“We need the encouragement and goodwill of such people who come from diverse directions and converge on the aim of making the world more equalitarian, humanistic and ecologically balanced by utilizing the tools of Science & Technology. They who wish to see a new day dawn where science is guided not by human avarice and competitiveness but by the spirituality expressed through Truth, Love and Compassion.”- Devendra Bhai.
Devendra Bhai Centenary Celebrations
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1. A tribute shall be paid to Devendra Bhai by adequately compiling the journey of his life and all that he did to improve the condition of the villages.
2. It will also briefly cover the contributions of his associate Contemporaries, Seniors as well as Juniors who have been involved with the issues of Rural Development with Gandhian Perspective.
3. Those who are interested in rural work or are engaged in it today can make their work more effective by learning from Devendra Bhai’s contributions.
4. The issues of rural areas shall also be brought into the mainstream of society so that more and more people, especially the youth, get associated with it and come forward for such work.
5. Cover New Technologies which need to be developed keeping in mind the rural needs of the day and propose strategies for available ones to be taken out of the laboratories and delivered to the villages.
6. Efforts that are being made to create better conditions of dialogue, consensus and cooperation on the issues of rural development, among institutions and individuals involved in S&T Education, Research and Rural Development across the country.
Introduction
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Devendra Bhai was a pioneering scientist, social reformer, and a visionary leader who was inspired by Gandhi, Kumarappa and Vinoba and dedicated his life to using science and technology as a tool for nation-building, particularly for Holistic & Integrated rural development. He believed that true progress could only be achieved when scientific knowledge was made accessible to the grassroots, empowering villages, artisans, and young minds to drive sustainable development. Throughout his life, he worked relentlessly to bridge the gap between research institutions and rural communities, ensuring that innovation served the people who needed it the most.
As a mentor to young scientists and social entrepreneurs, he nurtured a generation of thinkers and doers who carried forward his mission of inclusive development. He and his team of young scientists played a pivotal role in shaping policies, mobilizing communities, and creating platforms where science met society, whether through research, publications, grassroots initiatives, or national policymaking. His team of young scientists worked across diverse areas, including rural industries, renewable energy, traditional medicine, organic farming, education, and environmental sustainability.
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Devendra Bhai’s life was not just about ideas but about action. He inspired, led, and transformed countless lives through his tireless efforts. His legacy continues to shape the way science and technology can contribute to the upliftment of rural India, ensuring a more equitable and self-reliant future for India.
A Brief about Devendra Bhai
This was only two months before independence, in May 1947, a young man reached Wardha Junction near Nagpur. He was the grandson of a District Collector, who had received training in Oil and Paint Technology from Harcourt Butler Technical Institute, Kanpur and also had offer of a job in a big company, but Gandhi pulled him to Wardha. Although he never met Gandhi, he had only seen him in Calcutta and became his Eklavya. This person, who used to go to school in a carriage and with security guards, walked from the railway station carrying only a traditional box and appeared before his future Guru. Devendra Kumar's thinking was like that of most other youngsters of that time. However, he was inquisitive how everyone thinks about their livelihood after getting good training, then what is Gandhi thinking, what is Kumarappa thinking? ​ When he could not be at peace anywhere, he came to Wardha. There he found that not only a special social system was being conceived there, but training was being given to the youth arriving there from all over India after appropriate research. Research, Training, Production and procurement all went on together. Work was going on towards a social system, which was oriented towards an ecologically sound, socially just and economically viable society. While Gandhi himself was the architect of this system and the direction was also given by him, but the responsibility of running and taking it forward was undertaken by Dr. Kumarappa, who was also going to be the future Guru of young Devendra. It is said that if you want to know someone well, then know his Guru. Once we know Ramakrishna Paramahansa, we can understand Vivekananda, so let us know a little about Kumarappa. Joseph Cornelius Kumarappa was born in Kerala, Kumarappa because some generations back his ancestors were high class Brahmins and Joseph because his ancestors had later converted to Christianity. He was so intelligent that he went to London and became a chartered accountant, worked in a big bank, earned both name and fame, but then Gandhi came in his way. Influenced by his writings, he went to America to do his PhD on public finance and India. He did this under the guidance of the same professor who had also taught Dr.Ambedkar.