B S Munje

Balakrishna Shivram Moonje (B. S. Moonje, also B. S. Munje, 12 December 1872 – 3 March 1948) was an Indian freedom fighter and a leader of the Hindu Mahasabha. Founder of Bhonsala military school nashik 1937

Moonje was born in 1872 at Bilaspur in Central Provinces (present day Chhattisgarh). He completed his Medical Degree from Grant Medical College in Mumbai in 1898, and was employed in Bombay Municipal Corporation as a Medical Officer on a handsome salary. He left this peaceful and dignified job to participate in the Boer War in South Africa through the Medical Wing, as the King's Commissioned Officer, because of his keen interest in Military Life. After returning from South Africa, he started his medical practice at Nagpur. He invented the method of operating on cataracts after testing his skills on dead bodies of goats. He also presented his thesis in a Medical Association but since it was dominated by British members he could not receive due credit. He could not pursue the claim afterwards since he got involved in social and political activities, dedicating his entire life to India's freedom struggle, thus leaving his stable Medical Practice at an early age. He was also a Sanskrit scholar.

Moonje was a prominent freedom fighter and a strong supporter of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The Congress Party’s annual session was held at Surat (Bombay province) in 1907. Trouble broke out between the "moderate" and the "extremist" factions of the Congress party over the selection of a new President. The extremists were led by the triumvirate of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipinchandra Pal (known as Lal-Bal-Pal). Moonje and his followers literally gave physical protection to Tilak when he was attacked by a few people throwing chairs and stones. From then onwards, the relationship between Tilak and Moonje became very close. Moonje toured entire Central India and collected funds for Tilak on many occasions. Moonje also introduced Ganesh and Shivaji Festivals in Central India and accompanied Tilak to Calcutta for this purpose. He was The General Secretary of Central Indian Provincial Congress for many years.

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