Gathering of Beloved Ones!
Changadev, a village located at the confluence of the Tapi and Purna rivers in Jalgaon district! I am proud to be Changadevite!
Over the years,many like me migrated to different cities for education, jobs and business and settled there. Their children continued moving further afield. Some went abroad for education, found jobs, and settled down there.
A gathering of Changadevites, residing in Pune for work and business was organized at the Shri. Sant Adishakti Muktabai Temple in Bhosari.
Today, more than 300 people attended this meeting, which is a very joyous and honorable occasion for all of us.
For the past two years, Vidyadhar Mahajan and his fellow friends have been striving for this. Vidyadhar created a WhatsApp group named "Changadev Get Together." He located individuals one by one, obtained their contact numbers, spoke with them, and met them personally when possible. He sought guidance from seniors and coordinated with people from Changadev to work together. This arduous and persistent work of his and his colleagues has culminated in the form of this gathering.
The enthusiastic participation of the youth at the meeting and the presence of many senior and esteemed personalities brought a great joy.
It was particularly delightful to meet Dr. V. R. Chaudhary, an exceptional personality and world-renowned scientist, who shared his experiences and provided invaluable guidance, which was an inspiring moment for all of us.
Although Vidyadhar introduced him formally, I consider it my duty to write about his work again.
After starting his career as a scientist at the prestigious National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune, he rose to the position of Director Scientist. He was honored with the 'Vasvik Award' in 1993 for his fundamental research, which has been critical in the fields of science and technology.
Stanford University, established in 1885 in California, covering 8,000 acres with various academic programs and home to many Nobel laureates, used stringent criteria to publish a ranking of the world's 2% most influential scientists; and Dr. V. R. Chaudhary's name was placed prominently on that list, surprising many!
He served at prestigious universities, including Fayetteville in the USA and Hokkaido in Japan, as a Visiting Research Professor for some time.
Despite staying away from the limelight, even at the age of 84, he remains dedicated to his work. He diligently mentors students aspiring to advance their research in their fields. I pray for his long, healthy life and wish him success in his endeavors!
While attending this gathering organized at the Shri Sant Adishakti Muktabai Temple on Alandi Road, I recollect the occasion when Shri Changadev Maharaj, mounted on a tiger, with his disciples, set out for Alandi to meet the siblings Nivrutti, Gyanadev, Sopan, and Muktabai. These siblings had come forward to welcome him, sitting on the wall. This brings back memories of how Yogi Changadev, there after, accepted discipleship from Adishakti Muktabai.
It is evident that this gathering, organized to ensure acquaintance among one another and assist each other in times of need, has achieved far more objectives than that. I sincerely congratulate Vidyadhar, Sudhir Lokhande, Deepak Chaudhary, Deepak Ladhe, Vishwas Patil, and all their colleagues!
I express my heartfelt thanks to everyone for warmly welcoming us!
Dr. Mahendra Ingale, Former Principal
Pune, March 16, 2025
P.S. Vidyadhar is a student of 1985-86 batch of Girnanjani Polytechnic, Erondol. I was the Principal there.
