- India
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MANAGING Trustee of Shree Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan of Shegaon in Buldana district, Shivshankar Bhau Patil, died on Wednesday.
He was 81 and had been ailing for the past few days. He is survived by his wife, two sons, three daughters and a lot of followers.
Patil had brought the Shegaon shrine on the world religious tourism map by undertaking various developmental projects. He had also diversified Sansthan activities into areas such as education and health.
Devotees of Gajanan Maharaj, a revered saint from the last century, also respected Patil for his work at the Sansthan as well as for his gentle and humble demeanour.
Patil’s death has been condoled, among others, by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.
Describing him as an “embodiment of devotion and karma yog”, Thackeray said Patil’s management of the Shegaon shrine had become a subject of study for people from all over the world. “In his death, we have lost a karmayogi devoted to service of the people,” the CM said in his condolence message.
Fadnavis described Patil as a “dedicated social worker, a selfless karmayogi and a management guru”. “In his death, I have lost a personal guide,” said Fadnavis.