Who was Chand Patil and what was his role in Sai Baba's story?

Chand Patil was a fortunate Muslim man from the village of Dhup in the Aurangabad district. His story is central to the account of Baba's return to Shirdi, as explained in Chapter 5 of the Shri Sai Satcharitra. While searching for his lost mare, he encountered Sai Baba, who appeared as a Fakir under a mango tree. Baba miraculously helped him find his horse. This encounter was pivotal because Baba subsequently traveled with Chand Patil's wedding party to Shirdi. Thus, Patil was the instrument through whom the 'hidden gem' of Baba was re-discovered and brought back to Shirdi.