INTRODUCTION

"Prajwalita Dynamaya Pradipah"

Today VPM is a pioneer-educational institute in Thane, enthusiastically and zealously catering to the basic needs of education of students everyday through its Marathi and English medium schools located in Naupada and the colleges situated near Thane Railway Station.

If one looks back at this stage he can see the hardships aced byy the earlier members to nurture this institute. Thus, taking into consideration the need of education. One person staying in the Brahmins Society came forward to provide education to some of the locality. In the year 1932, on an auspicious day of Gudhi Padwa, the above mentioned person named Mr. T. R. Ghanekar laid the foundation by starting a primary school with five children. The school was held in Brahmin Society at Shri. Rambhau Sahsrabudhe's residential. Both Ghanekar and Sahasrabudhe received an active and continuous support by Late Shri Pendse, Karve, Sathe, Bhakamkar and Phadke. The efforts proved successful and the tiny school of Shri Ghanekar soon became the 'Registered Private Marathi School'.

As the students increased in number then the existing school coudn't accomadate them - so the school had to be shifted from - Saasrabudhe's place to Ghanekar's house - then to the office of Brahmin Society, then to Ghanekar's Chawl on 13th June 1957 it was also decided to construct 3 class-rooms in the buffalo-pen which was in front of the school. In the buffalo-pen Vth and VIth standard classes were started with the partition of gunny bag curtains.

Dr. V. N. Bedekar and his colleagues Shri. Gunekar Joshi, T.M. Phadke, P. Savlaram, Vasant Taskar, Prof. K.G. Kunte, Bhagwat and V.R. Paranjpe took over the charge of the Mandal. Then Dr. Bedekar was elected as the president on September 1957. He was enthusiastic full of vigour and zean to run the institute. The spirit of hardwork in him and his guidance inspired and motivated his team to work hard.

Immediately after taking over the charge, the member prepared the constitutions for the Mandal. In 1959 on Dassera, foundation stone for the first building was laid by Shri. S. M. Joshi. The land for the same was acquired from shri. Bhargavram Gokhale. The secondary and leadership of the Vice President Shri. D.W. Tillu. As Dr. Bedekar Vidya Mandir (which included Primary and Secondary Sections). In 1960, In first batch of the secondary School appeared for the S.S.C. Examination and the result of the batch was 85%.