Who was Devidas and what was his role in Shirdi before Sai Baba's fame grew?

According to Chapter 5, Devidas was a very wise individual who had settled in Shirdi twelve years before Sai Baba arrived with the wedding party. He lived a simple life at the Maruti temple, wearing only a loincloth. He acted as a teacher, notably teaching Appa Bhill to read the Venkatesh Stotra from a slate and conducting regular lessons. His wisdom was so respected that prominent villagers like Tatyaba took him as their Guru, and other leading disciples bowed at his feet. This chapter establishes him as a significant spiritual figure in Shirdi before Baba's prominence was widely recognized.