Monday 25 January 2010

Appa Redij & Sugava Parivar

Today, 25th January, is the second death anniversary of the doyen of intercaste marriage movement in Maharashtra, late Mr Raghunath aka Appa Redij.

Appa Redij was working tirelessly till the last days of his life for "intercaste marriage". The promotion and spreading this thought of intercaste marriage of his life-mission and the work he did for this unusual but worth social cause was just remarkable. We find a lot young couples marrying out of caste today, but those were the days, some 30 years back, when the married couples used to be lone, helpless and without any support because of the rejection by their parents and society because they married out of caste. (Still today, the caste plays fundamental role in marriage and the other important aspects are ignored, matchmaking today is still caste-matching). He started on this mission when he retired and instead of enjoying with grand children and family he worked day and night till his last breath. He never got much of the support or appreciation from the fellow progressive social movements of Maharashtra. But we carried on, spending from his pocket and arranging matches for all those like his own children.

His contribution to the society must be remembered. He used to move all around in spite his old age not worrying about his age. He used to arrange programmes, get-togethers, meet families of those married, take help of renowned social activists and ask them to write letters of support & we, very few of us who used to work with him, always envisaging this social movement reach the nooks and corners of our state and country.

He started an organization of all those who got married through Sugava Mishra Vivah Mandal, their families & named it as "Sugava Parivar". All those who believe in this social cause and wish that caste should not be main criteria in match-making, were also part of this Sugava Parivar. He was head of this big family of young families, well-wishers. Sugava Parivar was instrumental in many of nice initiatives in progressive social movements in Maharashtra. As a member of this Sugava Parivar, I thought it as my duty to record all those past programmes, past events and past initiatives on net, so that the new generation comes to know about the life of Appa Redij.

On the second death anniversary of Late Appa Redij, I proudly announce the publishing of blog of Sugava Parivar, a blog related to Sugava Parivar events, programmes.

Please visit www.pratibimb.info/sugava, please be member of the blog to be part of this growing Parivar.

Tuesday 12 January 2010

Govt incentives for intercaste marriages

Government of Maharashtra : Times of India : 12-01-2010

Maharashtra government has decided to gift Rs 50,000 to a couple opting for inter-caste marriage. The state cabinet on Tuesday took the decision with the view to abolish caste system in the state by encouraging inter-caste marriages, an official from CMO said. Earlier, the amount was Rs 15,000, he added.

The government would give a cheque of Rs 20,000 and invest Rs 25,000 in postal savings scheme, Indira Vikas Patra, in the name of the couple. The remaining amount would be given in form of marriage expenditure or household things, the official said.

The government has been implementing the scheme from 1958 and 50 per cent of the fund is given by the Centre.

Government of Uttar Pradesh : Times of India : 05-10-2009

Uttar Pradesh government will give cash incentive and interest-free loan to couples opting for inter-caste or inter-religion marriages to set up cottage industries, a national integration departemnt spokesman said here on Monday.

"On application, such couples may get interest-free loan of upto Rs 15,000 subject to approval by the district industries centre," he said.

The loan sanctioned will be payable after a period of two years in 10 equal half-yearly installments.

"Such couples will also get a cash reward of Rs 10,000 and a medal," the spokesman said.



Friday 1 January 2010

On Twitter

1st January ...
Today is Intercaste Marriage Day
www.pratibimb.info The only website promoting Intercaste Marriages in India brings to you more functions, facilities to make the cause more and more popular.

1. We added chat online facility on Pratibimb homepage. Now members (and even non-members) can chat with each other online using video chat link available in top menu-bar. This will help members to know each other very well and discuss out the things leading to proper decision.

2. We added Live Help on Pratibimb homepage. You can have your questions answered or doubts cleared directly from us before becoming member. You can chat with us (with Unmesh Bagwe or Shivaji Pawar, the administrators and owners of this site) one to one directly.

3. We created our twitter profile, where we can keep in touch with the world, its happening and twitting to spread the message around more forcefully. This will help us to get more and more admirers and supporters which in turn will make Pratibimb more popular and help in the cause of promoting and spreading awareness about intercaste marriages.

4. We have added bookmarking button AddThis on website. Please visit the site www.pratibimb.info and click to spread the word around by twitting or by connecting with Facebook or digging us....

We thank you for your support....