Ahmednagar | Maryam Sayyed
remember: A tribute meeting was recently organized at the CSRD Institute of Social Work and Research under the Bhaskar Pandurang Hiwale Education Society. The meeting honoured the late Fr. Francis D’Britto, the renowned Marathi litterateur and leader of the environmental movement, who also presided over the 93rd All India Marathi Literary Conference. A large number of social, literary, and progressive thinkers from Ahmednagar district attended the meeting, where they paid homage to Fr. D’Britto by reflecting on various aspects of his life and work.
The session began with an introduction by literary figure Dnyandev Gaikwad, who highlighted Fr. D’Britto’s contributions and reminded the audience of his significant achievements.
Senior journalist Vijaysingh Holam, Dr. Sudhakar Shelar, head of the Marathi Department at Ahmednagar College, poet Subhash Sonawane, and other notable personalities like Jayant Yelulkar from the Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Ashok Sabban, also delivered speeches. Senior journalist Vijaysingh Holam shared his experiences from an interview he had conducted with Fr. D’Britto during a visit to Ahmednagar. He highlighted Fr. D’Britto’s simplicity, humility, and loving nature, stating that his thoughts had deeply touched his heart. Jayant Yelulkar, on behalf of the Marathi Sahitya Parishad, paid tribute, and poet Subhash Sonawane shared anecdotes of his meetings with D’Britto, describing his pure nature and work. In his speech, Dr. Sudhakar Shelar reminisced about Fr. Francis D’Britto’s memories, emphasizing the need to contemplate his literary work. He stressed the importance of continuing D’Britto’s work by drawing inspiration from his ideas, particularly his simplicity and concern for human values. Dr. Shelar also elaborated on Fr. D’Britto’s stance on various social issues, highlighting his advocacy for peace, brotherhood, and unity, as well as his environmental movement, the Harit Vasai (Green Vasai) campaign. Fr. D’Britto’s deep study of saint literature and his efforts to foster unity through it were also noted as remarkable.
In his presidential speech, Dr. Suresh Pathare, Director of CSRD, shared many memories from his time with Fr. D’Britto, illustrating how relevant D’Britto’s ideas are in today’s context. Dr. Pathare delved into the various facets of D’Britto’s personality and work, noting that it was a privilege to have been in his company. He emphasized the importance of abandoning inequality and injustice in favour of reason, highlighting the significance of D’Britto’s teachings. Dr. Pathare urged that individuals should not be judged solely on their religion or caste, but rather on their achievements and contributions. He praised D’Britto’s significant contributions to Marathi literature, which were recognized with literary awards from both the Sahitya Akademi and the Maharashtra government. Dr. Pathare also noted D’Britto’s unique position in the literary movement, particularly his environmentally conscious writings, and his magazine “Suvartha,” which made a distinct mark in Marathi literature. He concluded by stressing the importance of remembering Fr. D’Britto’s literary contributions and his Harit Vasai movement, which inspired not only Marathi literature but also various aspects of society. Dr. Pathare encouraged everyone to awaken their conscience by drawing inspiration from D’Britto’s work, acknowledging that D’Britto’s writing and environmental passion brought a new dimension to Marathi literature, and his efforts to foster unity through saint literature were successful. Dr. Pathare expressed that Fr. D’Britto’s death was a loss of a pure link that connected diverse fields.
Sandhya Medhe, Prof.Dr. Mahebub Syyed and others were present. The event was compered by Samuel Waghmare, and the organization of the event was supported by the professors, staff, and students of CSRD College.
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