Vijay Vasant Ghotge

Born to Shri. Vasant Ghotge and Smt.Indira Ghotge in Ichallkaranji on 10th july1939 ,Shri. Vijay Ghotge began his beautiful journey . He completed his primary education from Ichallkaranji and his decision to become an architect guided him to Mumbai for his further studies. Graduating from Sir J J School of arts ,as an architect,he decided to start his firm ARCHITECTSUNITED, in pune. For this venture he partnered with his peer Shri. Abhay Sharma a devout follower of the Prarthana Samaj. . Due to the very principled ideas of both the partners ,the firm grew in leaps and bounds soon, and is now run by the second generation successfully.

The close relation with the Bhandarkar & Sharma family introduced Shri. Ghotge to Prarthana Samaj and its principles.He was an individual with a practical thinking process right from the beginning.
With due respect to his parents whom he doted , Shri. Vijay Ghotge became a member of the Prarthana Samaj in 1965 and accepted the Brahmo way of life .His wife Smt. Sudha Ghotge supported him all through and willingly and both worked in same direction in running their family.

Shri Vijay Ghotge conducted several Upasanas, organized Utsavs, Brahmo conferences, performed Keertans and conducted services on occasions of weddings, births, deaths in the families of Samaj members. He also gave sermons in Bombay Prarthana Samaj, Wai BrahmoSamaj, and elsewhere; He served the Central Council of Brahmo Samajes as Secretary for some time. He worked as Treasurer, and Trustee of Pune Prarthana Samaj for several years. Later he also became a member of Bombay PrarthanaSamaj.

Vijay Ghotge was a member of the committee who brought out the 9th edition of the book ‘Prarthana Sangeet’ published by Bombay Prarthana Samaj. He was a co-organizer of the ‘Refresher Course about the Origin and Evolution of Brahmo Samaj and Brahma Dharma’ conducted by Acharya Sitaram Brahmam.

He was a devout Prarthana Samajist. Extremely loving,he was gifted with a studious nature and a creative mind. Vijay Ghotge took a great initiative in bringing out a Marathi/Hindi Bhajan audio cassette in 1991 and Marathi ‘NityaPrarthana’ audio cassettes with a booklet for children in 1999. He was always immersed with devotion while performing upsanas and singing bhajan. He passed on these ripples of devotion to many people who eagerly attended his upasanas.

His untimely demise on January 11, 2003, was a setback to the family and the Samaj. The services rendered by Vijay Ghotge will remain as a very fond memory in history of Pune Prarthana Samaj.

– Sudha Vijay Ghotge , Dr. Dilip Joag