Lokhitavadi
Early life and times Gopalrao Hari Deshmukh, Lokhitavadi was born on 18th February 1823 in Pune. Maratha power had ended in 1818. His grandfather was the Deshmukh of Pawas in the Konkan and this title was adopted as the surname. His father Sardar Haripant was in the employment of the last Peshva Bajirao II. Bajirao II , after the battle of 1818 in which the Marathas lost, fled to Burhanpur. Elphinston made a public declaration that all those in the employment of the Peshva must surrender within two months , failing which their properties shall be confiscated. Haripant did not surrender and his properties were confiscated. Later Bajirao relinquished his Peshva ship to Company sarkar and Haripant was appointed by Bajirao as his Vakil at Pune. This was not to last for long. When Gopal was thirteen, his father passed away and the British were pleased to offer Rs600 to…
Lokhitavadi Deshmukh
Earliest reformer in Maharashtra of nineteenth century whose insights are relevant even today.