Career
A prominent figure in the social and intellectual circles of Maharashtra, primarily Pune, Chiplunkar donated his land and funds, enabling Savitri and Jyotirao Phule to start the first girls schools in India in 1851 on Chiplunkar"s estate, including donating a building for the primary education of lower caste children in 1864, currently operating as the Bholagir School, Municipal School Number. 4. Chiplunkar built the Connaught House in what is known today as Sadhu Vaswani Chowk, where the Duke and Duchess of Connaught were given a red carpet reception. lieutenant was at this banquet, on March 2, 1888 where among the royal guests, dignitaries, industrialists and preeminent families from Bombay and Pune, Mahatma Phule chose to appear as a poor farmer wearing only a short dhoti, an old shirt, and worn out shoes.
He proceeded to make a stirring speech on the destitution of the untouchables and lower classes, encouraged the Duke to visit the villages of India and witness the pitiable conditions shared by nearly nineteen crore Indians living in abject poverty.
In the speech Phule also asked the Duke convey to Queen Victoria his message about emancipating the masses through education. Social reformer Savitribai Phule was present at Hari Raoji Chiplunkar"s funeral in 1896.
In 1991, the City of Pune, named the Hari Raoji Chowk commemorating Chiplunkar in Somwar Peth.
