Nagpur: Veteran former Congress MLC Baburao Tidke died on Sunday morning after a prolonged illness. He was 85.Tidke, the founder-president of Shriram Gramin Vikas Shikshan Sanstha, devoted much of his life to bringing rural and backward-class students into mainstream education. He set up an education campus at Mouda in Nagpur district, where he founded an engineering college named after one of his closest associates, the late former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh. Tidke is widely regarded for his work in strengthening the cooperative movement in Vidarbha.CM Devendra Fadnavis said Tidke had given direction to Nagpur’s politics and done notable work in education and cooperation and that many now active in public life had been groomed under his guidance. “With his death, we have lost a genial personality,” Fadnavis said, recalling that he had attended a felicitation for Tidke’s 85th birthday a few months ago.Union minister and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari, who called Tidke a personal and family friend, said his contribution to Vidarbha’s social, political, educational and agricultural life had inspired many. “His simplicity, affable nature and devotion to society will always be remembered,” Gadkari said.Revenue minister and Nagpur guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule described Tidke as a man without enemies, who had earned respect through his work in cooperation, education and social service. His ideal of public service would keep guiding future generations, Bawankule said.Baburao Tidke is survived by his wife and two sons, Prasanna and Prashant.
