Gangadharrao Deshpande

Gangadharrao Balkrishna Deshpande (31 March 1871 – 30 July 1960) also known as Lion of Karnataka, Khadi Bhageeratha of Karnataka, Deshpande served as Chairman of Karnataka branch of All-India Spinners' Association, and the All India Village Industries Association for some years. Deshpande was largely responsible for the installation of Premier of Bombay, B. G. Kher.

Political work Deshpande's work during the Swadeshi Movement of 1905-1906 centered around the boycott of British goods, encouragement of locally produced (swadeshi, स्वदेशी) goods, promotion of national education, and opposition to the partition of Bengal.

Deshpande invited Mohandas Gandhi to a political conference at Belgaum in 1916, so that Gandhi could meet Lokamanya Tilak.

Deshpande supported the Non-Cooperation Movement. Freedom fighters Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu, Motilal Nehru, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Annie Besant, Shaukat Ali, and R H Kulkarni were also present on the occasion.

Deshpande started a khadi unit at Kumari ashram near Hudali, the first khadi unit in Karnataka. Deshpande went from village to village to create awareness about the khadi movement. This work was later continued by Pundalikji Katagade.

Gangadharrao Deshpande Memorial and Museum at Belgaum The Department of Kannada and Culture, Smart City, Rani Chennamma University and other organizations will be building Gangadharrao Deshpande Memorial and Museum at Ramathertha City Park in Belgaum, for which The Belgaum Urban Development Authority has sanctioned 1,500 square meters (15 ) of land.