Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth Akola

In the mid 1960s, Maharashtra government decided to establish Agricultural Universities. One such location was at Akola in Vidarbha, where there was already a functioning Agriculture college since 1905. However, leaders from Western Maharashtra prevailed on the Maharashtra government to shift it Rahuri in Western Maharashtra. As a result, Government of Maharashtra shifted the State Agril. University to Rahuri in Western Maharashtra by end of 1966. This led to an inprecedented student protest in Akola, and provoked an angry response from citizens of Vidarbha, who viewed it as one more act of discrimination against them. It may be remembered that on November 1, 1956, a part of Madhya Pradesh consisting of 8 districts of Vidarbha had been merged against the local people's wishes and the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission into the erstwhile State of Bombay, which was later transformed in the State of Maharashtra on May 1, 1960. The people of Vidarbha resented this merger, and saw the shifting of the Agriculture Iniversity from Akola to Rahuri as an act of deliberate discrimination and favouritism. On 17 August 1967 in Akola, thousands of people demonstrated against this government's decision finally resulting in of the massive violent agitation of the Students in which 9 students were shot dead by the police. The agitation ended after the government of Maharashtra relented not to shift the Agricultural University to Rahuri. The agitation also marks the beginning of Jambuvantrao Dhote's period in Vidarbha's statehood struggle. Finally the Agricultural University at Akola was started on 20 October 1969. It was named after the illustrious son of Vidarbha Dr. Panjabrao (alias Bhausaheb) Deshmukh, who was the Minister for Agriculture, Government of India, as Panjabrao Krishi Vidyapeeth. It was renamed as Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth from 15 November 1995. College of Agriculture, Nagpur located in heartland of the city is one of the 5 oldest Agriculture colleges that started in 1905.