S. M. Joshi

S. M. Joshi

One of the most eminent forbearers of the socialist movement, whose entire life was a history of ceaseless labour and selfless work, be it journalism, literature, oratory, politics, or social work

Birth: 12th November 1904

Foreign rule came to an end; the country became independent; freedom fighters were accorded the status of God by the common man. To some this was life’s ultimate achievement and they rested in their laurels while to others it was only a milestone in their everlasting journey of serving mankind. These individuals, not content with the red-light government vehicles that were pressed in service for them, continued with their mission of service, driven by the fire that burnt in their hearts. One such selfless, focused and virtuous individual was S. M. aka Sridhar Mahadeo Joshi.

S. M. Joshi was born in Junnar in the district of Pune. His ancestral village was Golap near Ratnagiri. He was part of a large joint family. His father was the only earning member and hence they were barely able to make ends meet. This situation became worse as he grew up. His father passed away in 1915 leaving the family devastated. Even in these circumstances, he was passionate about learning and schooling and this fervour enabled him to continue his education with the help of various scholarships that he earned.

A mountain of personal hardships and barely able to afford even two square meals a day did not deter him from thinking about his country right from his childhood. His concern for the welfare of the society could be seen from the support he provided the weaker sections through the strength of his principles.

An incident here is worthy of mention demonstrating S. M. Joshi’s unwavering support to the marginalized sections of society – marginalized for inappropriate and irrational reasons. The English instructor in New English School wanted only good-looking students to sit on the front benches. Thus, he sent a student who had recently recovered from small-pox to the back-benches of the class during his period. This student carried the scars of the disease on his face. S. M. Joshi vehemently objected to this act of the instructor, insisted on the return of the student to his regular seat and ensured that the student was not made a scapegoat and victimized.

Everyone in the country was fighting for the country’s independence in his own right, within his means and by his own methods. The rays of hope were beginning to be seen by the man on the street through the unwavering efforts of the fiery fighters. S. M. Joshi was in awe of these efforts and the patriotic fervour that existed at that time. His political longings were aroused when he took part in the processions – first, when Tilak returned after the Tilak-Chirol case and second, in 1920, when Tilak passed away. The severe reprimands that he got in school on account of his participation in these processions were inconsequential and did not deter his resolve and aspirations. He began his fight for the country’s independence through the formation of the students organization in Pune and the coordination of the Youth League Conference in Mumbai.

S. M. Joshi held humankind above casteism and religious differences and rejected the diktats imposed by religious fundamentalists. In 1929, amidst thousands of protesting religious advocates at Parvati (Pune), he lead a fight against the practice of preventing the then untouchables from entering places of worship. In protest of the satyagraha these religious advocates held a congregation and S. M. Joshi had to concede in the face of the anger of the congregation. However, he was prepared to face any or all consequences in his fight for the truth and against injustice.

In 1930 he participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement and was sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment. During this period he came in contact with several senior national leaders and became acquainted with Marxism and Socialism. Herein lay the foundations of his involvement in the formation and involvement with the Congress-Socialist party. S. M. Joshi is known to have been the first person to have successfully spread the Socialist ideology in India and more specifically in Maharashtra. He is acknowledged as the most dedicated and ardent supporter of the Socialist movement.

He married in the year 1939 on 19th August. However, he was unable to devote time to his personal and family life given his political and social inclinations. He had dedicated his life to the cause of the country’s independence. His imprisonment for the rebellion against war, his participation in the Quit India movement and his involvement with the Rashtra Seva Dal, however, effectively caused neglect of his filial and family responsibilities.

He took an active part in the Quit India movement in 1942 and was imprisoned for three years, moving between Sabarmati, Nashik and Yerawada prisons. During this period he was privileged to have the company of Sane Guruji. Following his release, S. M. served as the leader of the Rashtra Seva Dal. At times, he had to continue his work while remaining underground. He familiarized the youth with the Nationalist ideology through the party camps, meetings and conferences. Through the medium of street-plays, he launched a tirade against untouchability and gender equality. The Rashtra Seva Dal street-play troupe over the years has had artists the likes of Vasant Bapat, Raja Mangalvedekar, Pu. La. Deshpande, Nilu Phule, Ram Nagarkar and Smita Patil. The main inspiration was of course S. M. Joshi.

Post independence, his political and social aspirations were met through his involvement with the Socialist Party, the Praja Socialist Party and the Samyukta Socialist Party. Prior to the establishment of Samyukta Maharashtra, he served as the representative of the then Bombay Province in the State Assembly in 1957 and then became a member of the Lok Sabha from Pune in 1967. Later, during the emergency, he campaigned for democracy. He played an active role in the setting up of the Janata Party but consciously stayed away from politics after the Party came to power.

This socialist stalwart was involved in many of the movements that took place post-independence. As the General Secretary of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, he was instrumental in uniting various political parties in Maharashtra during the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement that fought for a unilingual state. He was active in the Goa Liberation Movement as well as the Maharashtra-Karnataka border row. Creating worker unions was another facet of his socialist compulsions – be it the mill workers’ union in 1934 in Mumbai, or the metal workers union in Pune, or the defence production workers union or the Bank workers union. To these unions he gave his active support through hunger strikes, holding key posts, and providing direction and mentorship. He did not waver from the ideals of Gandhiji and did not neglect his diligence to the workers even as a Lok Sabha member.

S. M. Joshi was equally renowned as a journalist and writer. He ran the LokMitra daily for a while; provided leadership to the Mazdoor and Sadhana weeklies and took over the responsibility of running the evening daily Kartavya from Sane Guruji who had gone on a hunger strike in protest of Gandhiji’s assassination. Urmi (a collection of stories), Aspects of Socialist Policy and Mi, S M (his autobiography) are some of the books he authored. His autobiography encompasses the period from pre-Independence to the time of emergency and is a narration of his thought process during the various events that dotted his illustrious life-journey.

In spite of the several distinguished roles he played in several areas – journalism, politics and social work – he regarded himself, very humbly, as ‘the common man’. Unassuming, modest and selfless, he was truly, India’s most eminent forbearers of the socialist movement; a man who regarded the pursuit of truth as his noble path and democracy and social equality his life’s purposes.

Death: 01 April 1989

Vasantdada Patil

Vasantdada Patil


An intense patriot, capable party organizer and Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Birth: 13th November 1917

Vasantdada Patil was a prominent leader who was instrumental in giving the cooperative sector in Maharashtra a decisive direction towards development. His career that spans his work as a revolutionary and freedom fighter to his constructive work post independence, as a political leader who increased the strength of the party to an influential Chief Minister and leader of co-operative movement, is indeed overwhelming.
He was born in the small village of Padmale, Tasgav taluka, Sangli district. Vasantdada was elected as Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times between 1977 and 1985. In total, he has held the Chief Ministership for four years. He has also been the Governor of Rajasthan for a short span of time. He first became a Minister in 1972. Prior to that he got elected as a Member of Parliament representing the district of Sangli in the first election held in India in1952. Thereafter, he continued to represent Sangli in the House of People as well as House of Parliament for the next 25 years. During his political career he presided over various organizations such as the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank, the National Mill Workers Front and the Maharashtra State Congress. He gave special importance to his political party’s work. After Vasantdada, the Congress Party is yet to find a leader from Maharashtra who was so influential in strengthening the party. Political observers also note that it was thanks to his efforts that the presence of the Congress remained strong in rural parts of Maharashtra. It is said about Vasantdada that he was a political power who was never greedy for power.
As a leader of Maharashtra, Vasantdada’s decisions ensured positive and long term results for society. In 1983, he founded several medical, engineering and polytechnic institutes which worked on a non-grant basis. This produced revolutionary effects in the field of education. It facilitated educational opportunities for rural students as well as laid the foundation for educational and hence industrial progress. Vasantdada appointed a council by the name ofSatyashodhan Samiti under the leadership of renowned economist V. M. Dandekar to take a survey of the development related work in the State. It was through this council’s report that the terms like balanced development and Vidarbha-Marathwada backlog originated. In that period, he initiated important schemes like free state-transport facility for school children, free transport of Tiffin carriers for outstation students and cheap loans for farmers. The method ofPaani Adva, Paani Jirva (a slogan stressing the importance of creating a barrier to flowing water, allowing it to percolate) was first put forth by Vasantdada. The seeds of his socially beneficial decisions are seen in his patriotism and work as a revolutionary.
Vasantdada had joined the freedom struggle in 1930 at a very tender age. Four youth of Solapur became martyrs in the civil disobedience movement. In memory of these martyrs, Vasantdada quit drinking tea. He became even more active in the struggle after 1940. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, he participated in activities such as breaking phone wires, burning down post offices, damage railways and fire pistol bombs in Sangli district to intensify the revolt against the British. He went undercover for a short span during those times. He was imprisoned for three years. In 1943 he got shot in the arm when trying to escape from the prison and his incarceration was extended for attempting to break out. The people of Sangli, including the likes of Ramanand Bharti and Barrister Nath Pai, had held huge meetings and processions to protest against his imprisonment. Vasantdada, along with Krantisingh Nana Patil and Yashwantrao Chavan, was at the forefront of the freedom struggle in the Sangli-Satara region. Post independence, he was instrumental in taking away the arms from the hands of the freedom fighters and motivating them to do constructive work for free India.
Vasantdada’s most important contribution to the development of Maharashtra is the development and spread of the co-operative movement. Through the medium of the cooperatives, Vasantdada successfully attempted to achieve rural, agricultural and agro-industrial development. He propagated the growth of dairy and poultry industries in the State. He started various co-operative industries in the State like fertilizer factories, cloth mills, oil mills, paper mills, cement pipe factories, agricultural tool factories and other agro based small scale industries. In 1956-57, he founded the cooperative sugar factory. He himself had gone to the fields to teach farmers how to plant sugarcane. He insisted that the sugar factories should also produce other associated products along with sugar. He propagated the idea of allotting separate funds for education, health, other activities and basic facilities in the vicinity of their factories. It is because of this that there are developmental centres attached to sugar factories in the State. Vasantdada founded the Deccan Sugar Institute and encouraged research in that sector. The same institute has been named as the Vasantdada Patil Sugar Institute in his memory. Vasantdada is also largely responsible for the large network of small and big cooperative industries that we see in the State today.
Vasantdada Patil was honoured with the PadmaBhushan award in 1967 for his outstanding efforts in the cooperative sector. He was an elected representative since 1952, first became minister in 1972 and later got elected as the Chief Minister. His work in the cooperative sector between the years 1952-72 is considered to have been both the solid foundation and the cause of prosperity in that sector. It is noteworthy that this constructive work was at a time when he was not in a powerful position politically.
Vasantdada Patil could bring about development in Maharashtra thanks to his wide array of experiences dating from pre-independence and qualities like excellent memory, leadership skills, organizational skills, ability to unify people, decision making capability, accurate and complete understanding of rural life. Both of Vasantdada’s parents died on the same day in 1918 during the plague epidemic, leaving him an orphan at the age of one year. He was raised by his grandmother after that. In these circumstances he was unable to study for long. Despite this he was able to achieve outstanding success through his intrinsic capabilities, the fruits of which are being enjoyed by Maharashtra to-date. Hence he is also known as Maharashtra’s less educated yet most intelligent and efficient leader and politician.
Death: 1st March 1989

Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar

The National political leader who helped rapidly shape the all-round development of modern Maharashtra


From Konkan to Vidharbha, from North Maharashtra to West Maharashtra, from the villages to the Secretariat and the focus of talk in the corridors of Delhi politics, Sharad Pawar is the quintessence political leadership.

After Yashwantrao Chavan, Sharad Pawar is recognized as the next best known political figure from the State of Maharashtra. Born in a farming community in Baramati taluka at Katewadi, his political journey from here to becoming the Chief Minister of the State and holding several portfolios at the Centre, he is certainly an inspiration to many.

His political and social affinity is said to have come from his mother, Sharada Pawar, who was politically active in Pune prior to Independence. During the Sanyukta Maharashtra struggle, she hosted many a respected figure which may have influenced Sharad Pawar at the time.

His schooling was in a school run by Maharashtra Education Society. His success in debates / oratory; his initiative in organizing sports / outdoor / activities; his participation in the Goa Liberation Movement were all the early indicators of his formative leadership. He even held the post of General Secretary at Brihan Maharashtra Commerce College (BMCC) and represented the Student leadership at the college and university level. It was here that his association with the Youth Congress began and made an entry into party politics. The architect of modern Maharashtra, Yashwantrao Chavan, was his political mentor. Yashwantrao Chavan had recognized his leadership potential and consequentially Sharad Pawar’s journey included being the Head of the Youth Congress and part of the Pradesh Congress committee in the State. During this period, on his extensive tours of the State, he not only established contact with the common man but also with the respected people in the various fields of literature, arts, sports, social work and business.

Sharad Pawar became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) at the young age of 27 in the year 1967. He became a Minister in the year 1974 and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1978. He held this post for varying periods thereafter in 1988, 1990 and 1993. He, later, went on to become the Defence Minister at the Centre. Today, as the founder and President of the Nationalist Congress Party, he holds the Agriculture portfolio at the Centre.

Focused effort, perseverance, in-depth planning, discipline, ability to endure criticism and far-sightedness were some of his qualities that he displayed in his political journey of the past 40-45 years. Able administration, contact with the common man, flair for picking leaders among men, his direct interaction with the work-force are the qualities that characterize his political persona. From time-time, he has graduated people, based on their potential and propensity, into the National league. Dilip Walse-Patil, R. R.Patil, Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule are some examples of such people who stand out from Maharashtra.

Increase in pension pay for retired defence officers, orchard development scheme, development of co-operatives in the State, development of the sugar industry, the relief work during the Killari earthquake, his stance and decisions on reservations and empowerment for women, his policy and decision on under-privileged social sectors are some of the highlights of his political career.

He has always represented his home constituency of Baramati in Pune district in the Lok Sabha and in the State Legislative Assembly and has contributed to the development of the area through institutions like Baramati M.I.D.C., Vidya Prathisthan (an education institute), Krishi Vikas Prathisthan (Agricultural Development Institute) and Sharadabai Pawar College of Education.

His other interests has also seen him hold important positions in other fields like the President of the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha (an institution that professed welfare and happiness of the masses through education) and President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Katewadi te Mantralay, Sharad Pawar aani Me (by N. D. Manohar), Aamhi Pahilele Sharad Pawar (edited by Arun Shevte) are some of the books that attempt to unravel the personality of Sharad Pawar. May his political regime continue to be as successful as it has been in the past that has earned him the epithet of Jaanta Raja (the wise emperor).

BalaSaheb Thackeray

BalaSaheb Thackeray

A Hindu Hriday Samrat who channelized the energy of Marathi self respect into the development of Maharashtra

Birth: 23 Jan 1927

People born with a deep compassion for one’s land feel gratified and a great sense of worth in expending their life for the benefit of their land. Unfortunately, a community that gets used to one’s helplessness and poverty starts valuing money more than the love of one’s land. Even the riff raff begin to dream of power. It was when Maharashtra was in this state of affairs that the roar of the young Bal Keshav Thackeray, eager to work for his land, reached the minds of Maharashtrians and the ears of India. It challenged the dominance of outsiders and shook Maharashtra up.

BalaSaheb was born on 23rd January 1927 in Pune in a family that traditionally worked for awakening the community. At that time, his father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray alias Prabhodhankar (one who awakens) was burning the midnight lamp to awaken the community through his writing, oration and his constructive work. Prabhodhankar had launched an intense battle against unjust practices and traditions and caste discrimination. At the same time, he was making valuable contributions towards the United Maharashtra struggle. BalaSaheb inherited these qualities of awakening, progressive thinking and assertiveness from his father.

Initially he commenced his journey into social activism as an artist, by publishing his opinion on social and national affairs through his political cartoons. He started working as a cartoonist for the Free Press Journal in 1950. He also worked for a while with the illustrious cartoonist, R. K. Laxman. While working for the Free Press Journal, BalaSaheb also freelanced as an artist, cartoonist and advertisement designer for multiple organisations, periodicals and companies.

Later, BalaSaheb decided to quit working and start his own cartoon weekly. Accordingly, he started the weekly titled Marmik (subtle) in August 1960. It was his father Prabhodhankar who suggested the title Marmik for the weekly. It was the first Marathi cartoon weekly. The first edition of the Marmik was inaugurated at the hands of Yashwantrao Chavan, the then chief minister of Maharashtra. The illustrious Prof. Ananat Kanekar was also present at the occasion. BalaSaheb started the weekly with the intention of social development of Maharashtra and for awakening the self respect among Maharashtrians. Although United Maharashtra was successfully established, the Marathi community was yet being unjustly discriminated against in Mumbai. The Marmik voiced this issue in public. Through the medium of cartoons, BalaSaheb was the first who tried to make outsiders who came into Maharashtra harbouring disrespect against Maharashtrians toe the line. Since 1960, Marmik has been essaying an important role in guiding the Marathi community in important national and State level issues and historical happenings.

BalaSaheb reflected that the deformity that had developed in Maharashtra of discrimination and injustice against the Marathi community could not be eliminated merely through cartoons. There had to be a greater collective effort towards the same. With the intent of instilling the pride of one’s State, self respect and Shivaji Maharaj’s assertiveness into each Maharashtrian, BalaSaheb established the political party Shiv Sena on 19th June, 1966. He realised that though Maharashtra was progressive through the rich heritage of social reformers, the Marathi community was yet regressed. BalaSaheb’s minute observation determined that though there are excellent facilities in Maharashtra, the Marathi people are impeded, though there are industries in Maharashtra, the Marathi people are unemployed and though there is wealth in Maharashtra, the Marathi people are poor. Though Maharashtra is respected throughout the nation, the Marathi community is disrespected in his own State, especially in Mumbai, the State’s capital. BalaSaheb enlightened Maharashtra of this contradiction through the Shiv Sena. The Marathi community became organised through this medium. Shiv Sena’s first public meeting was held at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on 30th October, 1966. Approximately five lakh people attended this meet. It was through this meet at the historic Shivaji Park that BalaSaheb established his relationship with the massive congregation of Marathi people. From that day onwards, citizens, political leaders, journalists and scholars have a keen ear tuned in towards the messages that BalaSaheb delivers from time to time from the podium at Shivaji Park.

Along with oration, poignant writing is also one of BalaSaheb’s vital talents. His writing displays the influence of the great social reformers, Prabhodhankar Thackeray and Acharya Atre. Besides, he also has the piercing, selective observation that makes a good cartoonist. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Samna isn’t simply the Shiv Sena’s party magazine but is in fact the voice of all Maharashtrians. The entire Maharashtra eagerly awaits BalaSaheb’s editorials in the Samna.

Initially popular in the urban cities like Mumbai and Thane, Shiv Sena’s popularity soon spread like wild fire into remote rural villages. The party started capturing important political positions in urban and rural area alike, like Corporator, Mayor and people’s representative at all administrative levels. Later, an alliance was formed between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by BalaSaheb and Pramod Mahajan, the then leader of the BJP. Through the concerted campaigning and touring by Shiv Sena’s leaders, the Shiv Sena- BJP alliance came to power in 1995. Manohar Joshi became the first Chief Minister of this rule of Maharashtra by the Maharashtrians. It was the first non-Congress rule in Maharashtra. This transfer of power from the generations-old Congress party became a reality only through the efforts of Shiv Sena leader BalaSaheb Thackeray.

Along with his intense pride of Maharashtra and love for Mumbai, BalaSaheb also staunchly expressed his opinions on Hindutva. He openly vouched for deporting terrorists who indulged in bombing and other disruptive activities. He objected to the favouritism displayed towards the Muslim community in the hope of capturing their vote bank, while assuring that he had no bone of contention against the nationalist Muslims who considered India as their country. He publicly questioned the efficacy of providing special facilities, which weren’t even provided by the Muslim dominated Arabic countries, to the Muslims in India. It is this staunch, open and unmistakable perspective that justifies his being called a Hindu Hriday Samrat. The proclamation Garv Se Kaho Hum Hindu Hai (Let us Declare Ourselves Hindu with pride) was given true meaning in Maharashtra through the efforts of the Shiv Sena.

BalaSaheb ideated many programmes and projects which have been successfully implemented like the Zunka-Bhakar Centre scheme (providing a healthy subsidised meal through kiosks strategically located in cities), a chain of Old Age Homes, special facilities for the old, housing for the slum dwellers, the Mumbai – Pune Expressway, flyovers in Mumbai, reverting of the name Bombay to Mumbai, etc. He also initiated the protest against culturally destructive western festivals like Valentine Day, agitations against the power play by outsiders to Maharashtra and against infiltrators from Bangladesh.

BalaSaheb never indulged in caste discrimination in politics. He also gave wings to the dreams of youth, which is why Marathi youth of different castes were able to get and continue to get powerful positions. This is the major difference between the Shiv Sena and other political parties, and BalaSaheb and other political leaders.

BalaSaheb never indulged in caste discriminative politics, power play under the guise of establishing co-operatives and sugar industries and the shrewd traditional politics of Maharashtra. BalaSaheb set forth on his mission through influencing the youth with the pride of Maharashtra, understanding the needs and thoughts of the masses and unequivocally stating this through oration and initiating multiple agitations through aggressive congregation of masses. BalaSaheb moulded innumerable great leaders like Manohar Joshi, Sudhir Joshi, Late Pramod Navalkar, Madhukar Sarpotdar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Suresh Prabhu, Late Anand Dighe, Dattaji Nalavade and Neelam Gorhe. He also had a lion’s share in moulding both Uddhav Thackeray, the current Executive President of Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray, the President of Maharashtra NavNirman Sena. Giving appropriate guidance to the politics of power without holding a seat of power is also BalaSaheb’s unique method of politics.

Many leaders come to power and go. Elections, campaigning, position, wealth and finally one’s own statue installed somewhere– this is where the politics of most leaders start and end. But there is never an end to a warrior who expends his life for the benefit of society. BalaSaheb Keshav Thackeray, the Chief of Shiv Sena, is one such warrior.

A vociferous protest of Marathi dissatisfaction and joyous outcry of Marathi pride is the voice of BalaSaheb, the Chief of Shiv Sena. There are only two things which burn perennially in the hearts of each person who is born in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The first of these is the feats of valour of Shivaji and the second is the aggressive, inspirational oration and ideologies of Hindu Hriday Samrat BalaSaheb Thackeray.

Yashwantrao Chavan

Yashwantrao Chavan

The first Chief Minister of United Maharashtra and the Architect of modern Maharashtra

Birth: 12th March, 1914

Yashwantrao Chavan is best defined as the Architect of Modern Maharashtra. In a career spanning 40 years, Yashwantrao’s invaluable contribution was guiding the politics of Maharashtra in the right direction in a balanced and non-discriminative manner. He has always been described as a sponge for knowledge, highly creative, cultured and intellectual leader and a disciplined statesman who dealt with everyone including the opposition respectfully.

It was on the strength of his qualities that he inconceivably traversed from the son of a poor farmer to a national leader. Yashwantrao was born in Devrashtre village in Satara district in 1913. It was his mother Vithabai who nurtured and groomed him. In the pre-independence period, during his school days at Karad, Yashwantrao was imprisoned for 18 months for hoisting the tricolour. After completing his education in law, despite having recently married he was at the forefront in Satara during the Quit India movement. He spent another two years in prison for these efforts.

He was elected the first Chief Minister of the bilingual State of Bombay formed in 1956. When Bombay was annexed into the newly formed United Maharashtra on 1st May, 1960, he was once again elected as the first Chief Minister. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, appointed him as the Defence Minister during the war with China in 1962. This can be considered as the pinnacle of his career. Later, he also completed terms in several other capacities such as the Vice President, Home Minister, Finance Minister and Foreign Minister. He was the leader of the opposition during the Janata Party’s rule in the years 1977-78. Later he also headed the central Finance Ministry.

It can be said that the roots of the economic, financial and cultural development of the State of Maharashtra can be found in the immense work done and the critical decisions taken by Yashwantrao Chavan during his years in charge. Few important examples of the work done by Yashwantrao Chavan are as follows:

Initiation of the 3-tier system of Panchayat Raj (Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat)
Initiation of the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and the Five Year Plans at the State level.
Propagation of the bunds at Kolhapur and facilitation of work at the dams of Koyna and Ujni.
Foundation of 18 sugar factories and support to the co-operative movement
Foundation of the Marathwada (now Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University) and Shivaji Universities
Major contribution in the conceptualization of the foundation of Agro Universities in the State
Foundation of the Marathi Sahitya Sanskruti MahaMandal and VishwaKosh Mandal
Had Yashwantrao not entered politics, he would definitely have made an excellent litterateur. He shared good bonds with the likes of TarkaTeerth LakshmanShastri Joshi and the distinguished Sanskrit and Hindu scholar and N. D. Mahanor, the well known poet. He would regularly attend poem recital concerts. His literary ability is evident in his books like Krishnakath and Runanubandh.

Today, thanks to the contribution of Yashwantrao Chavan, the State of Maharashtra stands out in various fields of national importance.

Death: 26th November, 1984

Comrade Shripad Amrut Dange

Comrade Shripad Amrut Dange

(1899-1991)

Birth: 10 October 1899                         Death: 22 May 1991

Shripad Amrut Dange was a founding member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and a stalwart of Indian trade union movement.

Dange was born in a family of Deshastha Brahmins, a sub-caste of Brahmins, in Nasik. He was expelled from college for organizing a movement against compulsory teaching of the Bible. Early in his life Dange was exposed to conditions of workers when he undertook voluntary work in the textile mill areas of Mumbai. Dange was drawn into active politics by the fervor of nationalist movement against the British rule in India. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the earliest proponent of Swaraj (complete independence) greatly inspired young Dange. Later when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, Dange gave up his studies and joined the Independence movement.

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Dange became interested in Marxism. Dange grew increasingly skeptical about Gandhism; especially of Gandhi's promotion of cottage industries, as the sole solution for India's economic ills, while overlooking possibilities of modern industrial economy. He also disliked what he believed was an excessive emphasis on religious and moral considerations and reliance on the goodwill of individuals to effect change. He came to believe that only a revolution involving the solidarity of the workers, peasants, and army could bring down foreign rule and with it, capitalism.

Dange bought the English weekly, Socialist, the first Indian Communist journal, in 1922. In 1925 he became one of the founders of the Communist Party of India (CPI). Dange was arrested on several occasions, including the 1929 Meerut Conspiracy case, and spent most of 1924 to 1942 in jail, where he attempted to continue political activities even though the Communist Party was banned by 1939. In 1943 he was elected president of the All India Trades Union Congress (AITUC) in recognition of his work.

Dange was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly as Communist candidate in 1946, and became chairman of the CPI. He was elected to the Second Lok Sabha in 1957 from Bombay City (Central) Constituency of the State of Bombay. Dange along with S.M. Joshi, N.G. Gore and P.K. Atre fought relentlessly for Sanyukta Maharashtra, a struggle that cost a lot of lives. Finally on May 1, 1960, pre-dominantly Marathi-speaking State of Maharashtra was born. Later, disputes within the party over the Sino-Indian War of 1962, when Dange supported the position held by Jawaharlal Nehru, and the scandal of the so-called Dange Letters, which suggested that Dange had betrayed the party in return for release from prison, led to the breakaway of leftists who then formed the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Dange resigned from the chairmanship of the party in 1978.

Dange is regarded as a pioneer of the trade union movement in India, as well as one of the key figures in Indian Communism. He was more a practitioner than a Marxist intellectual. He also published his major work, India from Primitive Communism to Slavery, a Marxist analysis of Indian history, in 1949.

Dange died at a Bombay hospital on May 22, 1991. He was given a State funeral by the Maharashtra State government. He was survived by his wife Ushatai and daughter, Roza Deshpande. On December 10, 2004, The Indian Parliament honoured him when Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India unveiled his statue along with other left leaders such as Acharya Narendra Deva and A. K. Gopalan in Parliament House. The 9-feet high bronze statue of Dange, sculpted by Vithoba Panchal, has been donated by the labor organization, Shramik Pratishthan, Mumbai.