Gopal Krishna Gokhale college, Kolhapur

About Gopal Krishna Gokhale college, Kolhapur

College library was established in 1950. It was named after late Shikshan Maharshi Prin. M. R. Desai on 16th March 1997.The two founder members viz. Prin. M. R Desai and Prin. Brr. Balasaheb Khardekar gave shape to the library by collecting various books on all branches of knowledge from various parts of India and abroad. Due to that, the library is having a very rich collection and in true sense it is a centre for study, reference and information.

Kolhapur was the center of Education during the rule of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaja. Hostels for students belonging to various castes were run with the patronage and support of Shahu Maharaja. Talented, promising students from poor families took the advantage of the facilities provided to them. But the Rural Maharashtra was deprived of the basic educational facilities. Principal M. R. Desai and Bar. Khardekar decided to change the rural minds and free them from the bonds and shackles of ignorance by making the rural people realize the importance of education. Education according to them was an ‘agent of change and means of liberation’. They had definite ideas of education. Bar. Khardekar and Prin. M. R. Desai were driven by strong urge to spread education in rural areas, among the economically, socially and educationally backward villagers and the downtrodden.Shikshan Prasarak Mandal is the brainchild of two eminent educationists & scholars Bar. Balasaheb Khardekar & Shikshan Maharshi Prin. M. R. Desai. They were the genius architects of this institution. The trendsetters & torchbearers had the courage, convention & commitment for setting up institution for the pursuit of excellence in education.
Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, founded in 1945 with bigger field of education. Their dynamic personality, vision, determination, perseverance, able leadership, spirit of service and sacrifice took Shikshan Prasarak Mandal from strength to strength. Shikshan Prasarak Mandal is one of the most Renowned Educational Institutes working in the States of Maharashtra & Karnataka. The Personalities like Prof. Dabholkar, Dr. Pawar, Dr. Shinde, Shri. Bhalji Pendharkar under the leadership of Bar. Khardekar & Prin. M. R. Desai came together with a noble aim of establishing an Educational institute for the masses & as the result of this in the month of March 1942 One "NAGRIK SHIKSHAN MANDAL" was established. Later in the month of April 1945, this was converted in to "SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL".
Bar. Khardekar was deeply impressed by the "SHANTI NIKETAN" of Ravindranath Tagore. The college of his dreams was a rural college with greenery & nature. Therefore, he convinced his friend Prin. M. R. Desai to establish a rural college at Kagal, then a village in Kolhapur state. Accordingly, it was started on 20th June 1950 with seven Professors & Only one Student who was the brother of Prin. M. R. Desai.
Though this idea was noble, the people in the village & surroundings could not accept it. So Bar. Khardekar & Prin. M. R. Desai was forced to shift the college from Kagal to Kolhapur on 21st June 1954 with Arts stream. Later on, the Streams of Science & Commerce were added. Since then, G. K. G. is one of the most famous & renowned college in Maharashtra. This college has produced many Sportsman, Politicians, Actors, Directors, Lyricist, Musicians, Authors, Scientists, Doctors, Advocates, and Engineers etc. We will briefly narrate this matter later.