Madhav Mehendale was born on the first day of the Hindu Calendar on 21st March 1928, in a middle class family. He completed his Bachelor's degree (B.Sc. Hons.) in 1949. Then he worked as a 'Pracharak' for the RSS in Assam for about 4.5 years in purely honorary capacity. He then took a post-graduate degree in Education (B.T.) in 1955 and served in Hindi High Schools in Assam for about 5 years. Then he joined leprosy work wherein he continued to work for about 29 years. Meanwhile he also completed M.A. in Sociology. In 1990 he joined the Seva Vibhag of the RSS since its inception and devoted the next 16 years in purely honorary capacity, the final 8 years of which, in the capacity of the Director of Research & Development. He has travelled all over India more than 14 times. He has authored more than seven books in languages like Marathi, Hindi and English and scores of papers and articles in scientific journals and books on leprosy. A 300-page treatise in Marathi on 'Social Change in Indian Context' won a prestigious award. In the year 2006 he received the Hedgewar Service Award for his contribution in the field of leprosy and the Seva Vibhag of RSS.
He initially put his memoirs on paper in the year 2007 as a pastime. The manuscript is still unpublished. This book is virtually a free, revised and abridged rendering of the original Marathi manuscript. Shri. Mehendale retired from active social work since 2007 and is presently residing at B-19, Pooja Heights, 87 Azad Nagar, Kothrud, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India.
Shree Madhav Rao Mehendale is a well educated and trained Swayamsevak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He worked as full time Pracharak of RSS for four years in Assam region. Then he involved himself in social service through the Leprosy Control Movement of Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation for nearly 29 long years. He has authored this book titled: "Hard To Remember and Difficult To Forget", wherein he has recorded an account of his early life and experiences as a Sangh worker and in the Leprosy Control Movement. He desired that I should write a preface to this book.
It is well known that the Sangh Swayamsevaks are rendering yeoman service to our society especially during the times of disasters like floods, earthquakes, famines, accidents etc. At several places in the country Swayamsevaks were also engaged in many regular social service activities among the weaker sections and among Vanavasis in forests and hills of our country. It was the occasion of the Birth Centenary of Dr. K.B. Hedgewar [1989-90] that brought us together and provided an opportunity to be associated with the social service activity Seva Vibhag of RSS. During this year, Sangh decided to start a special department called Seva Vibhag to motivate swayamsevaks, to involve them extensively and in a systematic manner to serve for the deprived and poorer sections of our society, to provide Educational and Medical facilities to them and to eradicate social inequalities like untouchability and caste complexes. The responsibility of organizing this Seva Vibhag was assigned to me as Seva Pramukh. From the beginning Shree Mehendale cooperated with me with his rich experience in social services, in the formation of the Seva Vibhag and taking policy decisions about starting the new Seva projects. He went around the country to study the already existing Seva projects. His observations and assessment reports were very useful for starting and developing the new projects. Later Shree Mehendale was entrusted with a new responsibility of Research and Development in the Seva Vibhag.
Shree Mehendale's noteworthy quality is his meticulous approach and attention to detail aiming at perfection. While going through this present book this special characteristic of the author is revealed very clearly in every chapter. Particularly chapter 3 of this book where Shree Mehendale has recorded in detail his experience, thinking and work in the field of Leprosy control and Health education. Here his distinctive nature of going deep into every aspect of the problem and use of innovative methods adopted to find solutions is very well exhibited. For example, his efforts to rehabilitate the Leprosy cured non-infectious persons in the mainstream activities like getting them employed at various places, and more than everything putting them back and accommodating in their original families, relieving them from the painful stigma and segregation, after convincing all the concerned about their non-contagious condition etc. is not a small achievement. This is highly commendable and a big contribution particularly in this context. What a great psychological relief for the unfortunate persons affected with Leprosy! Recognizing all such achievements he was getting higher responsibilities and promotions in the movement, but I feel he deserved greater rewards.
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