Late Shri Ambadaspant Vaidya

Ambapuri – Amravati was Ambadaspant’s ‘Karma Bhumi’ i.e. place for his devoted work and also his birth place. His full name was Shri Ambadas Krishnarao Gore. Gore family particularly belongs to Belapur from Nagar District. Ambadaspant’s father Shri Krishnarao Ramchandra Gore was transfered to Amravati Principal of Muncipal School no .1 of old town near Laxminarayan Temple. He was known as Belapurkar that time. He was recognized as one of the best teacher and skilled administrator. Krishnarao was a proficient physician of the olden days hence he was been called as ‘Vaidya’ i.e Doctor by the people. Hence the name Belapurkar was renamed as Vaidya by People due to his medical practice.

Krishnarao’s wife name was Savitribai. They had 4 children. The eldest was Shri Anantrao alias Baburao. He was born in 31-12-1897. Shri Ambadaspant was born on 30-Aug-1902. They were having two sisters. Since childhood, Ambadaspant was interested in games, exercises, gymnastics etc. from his childhood itself he started his body building and completed his matriculation simultaneously. In the year of 1914, ‘Hanuman Club’ was started in the premises of Municipal primary school no. 1. His father’s motivation was always with him and also his elder brother and hence from their inspiration ‘Hanuman Club’ was started for the purpose to improve patriotism, discipline and also interest in sports among the youths and people. This stand of Ambadaspant also helped in serving the nation in the cause of Freedom movement.

When Ambadaspant decided to start ‘Hanuman Club’ where exercise and strength were to be practiced, he selected the place of a very rich merchant of Jabalpur named King Gokuldas. The place was surrounded by the temple of ‘Shri Dutta’ on one side and ‘Laxmi Narayan’ temple on the other side, as if the Club was blessed by God itself. Then it imerged full flourished as a Vyayam Shala near the famous ‘Amba Temple’.

In the year 1918-19, Hanuman club was renamed as ‘Hanuman Vyayam Mandir’ which then gradually formed an institute known as Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal alias as ‘Akhada’ or ‘Vyayam Shala’. The seed Ambadaspant bowed that time has been converted into a Giant tree whose branches are spread not only in Vidarbha but also in the India. It is said that ‘All glory comes from daring to began’. The glory of Shree H.V.P. Mandal is now spread in the world and is one of the renowned institutes.

Ambadaspant was not Ambadaspant by now, he became ‘WE’, he became the Institute, and he became Shree H. V. P. Mandal. Ambadaspant was Mandal’s and Amravati’s idol, inspiration and pride. He once saw a dream of one of the exemplary physical institution. This dream became the dream of city and to fulfill this dream the whole city ran along with him and is running continuously having no barriers, respite, class and no end even in his absence. ‘Ballam Upassav’ was Ambadaspant’s moral and ‘Aage Badho, Sabse Aage Badho’ was his slogan and his son Shri Prabbhakarrao Vaidya and other followers are running the institute with heights following his slogan.

His skill in ‘Gadgafari’ and ‘Lathi-Kathi’ was incomparable. His strength to accept the bullock cart full of people over his body was astonishing, and people used to admire his achievements. He also introduced to stop the fast coming vehicle with great determinations.

Mukundrao dictate that to play with Ambadaspant was a very great experience and was very special than to play with others. He never used ‘Dhal’ for protection only ‘Lathi’ was his main arm. In his older age also he was very swift and sharp in movements. We all used to be stunt to see his performance. Ambadaspant used to practice Kushti in his early days at Tukaram Akhada. In his entire life he never saw the face of defeat.

Those days i.e. freedom struggle days were very hectic and odd for such type of games like lathi-kathi, gadgafari, kushti (wrestling) etc. there were very few Akhadas in Amravati for practicing such games. In such odd situations also learning traditional exercises and knowledge of different arms was very challenging for Ambadaspant and he overcome this by not only learning but also tried to invent some new types to make it more attractive using his own logic, so that more and more youth should attract towards it. Doing all this he himself was his own teacher. He used Bands for exercises in groups, Dumbells, Lezims, Torches-Marching etc. so that it may look attractive. He wanted to make the Mandal’s Band as one of the best. He was fond of Circus. He used to watch the Circus for the purpose of listening to the music to implement in Mandal’s band.

This band of Vyayam School became one of the best in this area. Everybody along with some patriotic leaders appreciated it by just showering their blessings delightfully. Rani Rajwade and also Aruna Asafali invited this troop of band at the National conference in Madras.

Ambadaspant took lot of pains for making the life of a sportsman here at Akhada. He work hard for removing the flaws from the players, he looked after the player as perfectly physically fit and strong. In elegance the player should be optimum was his obstinacy. Ambadaspant once said that ‘Veer Vamanrao’ is my guru (Teacher). He used to call him ‘DADA’. I am blessed to be his Chela (Disciple). I was interested in games but ‘DADA’ helped me a lot how to devote and worship anything along with patriotism.

Ambadaspant participated in Gandhiji’s National Movement in 1920. To develop the nationalism in the minds of Youth he became the teacher at National School.

It is known to everyone that Martyr Shivram Rajguru spent his days in the HVPM’s premises during the period when he was underground. He always had faith in Ambadaspant. Also ‘Veer Sawarkar’ was impressed by his work and also the patriotism spirit of HVPM. Shivram Rajguru (Bapu) came to HVPM in 1926. Bapu was orthodox by nature and strict follower of Hinduism. But after joining HVPM he totally changed his mindset as HVPM was totally in favor of prejudice, socialism and anti communalism. Anybody could easily get influenced by these thoughts.

When the troops, from HVPM had been called for the arrangement at Faizpur Congress in 1936, Subhash Chandra Bose along with Congress leaders appreciated them. Shree H.V.P. Mandal was literally started with the mindset of Patriotism, Integrity and Unity. The Mandal always tried to modernize and systematize the traditional Indian system of exercises in such a way as would bring in bold relief the best and knowledgeable elements inherent in it. Ambadaspant was one of the “Moving Research Centre” of the Mandal. He always had some or the other innovative ideas in his minds and always introduced new traditions and strictly implemented it practically. Rhythmic grouping exercises techniques were first introduced by Ambadaspant not in India but throughout the World. People appreciated and accepted these techniques. And this is the main reason how the National Integration, Unity and Culture was quickly spread everywhere. This was Ambadaspant’s Educational Tradition.

In 1925, summer classes started in the Vyayam Shala to encourage the Indian youths and developed the spirit of nationalism in them. Martyr Rajguru was one of the followers. In these classes the discussions on things which will be beneficial to Nation for the freedom were going on. Different programmes for national movements were discussed and fixed. Ambadaspant’s blessings were always there with the Revolutionists and were patronage at school.

Mahatma Gandhi visited Vyayam Shala in 21 Dec’ 1926. This was the receipt to Ambadaspant for his working. Like Gandhiji, Subhashchandra Bose also visited Vyayam Shala in 1928. He appreciated the way school was encouraging youth for the physical education, along with the cultivation of nationalism in their minds. Patriot Pandit Ravishankar Shukla along with Pandit Dwarkaprasad Mishra and Shri Tamaskar demanded at least 200 volunteers to participate in 1930’s National Movement directly. In this movement many volunteers were imprisoned during this movement. Ambadaspant felt guilty about it since he was out. But then Veer Vamanrao Joshi his Guru convinced him that if he would have been jailed, that the working of the Vyayam Shala would have been stopped. Ambadaspant always kept the school away from the politics so that it was possible to help the patriots as well as revolutionists. Institutions aim was to help all the political parties without any discrimination and is going on so far.

To build Wrestlers, Weight-lifters and Gymnast was never the motto of Vyayam Shala. Ambadaspant always wanted that the youth coming at Akhada should also get some moral education and build moral behavioral values in them like Patriotism, Sacrifice, Hardworking, Sincerity, Loyalty so that these values may help them in their future life, to strive and that too through Physical Education. Hanuman Club was technically developed as Shree Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal in 1918. ‘Balam Upassav’ was its mission slogan and ‘Aage Badho Sabse Aage Badho’ was its Chant Slogan.

Ambadaspant dreamt of only one thing and that was of; ‘Healthy United Free India’ and he literally walked on this way despite of many ups and downs to fulfill the dream he saw, throughout his life. To fulfill his dream he started the Hanuman club with Physical games and exercises having the support of entertainment, and this cultivated the habits and interest in the coming young generations and also the youth automatically got enriched with all the good moral values. It was a Vyayam school for the others to see but internally it was ulterior from the British rule, that it was an institution where people with the thoughts of Nationalism and Social education were supported and decided upon the way of their freedom work.

Ambadaspant once wrote that ‘This institution is not building Wrestlers only but developing a youth with social and moral values by body and soul’. We are not working for our betterment but to enrich the people of India with good and proper health.

Vyayam School was started in 1918 under the Tamarind tree which was under the open sky. In 1918/1919 there was an epidemic of influenza in Amravati. Thousands of people died due this disease that year. There is a crematorium just behind the Vyayam School and the cremated bodies of the dead were easily seen from the school. This made Ambadaspant disturbed he was totally shaken with this. He then along with some volunteers visited each and every house possible for him with medicines, clothes and not only this he provided meals for the accused of this disease by his own hand. This shows the greatness of Ambadaspant which made him glorious in the days to come.

Vyayam School was started in 1918 under the Tamarind tree which was under the open sky. In 1918/1919 there was an epidemic of influenza in Amravati. Thousands of people died due this disease that year. There is a crematorium just behind the Vyayam School and the cremated bodies of the dead were easily seen from the school. This made Ambadaspant disturbed he was totally shaken with this. He then along with some volunteers visited each and every house possible for him with medicines, clothes and not only this he provided meals for the accused of this disease by his own hand. This shows the greatness of Ambadaspant which made him glorious in the days to come.

Ambadaspant used to wander ward to ward in the city to counsel the parents to send their pupil in the school. Ambadaspant was having a personality of great accomplishment and who was always away from the fame. He forwarded so many people but he himself always remained behind the curtain.

Ambadaspant always wanted that the youth should contribute in the freedom of India by learning the defense course and for this he wandered to Pune, Nashik, Baroda etc. and minutely observed the Military Training there and after little modification he implemented in the summer camp at Vyayam School on experiment basis.

Military means strict discipline, well dress, exercises in full torrent. To impress the youth with the military education, the parade was first started at Dasara ground on the occasion of Dasara by crossing the frontiers. It was started in the year 1930 and then other Indian games were involved in it to make the festival more impressive and attractive and this way the Dasara festival was celebrated every year at Dasara ground.

These activities at Akhada attracted the young generation towards the exercises and then on experimental basis these were performed on every Tuesday to avoid the nuisance created for ladies by the mischievous boys, who were coming in the Amba Devi temple to worship on Tuesday. These boys had awed from the students of Vyayam School. The citizens from the Amravati thanked Ambadaspant about this.

The fund was automatically developed by the people who used to come to Temple. This fund should be utilized for the development of Vyayam School was Ambadaspant’s will. He always said that the fund raised from public should not be freeze. It should be always used for the social welfare only. People quarrel for this money, hence it should be properly utilized and not for the personal use, it’s just a great sin.

In 1934 an Ayurveda Physician Nanasaheb Puranik, director of ‘Dhrutpapeshwar’ Medicine factory was called as a President to Akhada, donated four thousand rupees to Vyayam School. Ambadaspant utilized this donation for the development of Mandal’s ‘Saraswati Press’.

In 1924, Vyayam School was completely converted into Shree Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal. The work load of school was increased. Indian youth should be physically fit but side by side he should be keen witted, fast and smart in their activities, he implemented new techniques. From 1926 new regular batches were started.

The parade and exercise on the band was the main attraction of the city. He discovered newer techniques for the group exercise and an individual demonstration. He always thought whatever is with you should be given to others and make them wise. The one who stopped is finished was very well known to Ambadaspant. He always tried to reach the heights. In the field of gymnasium he wanted to create new second, third generation and fought for this.

Ambadaspant depicted that – ‘Mandal’ is always like a student who wants to learn more and more new techniques and it is not sticked to the old traditions. Hence HVPM is moving ahead. Mandal is away from this type of tradition and egoism and always makes changes in the education according to the requirements, up gradating and implementing new techniques as and when required.

Propaganda and expansion of the physical education was the main aim of the Mandal. To achieve the aim, branches of the Mandal were established at different places and also on regular or irregular basis the camps on physical education were organized, many organizations were started, wrestling camps were organized and wrestling matches were performed. To promote physical education on the school level the teachers were send to boys and girls school etc.