History

Institution of History to Modern Age Library

Historical Pune is well known as a seat of the Maratha Empire & also a beehive of intellectuals from almost all disciplines from the 16th century onwards. In 1818 the end of the Peshwa regime & the beginning of the British East India Company, up to 1860 was a period of twilight & transition in all aspects of the society viz. economics, trade& commerce, employment, education, social hierarchy, etc. This induced a need amongst the new rulers i.e. British Administration to induct modern education & modern governance. As a result, Sir George Clark, the Governor of Bombay ordered Judge Henry Braun of Bombay to establish a library at Poona to benefit the natives. Hence with the help of eminent scholars & gentlemen of social recognition from Poona established a library named Poona Native General Library at Budhwar Wada of Peshwas on February 7, 1848, i.e. Magha Shuddha 3, Saka 1769 Plavang name. This is present-day’s Pune City General Library at Belbaug Chowk, Laxmi Road, Pune at House No.181.

In establishing the library, eminent personalities namely Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade, Lokhitvadi Gopalrao Hari Deshmukh, Krishnashatri Chiploonkar, Prof.Kero Laxman Chhatre, Daji Neelkanth Nagarkar, Vishnu Parshuram Ranade, Sonya Bapu Mande, Vishnu Moreshwar Bhide & others took wholehearted efforts with toil & money.