M G Ranade

Born - 16 January 1842
Died - 16 January 1901
Achievements - Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade was a judge, politician, writer cum reformer of India. He belonged to the very first batch of students in Bombay University who acquired the B.A. degree in the year 1862 and then again L.L.B. from the Government Law School in the year 1866. He was also among those who played an important role in setting up the Indian National Congress.

Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade was a distinguished judge, writer cum social reformer of India during the pre-independence era. Initiating his college studies at the age of 14 years at the famous Elphinstone College of Mumbai, Ranade belonged to the very first batch of students in Bombay University who acquired the B.A. degree in the year 1862 and then again L.L.B. from the Government Law School in the year 1866.

Read this biography to learn more about Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, who was elected as the presidency magistrate, a rank for the fourth judge in the Bombay Small Causes Court in the year 1871. After this, he was appointed as the first-class sub-judge at Pune in 1873 and then the judge of the Poona Small Causes Court in the year 1884. At the end, he became a member of the Bombay High Court in the year 1893.

Beginning from 1885 till Govind Ranade joined the High Court, he belonged to the Bombay legislative council. Ranade was also the part of a committee that was given the task of listing the imperial and provincial expense and proffer suggestions for financial cutback. This work got him the decoration of Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. Ranade also served as a special judge under the Deccan Agriculturists' Relief Act from 1887.

During his entire life history, Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade held other offices as well. For instance, he occupied the post of syndic and dean of arts in Bombay University. He was himself a well-known Marathi scholar, but he encouraged the translation of eminent English literature and futilely attempted to introduce vernacular languages into the university course. In the religious sphere, he founded the Prarthana Samaj to propagate theism based on the holy Vedas.

Politically, Ranade established the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha and was also among those who played a phenomenal role in setting up the Indian National Congress party. Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade was also an active reformer. He set up the Social Conference movement, which worked against infant marriages, the shaving of widows' heads, spending heavily in marriages and other social functions. Ranade relentlessly advocated widow remarriage and female education.