA 3.71 — valid till 2028 |
College Renamed — 22 September 1980
On 22 September 1980 — on the occasion of the Birth Anniversary of Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil — the college at Karjat was formally renamed as Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya in honour of Dalitmitra Dada Patil and his contributions to education in the region.
The renaming ceremony was a significant event. It was presided over by two of Maharashtra’s most prominent political figures of that era:
- Hon. Shri Yashwantrao Chavan — then Deputy Prime Minister of India and President of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — performed the renaming with his own hands
- Hon. Sharadchandra Pawar — then Chief Minister of Maharashtra and current President of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — chaired the ceremony
The renaming was a recognition not just of Dada Patil personally but of his role in bringing Rayat Shikshan Sanstha to Karjat and establishing the educational infrastructure that the college represents.
Rayat Shikshan Sanstha Today
Rayat Shikshan Sanstha has grown from a single boarding house in 1919 to one of the most extensive educational networks in Asia. Today it operates:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1919 |
| Founder | Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil |
| Headquarters | Satara, Maharashtra |
| Districts Covered | 14 in Maharashtra + 1 in Karnataka |
| Total Branches | 737 (pre-primary to college level) |
| Institution Types | Schools, colleges, ashram schools, hostels |
| Website | rayatshikshan.edu / rayat.edu.in |
| Status | One of the largest educational institutions in Asia |
The four founding principles of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — freedom, equality, dignity and self help — continue to be the guiding values of DPM Karjat and all other institutions under the Sanstha.
The College Today
From its establishment in 1964 with a handful of courses and students, Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya, Karjat has grown into a NAAC A++ accredited institution with:
- UG courses — B.A., B.Com, B.Sc (multiple specializations), BBA, BCA, BCS, B.Voc
- PG courses — M.A., M.Com, M.Sc
- Total seat intake of over 1,000 students per year
- DST-FIST sponsored science infrastructure
- Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Library with over 50,000 print books and 31 lakh e-books
- Affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Pune
- Recognized under UGC 2(f) and UGC 12(B)
The institution’s journey — from a promise made at Ahmednagar in 1948 to a nationally recognised college in 2024 — is a reflection of what Dada Patil stood for and what Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil built over his lifetime.
FAQs
Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya Karjat was established in 1964 under Rayat Shikshan Sanstha — founded by Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil. The college is named after Dalitmitra Dada Patil, a devoted follower of Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil who played a key role in bringing Rayat Shikshan Sanstha to Karjat and Ahmednagar district.
Dalitmitra Dada Patil was an educationist from Karjat, Ahmednagar district and a loyal follower of Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil. He met Karmaveer Anna at Ahmednagar in 1948 and committed to bringing Rayat Shikshan Sanstha to Karjat. He established Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya in 1949 and later contributed to multiple educational institutions in Ahmednagar district. He was honoured with the title ‘Dalitmitra’ by the Government of Maharashtra on 26 March 1975.
Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya Karjat was established in 1964 under Rayat Shikshan Sanstha. The Rayat Sanstha’s presence in Karjat began earlier in 1949 with the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya — started after Dada Patil’s 1948 meeting with Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil at Ahmednagar.
The college was renamed Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya on 22 September 1980 — on the Birth Anniversary of Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil — in recognition of Dalitmitra Dada Patil’s contributions to education in Karjat and Ahmednagar district. The renaming was performed by then Deputy Prime Minister Yashwantrao Chavan and chaired by then Chief Minister Sharadchandra Pawar.
Rayat Shikshan Sanstha is one of the largest educational organisations in Asia, founded by Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil in 1919 at Kale, Tal-Karad, Satara. It now operates 737 branches across 14 districts in Maharashtra and 1 district in Karnataka — from pre-primary schools to colleges and ashram schools. Its headquarters is in Satara, Maharashtra.
Source: Historical information in this article is based on the official About College page at dpcollege.edu.in and other publicly available records about Rayat Shikshan Sanstha and Padmabhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil.
