ABSTRACT
The non-Brahman movement, in particular, influenced economic change and institution building in the rural areas, especially in the realm of education. This movement had a variety of leaders, phases and objectives, which were not all unified, but in general it aimed at the betterment of castes that were outside the urban, high-caste elite, and it served as an ideological and institutional base for rising Maratha-caste leaders. The cooperative movement, encouraged by the Government of Bombay, might almost be considered another stream of the non-Brahman movement, since it gave many rural leaders experience at organizing and running new institutions. Shambhusingh Jadhavrao's support for the hostel helped legitimize demands for rural education and encouraged local leaders to promote education. The non-Brahman movement arose, in part, because leaders from middle and lower castes saw the nationalist movement as serving primarily the interests of the urban middle class.
