Ratnappa Kumbhar

Dr Ratnappa Bharamappa Kumbhar (15 September 1909 – 23 December 1998), also called Deshbhakt Ratnappa Kumbhar, was an Indian independence activist from Ichalkaranji, who actively participated in the Indian independence movement. He was one of the persons to sign the Final Draft of the Constitution of India along with B. R. Ambedkar. He received Padma Shri award in 1985 (social work). He was Member of the Parliament, Member of Legislative Council and also worked as a Minister of Food and Civil Supplies in Maharashtra Government.

Biography Dr. Ratnappa Kumbhar was born into a Lingayat pottery family at Nimshirgaon village in Shirol tehsil.

Indian independence movement During his youth he was keenly interested in political and social work and mobilized support under the Praja Parishad banner against the local princely state rulers with Madhavrao Bagal and other associates like Dinakara Desai He and Desai were arrested on 8 July 1939. Kumbhar, Bagal, Desai and others were arrested and fined by Kolhapur State

Ratnappa Kumbhar died in the morning of 23 December 1998, at the age of 89.

The Deshbhakt Ratnappa Kumbhar College of Commerce college in Kolhapur is named after him. In Kamptee taluka of Nagpur district Mr. Ramdas Khopey established a school named after Deshbhakta Ratnappa Kumbhar.