The Lohar Community: A Sociological Study of Mobility in Higher Education in Satara District

Abstract

In Society, Higher education plays vital role in the 21st century. Higher education defines, ‘Higher education, any of various types of education given in postsecondary institutions of learning and usually affording, at the end of a course of study, a named degree, diploma, or certificate of higher studies (Britanica)’. 156 colleges offering various programs, including Arts, Commerce, Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Management. Key institutions include Government College of Engineering (Karad), Yashwantrao Chavan Institute of Science (Satara), Lal Bahadur Shastri College, Dnyanshree Institute of Engineering and Technology, Mudhoji College Phaltan and various polytechnics and specialized colleges for pharmacy, architecture, and more, serving numerous students across the district. The Lohar community in Satara district, Maharashtra, are traditional blacksmiths (iron-workers) involved in making and repairing farm tools (sickles, axes) and household items, often linked with the Vishwakarma lineage, worshipping Lord Vishwakarma, and while historically prominent in villages, they are part of the broader Maharashtra artisan class, sometimes identified as OBC or NT (Nomadic Tribes) like Gadi Lohar in specific contexts, with their presence seen in centres like Phaltan, Karad, Koregaon, Satara, and wai. The number of students are engaged in the traditional occupation so there is a smaller number of students goes to the higher education.