GONDIA EDUCATION SOCIETY

History throws up many a great event in the political, social, religious, economic, industrial and educational fields and every event gives birth to a leader and an endearing personality. The advent of C.J. Patel College of Arts, Commerce, Science and Post Graduate has been a memorable event and that too as a crowning glory in a chain of great events in the district of Bhandara going back to the era of freedom struggle in Indian history.

Literacy and education were not the priority of the as their sole focus was to hold on to their colony, India, the jewel in the Crown. Most of the districts of India were suffering for want of any basic amenities. Bhandara was also one of those districts worst affected.

The glaring and shocking fact was that 94% of the population of Bhandara and Gondia district was illiterate! There was only one Government public school in whole of the district! In 1945 Bhandara witnessed the snowballing effect of a determined local initiative. A few resurgent people led by late Mr. Manoharbhai Patel, a wealthy and well known businessman and a philanthropist, came forward to set up the second school in Gondia town in the district with help coming from his friends. It was in that period the concept of Gondia Education Society was mooted and later the Society came into existence. In the ensuing six years many more primary and secondary schools were set up one by one on a relay basis. It was indeed a relentless and tireless effort. The results were path breaking. The literacy rate rose from a mere 6% to 14% in the Bhandara district!

But, late Manoharbhai was not fully satisfied. What made him to move further was that in spite of this enviable achievement there was no college for higher education in the Bhandara district. It was again late Shri Manoharbhai Patel leading in the front to gather support for establishing the first college in Gondia. With the help and cooperation of his trusted colleagues the first college was started with a skeleton staff in a warehouse provided by Manoharbhai’s close friend and associate late Shri. C.J. Patel. That was the beginning of the second collective initiative.

In a short span of ten years and by 1961 Gondia Education Society could establish 22 high schools spread across the district and in the same year two more colleges were also established.

One great act that would speak volumes as to how much late Manoharbhai and his friends were devoted to the noble cause they all espoused and assiduously pursued was transferring all educational institutions founded by Gondia Education Society to the local Zilla Parishad (District Council). It required a grand vision to think in terms of setting a grand and a glorious precedent in public service.

A dreamer never stops dreaming and Late Manoharbhai Patel was a dreamer par excellence. He was still restless as something still made him to feel not fully content with his enormous feats. This was attributed to his earnest desire, a longing of his heart, he often expressed to his colleagues and son Shri Praful Patel. That was to establish an institute of engineering and technology in Gondia.