OSMANABAD: City of Mahila Magic

Osmanabad, one of the oldest cities in Maharashtra is well known for its historical importance and most recently change in woman's status. Natural disasters affected the city and the people drastically, but women from Osmanabad changed and brought about a lot of positive changes through Mahila Mandal

Osmanabad in the historical sense, has much more importance as it has a lot of old temples and is the oldest city with a lot of sculpture art work and old forts. The district is also surrounded by Balaghat mountains and is at 600 meters up from sea level and it also has Bhoom. This village is considered to be the highest village at 760 meters height from sea level. There is also Paranda, which is also considered to be the lowest in height at 530 meters. 

History 

Osmanabad district is popular all over India due to Goddess Tuljabhawani. 

The historical name of the district is Dharashiv, which changed in year 1910 to Osmanabad. Until 1961, Naldurg was the head office of Osmanabad. From starting of fourteenth century Alladdin included this part in Delhi region. After the establishment of Bahamani state Osmanabad was included in that state. Then this part was included in Nijamshahi of Ahmednagar and Adilshahi of Bijapur, which was also under control of Moghuls. In the year 1724, Nijam of Hydrabad won this part British took this part due to Raichoon agreement in year 1853. It returned to Nijam in 1861 after freedom fight of 1857. In the year 1956, Osmanabad district from Marathwada region included in Mumbai state and from May 1 1960, it was included in Maharashtra State. At first there were 11 Talukas, Latur was one of the Taluka in Osmanabad District .On 16 August 1982, Latur a new district was separated from Osmanabad district. Osmanabad,Tuljapur,Omerga,Kallam,Bhoom and Paranda were the six talukas in Osmanabad District. 

Osmanabad is 238 km from Aurangabad. Osmanabad is renowned for its ancient monuments and archaological finds. The Chambhar and Dharashiv caves belonging to the 6th century are located 6 km from town. 

Women Power at Osmanabad 

The earthquake in 1993 in Osmanabad districts killed thousands and devastated many more lives. But in its wake, there have been seismic social upheavals - positive ones, for once. And it is now that the changes are becoming visible.

Many NGOs stepped in to provide relief and rehabilitation efforts. Women were placed as the nucleus of their efforts and it involved in setting up of women's collectives and helping them rebuild their homes and their lives as well. There were Mahila Mandals formed who started emerging as a pressure group of sorts and a force to reckon with. 

Women became members of the women's Savings and Credit Groups (SCGs) which transformed the lives of many women in several villages. 

From a time, many of its members - fearing their husbands' wrath - could not attend monthly meetings and paid their monthly membership fee on the sly. But now these mandals have emerged as nerve centers of women's empowerment.

Their economic stability has had a predictable impact on the age-old village system. Other equations have changed too: in over 200 villages in this district, women are at the centre-stage of development, playing an active part in matters concerning them. From liaison with the village panchayat (council) for schemes and galvanizing the idle panchayats, participating in village education committees, maintaining a check on ration shops and spearheading anti-liquor movements, these women's contribution has been a substantial one.

In Gandhora village for instance, the Mahila Mandal brought repeated pressure on the panchayat and together, the women have almost wiped out the alcohol menace. The mandal also took a lead in removing encroachments on the approach road to the village.

In Tugaon village, the panchayat had bungled in the allotment of houses for the low-income group and was forced to retract these allotments due to the mandal's pressure. Not just that, the mandal also ensured that the houses went to the intended beneficiaries.

Since the malfunctioning of the PDS (Public Distribution System) ration shops was a common complaint in all the villages, the Mahila Mandals have been monitoring the quantity and quality of products and ensure that shopkeepers issue receipts. This has often meant approaching government
officials or raising the issue when they come visiting.

Women here have also been very active on the education front. Right from ensuring that children are sent to school by parents to monitoring whether teachers are doing their job well, the members are active both through the mandal itself and by becoming members of the Village Education Committee, a sub-committee of the
panchayat.

In Chikondra village, women sat on a fast to protest against the lack of basic amenities in the village school building and ensured that things were set right within a week.

Such has been the level of women's involvement that in Gandhora village, the school headmaster sought the help of the women's group in approaching the government to carry out repairs to the school building! In many villages, the Mahila Mandals have instituted prizes for children who perform well.

Earlier women would never step into the school building and the Mahila Mandal had to hold 'haldi-kumkum' (socio-religious get-togethers, mainly for married women) programs in the school so that women came there.

It was not ordinary women alone who had to be drawn out but, in many cases, even elected women members of the village
panchayat. 

On the economic front, too, there has been a remarkable change. Many women have taken loans from the Mahila Mandal and bough a sewai (vermicelli)-making machine. With no one to explain how it worked, they figured it out themselves through sheer grit and determination. They have also repaid the loan.

IT business at Osmanabad

Osmanabad, is one of the smaller cities of Maharashtra. IT is not obscure as there is trade of IT peripherals happening on a minimal level. Products are obtained from neigbouring cities like Latur. Therefore repairing and warranty problems are addressed by distributors and vendors from the neighbouring cities. The dealers are all scattered across the city and cater largely to the home segment.

Some Resellers>>>>>

Shyam Devkattes CDAC Computers 

First Floor Gharnikar Building, Opp Dr Kadam Hospital, College Road Ahmedpur 413515 

Tel: 02381-63863 

E-mail: sdkatte@hotmail.com  

Amar Computer Centre 

Near New LIC office Keshav Nagar Ambejogai Road At post: Latur 

Latur 



Brilliant Computers 

Shahu Chawk Latur 

Tel: 2382-58299 

E-mail: altaf_73@rediffmail.com  

Cyber Computers 

OPP Parijat Mangal Karayala Ausa Road, Latur 

Tel: 02382-254277/246765, 02382-220444 

E-mail: rajupawar08@hotmail.com 

Friends' Computers 

Hashmi Complex In front of DCC, Bank Main Road, Ausa Tal. Ausa, Dist. Latur.
Latur 

Tel: 222215,2383-222450 

E-mail: amarfriendscom@rediffmail.com  

Satish Usture 

New Mondha Road Shivaji Chowk, Udgir  Latur Udgeer 

Tel: 02385-57734 

ITI Latur 

LV Deshpande Ausa Road At Post Tal Latur 

Tel: 02382-43009 

ITI Nilanga 

A R Sathe Bidar Road A/P Nilanga Latur,Nilanga 

Tel: 02382-49382 



ITI Renapur 

A R Sathe A/P Renapur,Latur,Renapur 

Tel: 02382-49382 

Bhise Infotech 

Padma Nagar,.Behind Ushakiran, Latur 

Tel: 02382-21467 

Micronet Computer Education 

Mahajan Complex Ravindranath Tagore Nagar,kanheri Road,Behind Rajashthan Vidyalaya
Latur 

Tel: 02382-252342 



Netizen Computers 

Near Water Tank Barshi Road,Latur 

Tel: 20819 

P L Government Polytechnic Latur 

Ausa Road Government Polytechnic,Latur,Ahmadpur 

Tel: 02382-42881 

Satyabhama Computer Centre 

Renapur Latur,Renapur 

Tel: 2382-254504 

Sharp Computer Academy 

Near Datta Mandir ChakurDistt-Latur,Latur,Chakur 

Tel: 02381-52490 

Shri Samarth Computer Education 

Chandak Niwas, Tal Murud,Dist.Latur ,Latur 

Tel: 02382-71192 

Skyline Infotech 

Shirolkar Building,Datta Nagar,Tal Nilanga, Dist Latur,Latur Nilanga 

Tel: 02384-43175 

Subhod Computer Education 

Devanand V Chirke Nanded naka,ear krupa Sadan English School,Latur 

Tel: 02382-52434 

Suyash Computer Education 

Shivaji Chowk, Dr Peddawad Bldg,Latur Udgeer 

Tel: 02385-59013 

Synergy Infotech 

Behind Income Tax Office sua Road, Dist.Latur,Latur 

Tel: 02382-45322 

Unique Computer Services 

Unique Computer Servcies,Chawale Niwas,Degloor Road ,Latur ,Udgeer 

Tel: 02385-253353 

Usha Computer Centre 

Deshpande Colony,Nandi Stop,Latur ,Latur  

Tel: 02382-54504 

Vidya Computers 

Near Bank of Maharashtra,Nanded-Bidar Road,Udgir, Latur ,Udgeer 

Tel: 02385-59659 



Visual Information Centre 

Shop #15, First Floor,Municipal Shopping Complex,Gandhi Chowk ,Latur 

Tel: 02382-42558 

Yashashri Computer Acadamy 

Shivaji Chowk,College Road Latur,Ahmadpur 

Tel: 02381-63482