Bheemrao Chitgopkar
Bheemrao Manikrao Chitgopker also known as Bheemrao Ketaknahalli Born on 7th September 1930 at Chitguppa Taluk Humnabad District in Bidar. His father died when he was only an year old. His mother MuktaBai and his elder brother Chandrasekhar Shastry gave him courage to stand boldly against earlier against British and later against Razakaras of Hyderabad Nizam Government. He started his first freedom struggle at the age of forteen in the year 1944 from Arya Samaj Madir Chitguppa against Nizam Government, started sending the secret messages to Sholapur camp as per the direction of his elder brother Chandrasekhar Shastry. He got shelter at the residence of Honnaddi Nagshety who acted as Pro-Nizam and supported Bheemrao Chitgopker to do underground work against Nizam. He was teaching some 14 young boys as teacher and started teaching lessons against Nizam and about sprit of independence of and ideology of Mahatma Gandhi to the young ones hence razakars did not recognize him as anti-Nizam.
Girish Chitgopker/Kamat's
Potpourri
Bheemrao Manikrao Chitgopker (7th Sep. 1930 - 17th Jan. 2008)
Chitgopkar traveled extensively to Yaranalli, Tadapalli, Kashempur, Rekulgi, Kaadawad and found Nizam's militia looted all most all the villages and tortured ladies and passed this message to camps at Sholapur and united the distributed young volunteers. He used to borrow a might horse of Mr.Honnaddi Nagshetty to travel Bagdal,Mangalgi,Jangali,Peerdhari to pass the spirit of freedom. He knew Urdu as it was the only available language and official language of Nizam to learn, he studied in Urdu and used to write letters in reverse Urdu language to Sholapur camps to maintain the secrecy.
From May 1948 to August 1948 (after Independence of India from British government also, Hyderabad state was under Nizam's rule till 17th Sep 1948) he united youth at Gopalrao Joshi's residence near Hari Mazid of Sultan bazaar Hyredabad. He started distributing spirit of independence literature to the youth of Hyderabad as per the guidance of Hyderabad Congress president Swami Ramananda Teeratha, conduct secrete meeting with Revanappa Bhutale,Painter Narasappa,Bhutale,Kishanrao Moharir,Kallappa Andoor,Manik Singh,Narayan Bodke against Nizam at Bhirji Chand Chowdhri Building Hyderabad.
His Brother Chandrasekhar Shastry invited Two congress workers to his native Chitguppa and Mr. Bheemrao Chitgopker made the muslim people to believe that they are muslims and came here to manufacture Rifels from Bharamara Banduks(A kind of Rifel) and Razakar's leader Baranoddeen Advocate,Fayojuddeen believed that and brought some 800 Bharama Banduks and the two congress workers who came from Hyderabad with the help of Mr. Bheemrao Chitgopker and his elder brother Chandrasekhar shastry survived to break all 800 Bharama Banduks in to small pieces and successfully escaped from the nizams with the help of Mr. Bheemrao Chitgopker.
He passed away on 17th Jan 2008 departing four sons, a daughter and lot of well-wishers. India lost an honest, sincere, most active and positive thinker and a very good social worker. People around Bhalki, Humnabad, Chitguppa will remember his dedications for the freedom struggle and his anti-corruption nature forever.
Government of Karnataka has attributed his funeral with state honor.
Source: Family of Bheemrao Chitgopkar, 2009
