Balasaheb Desai

2021-09-25T12:22:05Z

84.167.81.194:

{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Balasaheb Desai
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1910|3|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Vihe, Tal Patan, [[Satara district|Satara]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date|1983|4|24|df=yes}}
| death_place = Mumbai,Maharastra
| constituency = [[Patan (Vidhan Sabha Constituency)|Patan]]
| constituency2 =
| office = Education Minister of Maharashtra
| office2 = [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Home Minister of Maharashtra]]
| term = 7 December 1960 – 27 November 1978
| term2 = 7 December 1960 – 27 November 1978
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| otherparty = [[Peasants and Workers Party of India]]
| spouse = Vatsalabai
| children = 6
| relatives = [[Shambhuraj Desai]] (grandson) [[Raviraj Desai]] (grandson)
| footnotes =
| date =
| year =
| source =
}}

'''Balasaheb Desai''' (born as '''Daulatrao Shripatrao Desai''' on 10 March 1910 in Village Vihe, [[Patan, Maharashtra|Tal Patan]], [[Satara district]]) was a leading politician and social worker from [[Maharashtra]], India and held important positions in the [[Maharashtra]] State Government as home minister, education minister, and cultural minister during the initial formation of the Maharashtra state.<ref name=Sarkarnama>{{cite news |title=CM on Balasaheb Desai |url=https://www.sarkarnama.in/cm-balasaheb-desai-14534 |publisher=Sarkarnama |date=August 11, 2017 |language=Marathi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=लोकनेते बाळासाहेब देसाई स्मारकासाठी एक कोटी दहा लाख मंजूर |url=https://www.esakal.com/paschim-maharashtra/marathi-news-satara-balasaheb-desai-memorial-one-crore-ten-lakh-102046 |publisher=[[Sakal]] |date=March 9, 2018 |language=Marathi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=विधानसभा चुनाव परिणाम |url=https://www.lokmatnews.in/elections/assembly-election-2019/maharashtra/patan/previous-result/ |publisher=[[Lokmat]] |language=Marathi}}</ref> He was instrumental in establishing [[Shivaji University]] in [[Kolhapur]] in 1962.<ref>{{cite news |title=लोकनेते बाळासाहेब देसाई यांनी सामान्यांचे जीवनमान उंचावले : डॉ. अरूण भोसले |url=https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/marathi/lokmanthan-epaper-lokmanth/lokanete+balasaheb+desai+yanni+samanyanche+jivanaman+unchavale+do+arun+bhosale-newsid-107671307 |publisher=Dailyhunt |date=February 1, 2019 |language=Marathi}}</ref>

== Career ==
Initially Desai started his law practice in [[Patan, Maharashtra|Patan]], [[Karad]], [[Satara district]]. In 1940 he campaigned for election to the District Local Board and was elected president. In 1952 he was elected as the [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLA) from Patan and was re-elected in 1957. In the same year he became a state cabinet minister. In 1960, Desai was Educational Minister of [[Maharashtra]] State. For children of the poor, those whose incomes were not more than Rs.1200/ per annum, he insured that they received an education through Economically Backward Classes (E.B.C.) facilities. In 1962 he became agriculture minister and in the same year he was asked to take on the responsibility of being the home minister.

In 1978–79 he was president of [[Maharashtra Assembly]]. He was the main minister in the bilingual state government of [[Bombay state]] as well as Maharashtra's government. He played a leading role in the [[Samyukta Maharashtra Movement]] and dealt firmly with any outbreaks of violence during their activities in Bombay.<ref name=Sarkarnama/>

In the history of Maharashtra government, Desai is seen as one of strongest home ministers to date. He took steps to make the Home and Police Department strong and reliable. He handled many critical situations during his term as home minister including the outbreak of violence by members of the Saymukta Maharashtra Movement in Bombay (now Mumbai).

On 11 Dec 1967 a disastrous earthquake took place in Patan. His tireless work to help the people of Maharashtra recover from the disaster was widely appreciated. He came to be known as a true leader of the poor. Journalist Pralhad Keshav Atre called him ''Loknete''.

He was elected MLA for his constituency three times and secured a place in the cabinet of the Maharashtra government. He was Speaker of [[Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha]] from 4 July 1977 to 14 March 1978.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/STATISTICAL/Maharashtra.pdf | title=MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE, MUMBAI | publisher=MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE, MUMBAI | accessdate=24 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221722/http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/STATISTICAL/Maharashtra.pdf | archive-date=3 March 2016 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Cooperative movement==
Desai established a sugar factory called ''Loknete Balasaheb Desai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana'' in Patan. This sugar mill was started as a [[cooperative]] to provide stability and the opportunity for growth for farmers in the region. Desai worked closely with leading cooperative leaders in Maharashtra such as: [[Yashwantrao Chavan]], Vasantdada Patil, [[Gulabrao Patil]] among others.

== Shivaji University, Kolhapur==
Desai was an educational minister in the first cabinet of Maharashtra government in 1960. He was instrumental in establishing Shivaji University in Kolhapur in 1962.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://kolhapur.nic.in/Htmldocs/svidyapeeth.htm | title=Shivaji Vidyapeeth | publisher=Shivaji University | accessdate=24 March 2016}}</ref> He also established Balasaheb Desai College of Arts and Science in 1969 at Patan.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://shambhurajdesai.com/prenasthan.aspx स्व.लोकनेते बाळासाहेब देसाई.] (in Marathi)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121204170939/http://www.bdcp.in/ Balasaheb Desai College]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081121195021/http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/langMove/samyukta.html The Samyukta Maharashtra Movemnet (1946-1960)]
* [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.140274/2015.140274.India-Whos-Who-1969_djvu.txt India Who's Who 1969]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai Balasaheb}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:Bombay State politicians]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 1960–1962]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 1972–1978]]
[[Category:Marathi politicians]]
[[Category:People from Kolhapur]]
[[Category:People from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Shivaji University]]
[[Category:Speakers of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Bombay State MLAs 1957–1960]]
[[Category:Bombay State MLAs 1952–1957]]

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Balasaheb Desai