The Depressed classes Mission society of India

(Established 18 Oct. 1906)
A review up to 17 Oct. 1909

OFFICE-BEARERS
The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Chandavarkar - President
Shet Damodardas G. Sukhadwala - Vice President
Mr. V. R. Shinde, B.A. - General Secretary
Mr. N. B. Pandit, B.A. - Treasurer
Mr. Sayad Abdul Kadir - Asst. General Secretary

TRUSTEES
The Hon'ble Mr. G. K. Parekh, B.A., LL.B.
Shet Damodardas G. Sukhadwala
Mr. V. R. Shinde, B.A.

OBJECT

To maintain a Mission which shall seek to elevate the social as well as spiritual condition of the Depressed Classes viz. the Mahars, Chamars, Pariahs, Namsudras and all such other neglected Classes in India by means of (1) promoting education, (2) providing work, (3) remedying their social disabilities and (4) preaching to them the ideals of Liberal Religion, personal character and good citizenship.

STATISTICS
The total population of India 294361056. The total Hindu population 207147026. The total "Untouchable" population 53206632. Of every six Indians or four Hindus one is an "Untouchable"!! (See the last Indian Census Report.)

INSTITUTIONS IN BOMBAY

1. Parel Middle School - Provision is made to teach 6 Marathi and four English standards. There are 7 teachers : 175 pupils on the Roll. There are special Book-binding and Sewing Classes.

2. Deonar Primary School - 2 teachers 47 pupils, 4 Marathi Standards. This supplies a want long-felt by the Municipal Colony of nearly 500 Mahars near Chembur.

3. Madanpura Primary School - 4 Teachers, 150 pupils, 5 Marathi standards.

4. Kamathipura Gujarati School - This is newly started for Bhangis and is practically the first of its kind in Bombay, except those conducted by Christian Missionaries. It is exclusively supported by the kind help of a friend. Even in this city great difficulty is felt in securing teachers for this school, there being a great aversion for the Bhangis specially among the Gujaratis. There is one teacher and 51 pupils on roll.

5. Sunday Schools - One is at Parel and the other at Madanpura. Selections from Ramayan and Ramdas, Theistic hymns from the Vedas and of the Maratha Saints and short moral stories are taught to the boys and girls every Sunday morning.

6. Bhajan Samajes - One is at Parel and the other at Madanpura where grown up people meet every Sunday for theistic worship, which they conduct themselves.

7. Lectures - are often organised on various useful topics and also conversations among the people themselves.

8. Co-operative Leather Works - Under the management of Mr. Sashibhusan Ruth, an expert in tanning and another German expert in the improved method of boot-making, a new enterprise is made to provide work on the principle of co-operative production. For the present a small shop-factory is started in Girgaum with a capital of Rs. 2,000.

9. Nirashrit Sadan - Two young men and three ladies have solely devoted themselves to the work of the Mission. The ladies visit the poor in their homes, nurse the sick, rescue the helpless and organise sewing circles and women's meetings. The men manage the Mission centres. About a dozen promising boys of the Parel School are lodged and four of them are also boarded under the direct care of the missionaries who reside in the school house. These Missionaries are supported by a friend, independently of the linances of Society.

10. Purity Servant - An English monthly, is the organ of the Mission published on the 15th of every month. It contains articles on temperance, social purity and monthly reports of the several branches of the Society and general news about the Depressed Classes in India. Rs. 2-8 per year.
Editor — Mr. V. S. Sohoni, Grant Road.

BRANCHES

1. Poona - There is one day school, two night schools, a Sunday school, a Bhajan Samaj a Library and a Debating Club. The number of pupils on roll is 149, 25 and 33 respectively. The average attendance at the Samaj and Club is 50.
Secretary — Mr. A. K. MUDLIAR, B.A., Raste's Peth

2. Manmad - A night school with 45 boys on the roll : a temperance league of which every member is pledged not to drink inspite of his parents persuading him to the contrary.
Secretary — Mr. Mohansing Motising

3. Igatpuri - A day school with 66 boys and 2 teachers teaching up to the 4th Marathi Standard. This branch is started and conducted solely by two young Mahars under guidance from Bombay. There is a Sunday School and a Bhajan Samaj besides. A new Committee is, recently constituted.
Secretary — Mr. G. V. Bhatawadekar

4. Indore - A night school with 20 boys under one teacher.
Secretary — Mr. R. G. Mitbaokar, Brahma Samaj

5. Akola - 2 night schools 72 pupils and 1 Bhajan Samaj.
Secretary — Mr. S. C. Hosalli, Bar-at-law

6. Amraoti - 2 night schools with 53 pupils.
Secretary — Mr. G. Kane, Pleader.

7. Dapoli - A day school with 37 pupils. The branch also provides scholarships, books, clothes to poor pupils.
Secretary —Dr. V. A. Varti

8. Mangalore - The condition of the Pariahs in South Canara is unspeakably wretched. Mr. K. Rangarao who has been struggling single - handed for the last more than 10 years has now a day School with 49 pupils, a Weaving Institute with six hand looms and a Boarding House where 7 young men reside and work In the loom factory. All the pupils receive one midday meal a day, without which the School will not go on. Mr. Rangarao has recently established a colony of twenty poor families on a beautiful hill near Mangalore, for which he is badly in need of help.
Secretary — Mr. K. Rangarao, Court Hill
9. Madras - A Pariah School with 23 pupils and a Chamar School with 29. The moral classes and Bhajans are conducted regularly. The scavengers or Bhangis are the most wretched of all the "Untouchables."

But the branch has still to drag a hand-to-mouth existence. Secretary— Mr. V. Govindan, B.A., Brahma Samaj, 97, Annapillay Street.

NEW BRANCHES

10. Mahableshwar - In May last a drawing room meeting was held under the auspices of Lady Muir Mackenzie in the Government House, Mahableshwar, when Major Jameson the Superintendent of the station, presided. A fund which had been previously collected about Rs. 900 for a similar purpose was handed over to the Mission and a branch was started for local work.
Secretary — Mrs. Jameson, Woodside, M'war.

11. Nasik - The General Secretary on his tour in the Nasik district in September last visited the centres at Igatpuri and Manmad, and organised a District Committee for Nasik with Mr. Jackson, I.C.S., Collector as the President.
Secretary — Mr. N. P. Patankar, Pleader

SUMMARY

The Society has under it 12 centres, 16 secular schools, with 1018 pupils, 6 Sunday schools, 5 Bhajan Samajes or theistic congregations, 4 Industrial Institutes, 7 Missionaries and 1 organ. But when we remember the five crores - the SUBMERGED SIXTH OF INDIA, how humiliatingly small appears our work!!

Some Eye Witnesses
It is one of the holiest things that can be done by the religious and charitable societies of the country.
- LAJPATRAI

The whole institution is typical of the times in which reasonableness is invading the domains of prejudice and superstition.
- R. G. BHANDARKAR

The industrial work is particularly commendable. There is no more terrible phrase in language than the "Untouchable classes" and the noble work of the Mission must touch a responsive chord.
- STANLEY REED

It is refreshing to come across such a knot of *** workers for their country.
- D. W. NANAWATI, I.C.S., Rangoon

OUR NEEDS

The Society has to spend more than Rs. 10,000 every year; and the expenditure is rapidly increasing. But it has practically no permanent fund and absolutely no building of its own. For the head-quarters in Bombay the need of a building is very badly felt. A permanent fund for the training of qualified and devoted workers from among the higher classes and for scholarships to be awarded to young boys of the Depressed Classes with a view to select from among them future workers is still more badly felt. Without some immediate provision in this direction, real efficiency in the work of the Mission would not be possible.
RAM MOHAN ASHRAM  
Girgaum, 17th October 1909

V. R. SHINDE

General Secretary, D.C.M.

The Depressed Classes Mission Society of India
Rupee Fund

DEAR SIR,

Will you kindly read the accompanying leaflet and subscribe only a Rupee for the useful cause set forth in it?

One Rupee only  to be paid and a receipt taken for it. If you are inclined to pay more, please do so in different names and take receipts for the same.

You will be convinced by the reading of the accompanying leaflet that One Rupee paid by you will be spent upon a very useful and sacred cause.

Trusting you will do the needful and oblige.
Yours cordially,
L. B. NAYAK,
(Captain General D.C.M. Rupee Fund)
Home Address : 469 Thakurdwar, BOMBAY.
Office Address : Chief Interpreter Bombay Court of Small Causes.

Buddha - "Let him that has recognised the truth, cultivate good-will without measure toward the whole world, above, below, around, unstinted, unmixed with any feeling of making distinctions or of showing preferences.

Jesus Christ - "Let us love one another; for love is God."

तुकाराम - "आर्त भूतां द्यावें दान । खरें पुण्य त्या नांवें ।।"

With the recommendation of....................................

Executive Committee
Sir Narayan G. Chandavarkar — President
Sheth Damodardas Goverdhandas J.P. — V. President
Mr. V. R. Shinde, B.A. — General Secretary
Mr. V. S. Sohoni — Assistant General Secretary
Mr. P. B. Gothoskar, B.A. — Hon. Treasurer
Dr. Miss Kashibai Nawrange, B.A., L.M. &  S.
Mrs. Laxmibai Ranaday
Mr. L. B. Nayak, B.A.
Mr. G. B. Trivedi, B.A.
Mr. A. V. Thakkar, L.C.E.
Prof. N. G. Welinkar, J.P., M.A., LL.B.
Mr. N. B. Pandit, B.A.

The Depressed Classes Mission Society of India
(Established on 18th October 1906 and registered under Act XXI of 1860)
President — Sir Narayan G. Chandavarkar
Vice-President — Mr. Damodardas G. Sukhadwala
General Secretary — Mr. V. R. Shinde

OBJECT - To maintain a mission which seeks to elevate the condition of the depressed and neglected classes in India by promoting their education, providing them with work, remedying their social disabilities and improving their spiritual condition.

STATISTICS - Total population of India — 31 crores
Total Hindu population — 21 crores
Total untouchable population — 51/2 crores
Out of every six Indians or four Hindus, one is an untouchable.
One out of every six Indians is neglected and despised.
Privileges of free social intercourse are denied to them.
Opportunities of elevating them by means of education and better and cleaner ways of living are not placed in their ways.

Their intellectual, moral and spiritual faculties which God has endowed us all with are made to lie dormant by reason of our own neglect ol them.

The D. C. Mission has therefore to make efforts to improve their condition by opening schools, boarding houses and industrial institutions and by holding social and religious meetings.

In all — 14 Centres, 25 Schools, 5 Boarding houses, 3 Industrial Homes, 1100 students, 55 teachers - Total annual expenditure, Rs. 24,600.

In Bombay — 5 Day Schools, 1 Night school, 500 students, 1 Boarding House, 26 Boarders, 1 Industrial & Technical School.

Annual expenditure, Rs. 12,000 - Annual income, Rs. 9,000.

To partly meet this large Annual deficit of Rs. 3,000 on a Fund called D. C. M. Rupee Fund has been started.

Depressed Classes Mission Rupee Fund
The Mission finding that the persistent efforts made by it hitherto to raise funds do not result in adequate returns so as to meet the expenses of the mission which are increasing from year to year thought of raising money in small contributions by means of this Fund from the public at large instead of solely depending on rich and well to do people.

A minimum sum of one rupee per year from each donor has been fixed. The promoters hope by this means to widen the circle of sympathisers.

A board of captains has been appointed with volunteers under them to collect such small contributions.

One Rupee throughout one year is but a trifle that is expected from each donor and that too for such a useful and sacred cause : It comes to only one pie given in charity every alternate day! Who does not throw out a pie every day to a beggar!

Men of light and leading are in full sympathy with this movement.

Sir George Clarke : "I shall always take a living interest in the work of the Society."

Sir N. G. Chandavarkar : "In elevating the depressed, we are elevating ourselves."

H. H. Sayajirao Gaikwar : “Let us first clean our own Augean Stables."

Surendranath Tagore : “The value of the splendid work being done is so self-evident that words of recommendation are superfluous.”

Lala Lajpatrai : "It is one of the holiest things that can be done by the religious and charitable societies of the country."

Sir R. G. Bhandarkar : "The whole institution is typical of the times in which reasonableness is invading the domains of prejudice and superstitions.”

Sir Richard Lamb : "The Depressed Classes Mission is doing notable work."

Dr. Stanley Reed : "The noble work of the mission must touch a responsive chord."

Will you now help the mission by subscribing only ONE RUPEE?
(Please do not pay a Rupee before you take a receipt)

V. R. SHINDE Esq.
(General Secretary, D.C.M. Society)

L. B. NAYAK
(Captain-General D.C.M. Rupee Fund)
469, Thakurdwar, Girgaum, BOMBAY