[ PAPER ID: 72507 ] PEOPLE’S MOVEMENTS AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION IN MAHARASHTRA (1930–1960) A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
ARTICLE INFO: Date of Submission: Oct 30, 2025, Revised: Nov 27, 2025, Accepted: Dec 05, 2025, https://doi.org/10.56815/ijmrr.v4i4.2025.214-220, HOW TO CITE: Waydande Devidas (2025). People’s Movements and Social Transformation in Maharashtra (1930–1960) a Historical Perspective. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research & Reviews, 4(4), 214-220.
Abstract
The period between 1930 and 1960 represents a transformative phase in the history of Maharashtra, marked by intense popular mobilization and farreaching social change. This era witnessed the convergence of nationalist struggles against colonial rule with region-specific movements addressing agrarian distress, labor exploitation, caste oppression, gender inequality, and linguistic identity. People’s movements during this period played a decisive role in reshaping political consciousness and redefining social relations, making Maharashtra a critical site for examining the dynamics of mass mobilization in modern India. This paper examines the nature, scope, and impact of people’s movements in Maharashtra from a historical perspective, focusing on how collective action contributed to social transformation. It analyzes major nationalist movements such as the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement alongside peasant struggles, labor movements, Dalit and anti-caste mobilization, women’s participation, and cultural activism. Particular attention is paid to the leadership of figures such as B. R. Ambedkar, whose interventions reoriented mass politics toward social justice and equality, and to the role of grassroots activism in shaping political outcomes. The paper also explores the long-term consequences of people’s movements, including the expansion of democratic participation, the growth of social justice consciousness, and the institutionalization of reform through legislation and state reorganization. At the same time, it critically examines the limitations and contradictions of mass mobilization, such as internal divisions, uneven outcomes, and the persistence of social inequalities.
