Passionate Devotion thy name is PD
“PD is a one in a million person. He is always pleasant and mind-mannered. However worried or agitated I am, I always cheer up when I hear his soothing voice over phone. With his wonderful calm and negotiating skills, he has turned our wavering organisation around at times. PD is one of our biggest supports.” (Adapted from Naseema Hurzuk’s autobiography ‘The Incredible Story’ para 2 of page 161 Publishers: The Viveka Foundation, New Delhi )
Our President Pramod Deshpande is popularly known as ‘PD’. He came to Kolhapur as a probationary officer in a Bank in 1980. As a friend of Rajani’s brother, he joined the HoH mission in 1984. Today, HoH cannot be read without PD. If Naseema is heart, PD is soul of HoH.
While in the service of Bank, PD successfully managed the HoH work parallel to his office work for 21 years by burning midnight oil almost daily. His ability to think and act on many subjects at one time has come handy for HoH. He is born genius person very different in his approach to life and events. His successful marriage (1985-2017) with HoH founder Late Rajani Karkare, indifferent to praise or criticism, is best example in this regard. As the eldest son, he has pulled through his whole family from the bad times and placed both his brothers in respectable positions. PD, a heart-winner, has a rich collection of men from all spheres of life.
PD possesses an art to speak and listen to his own heart. He resigned from the post of ‘Senior Branch Manager’ in January, 2005, when he still had 15 years of the service left in his Bank, to contribute to HoH cause in a fuller way. He also works on a mission of youth development to make them employable and competitive. He has special interest in music and literature. He has successfully anchored many programmes and interviewed famous personalities as well.
To be able to tackle any moment of crisis or difficulty without losing peace, judiciousness and prudence is PD’s greatest strength. He is very innovative in ideas to make challenges easier. He is studious, industrious and conscientious person having finest skills in drafting, public speaking and debate. His earnest simplicity and friendliness, makes everyone who comes in his contact comfortable. His low profile attitude as well as calm and cool temperament makes him fit in any capacity within the Organization from a volunteer to President. His vigour for the cause is much above any designation in the Organization.
PD consciously remained behind the scenes all through since 1984. But at the present crucial juncture, he has taken over the reins and started leading HoH from the front. He considers the following as his immediate obligations –
(a) Reorienting HoH to its main basic objectives of comprehensive rehabilitation and effective inclusion of persons with disabilities;
(b) Inculcating trust, shared power, transparency, effectiveness, accountability and shared learning essential to collective leadership; and
(c) Putting a strong succession in place to take this crusade ahead.