Life Work
After returning from England in 1903, he devoted his life to religious and social reforms. He continued his missionary work for the Prarthana Samaj. His efforts were devoted mainly to the removal of untouchability in India.
In 1905 he established a night school for the children of untouchables in Pune, and in 1906 he established the Depressed Classes Mission in Mumbai (Bombay). In 1922 the mission’s Ahalyashram building was competed at Pune.
In 1917 he succeeded in getting the Indian National Congress to pass a resolution condemning the practice of untouchability.
From 1918 to 1920, he went on to convening all the India untouchability removal conferences. Some of these conferences were convened under the president-ship of Mahatma Gandhi and Maharaja Sahyajirao Gaekwad.
His written communications with the Mahatmaji are noteworthy.
In 1919 he gave evidence before the South borough Commission, asking for the special representation for the untouchable castes.
In 1923 he resigned as the executive of the Depressed Classes Mission since some of the members of the untouchable castes wanted its own leaders to manage the mission’s affairs.
His work and association with the Mission continued even though he was disappointed by the separatist attitude of the leaders of the untouchables, especially under the leadership of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Like Mahatma Gandhi, he wanted unity amongst the untouchables and the Hindu caste, and feared that the British rule would take advantage of such divisions within Indian society and exploit them fo their own benefit.
In 1930 he participated in the Civil Disobedience movement of Mahatma Gandhi and was imprisoned for six months of hard labor, in the Yerawda Central Jail (prison) near Pune.
In 1933 his book Bhartiya Asprushyatecha Prashna ("India’s untouchability question") was published.
His thoughts and examination of the Hindu religion and social culture were similar to Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Dayananda Saraswati. In his writings, he rejects the caste system, idol worship, and inequities against woman and depressed classes. He rejected meaningless rituals, the dominance of hereditary priesthood, and the requirement for a priest to mediate between God and his devotees.
Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde died on January 2, 1944.
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