A special programme was organised by old workers and sympathisers of the RSS at Kalyan, near Mumbai, on May 29 to felicitate the full timers of their batch, who dedicated their life for the Sangh work. During 1955-1970, an evening shakha was conducted in Kalyan which was attended by college students and many other people. Inspired by the Sangh work and the ideology few swayam-sevaks rose to the cause of nation building and became full timers. One among them was Shri Baba Abhyankar (now 81), who worked as Pracharak at various places in Maharashtra and spent more than 40 years at RSS headquarters at Pune as Karyalaya Pramukh. Another worker was Prabhakar Kher (now 84) who worked for Pradesh Karyalaya Pramukh for Jana Sangh and then BJP in Mumbai for 35 years.
Similarly, Shri Shantanu Shende (now 77) who was earlier sent to Arunachal Pradesh to run a school, then in Assam for the same purpose and then to Lucknow, Kanpur to look after general administration of a number of schools run by Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya Education Trust. Presently, Shri Shende is incharge of Vidya Bharati, which runs over 28,000 schools. Shri Aba Barve (now 82) worked for Hindusthan Samachar for 40 years in Maharashtra and Goa. Shri M Kale (82) carried various activities in Vanvasi villages and also ran hostel for school children for 40 years. All these workers were felicitated by senior Sangh Pracharak Shri Mukundrao Panshikar. Advocate Shri Bhaurao Sabnis (87) proposed the vote of thanks.
