Rozella5628 at 01:51, 25 February 2026

2026-02-25T01:51:00Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Short description|Indian politician (1923 – 1997)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jawaharlal A. Darda
| honorific_suffix = 'बाबूजी'
| image = Jawaharlal Darda 2022 stamp of India cr.jpg
| order =
| office = Member of [[Maharashtra Legislative Council]]
| term_start = (1972–1978), (1978–1984), (1984–1990), (1990
| term_end = 1996)
| predecessor =
| successor =
| constituency =
| office2 = President of the Yavatmal City [[Indian National Congress]]
| term_start2 = 1946
| term_end2 = 1956
| office3 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister3 = *Energy,
*Sports & Youth Welfare.
| term_start3 = March 1978
| term_end3 = July 1978
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| office4 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister4 = *Industries
| term_start4 = June 1980
| term_end4 = Jan 1982|
| office5 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister5 = *Irrigation,
*Tourism,
*Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.
| term_start5 = March 1985
| term_end5 = June 1985
| office6 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister6 = *Energy,
*Tourism,
*Cultural Affairs,
*Irrigation and Excise Duty.
| term_start6 = June 1985
| term_end6 = March 1986
| office7 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister7 = *Public Health,
*Medical Education,
*Family Welfare & Medicine.
| term_start7 = June 1988
| term_end7 = March 1990
| office8 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister8 = *Textiles,
*Food and Civil Supplies,
*Environment,
| term_start8 = Jan 1991
| term_end8 = June 1991
| office9 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister9 = *Textiles,
*Food and Civil Supplies,
*Environment.
*Urban Development.
| term_start9 = June 1991
| term_end9 = Feb 1993
| office10 = Cabinet Minister [[Government of Maharashtra]]
| minister10 = *Industries.
| term_start10 = March 1993
| term_end10 = March 1995
| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|7|2}}
| birth_place = Babhulgaon, [[Yavatmal district]], [[Maharashtra]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1997|11|25|1923|7|2}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], Maharashtra
| spouse = Veenadevi
| children = [[Vijay Jawaharlal Darda|Vijay]] & [[Rajendra Jawaharlal Darda|Rajendra]]
| alma_mater =
}}

'''Jawaharlal Amolakchand Darda''' (2 July 1923 – 25 November 1997), known popularly as ''' Babuji''', was an Indian freedom fighter and a senior [[Indian National Congress]] politician.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=4 September 2012|title=Who is Vijay Darda?|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/who-is-vijay-darda/story-cf6SZazEOhxldr3ObjZgnK.html|access-date=9 October 2021|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> He is the founding editor of [[Lokmat]] group of newspapers (now [[Lokmat]] Media group). He was a pioneering journalist and a prominent politician of his time.<ref>{{Cite web|date=9 September 2012|title=The Barons of Nagpur|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/the-barons-of-nagpur/|access-date=11 October 2021|website=The Indian Express}}</ref>

== Career ==
Darda began as a social worker and then, inspired by [[Mahatma Gandhi]], participated in the [[Satyagraha]] Movement in 1942 and joined the [[Quit India Movement]], for which he was sentenced to jail for one year and 9 months. While in Jabalpur Jail. he organized youth conference on 10 August 1942. In 1944 he created Azad Hind Sena at Yavatmal. He remained President of the Yavatmal City Congress 1946-56.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhatia |first=Atul |first2= |date=2023-12-04 |title=Jawaharlal Darda's biography 'Jawahar' launched in Delhi: Know about him |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/jawaharlal-darda-biography-jawahar-book-launch-freedom-fighter-lokmat-newspaper-group-2023-12-04-905800 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=indiatvnews |language=en}}</ref> In 1973 he represented the Government of India at Copenhagen (Denmark) at an International Conference on Housing.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=jawaharlal darda biography|url=https://www.shrimandirsandiego.org/csv/kasmvy/jawaharlal-darda-biography|access-date=11 October 2021|website=www.shrimandirsandiego.org|archive-date=29 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029174445/https://www.shrimandirsandiego.org/csv/kasmvy/jawaharlal-darda-biography|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bhave |first1=Madhukar |title=Na Sattesathi Ghalmel, Na paksha badlacha moh |url=http://epaper.lokmat.com/main-editions/Aurangabad%20Main%20/2022-07-02/6 |access-date=8 July 2022 |work=[[Lokmat]] |date=2 July 2022 |page=6 |language=mr |edition =Aurangabad}}</ref> The Government of India will be issuing a Rs 100 commemorative coin to mark the birth centenary of Jawaharlal Darda,<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2022-04-28 |title=Govt to issue Rs 100 commemorative coin to mark birth centenary of Jawaharlal Darda |url=https://theprint.in/india/govt-to-issue-rs-100-commemorative-coin-to-mark-birth-centenary-of-jawaharlal-darda/935351/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

Darda's contribution to the freedom struggle is unparalleled. With his efforts, Yavatmal district had spontaneously responded to the call of the freedom struggle and gained the attention of legendary personalities like [[Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Lokmanya Tilak]], [[Vallabhbhai Patel|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], [[Subhas Chandra Bose]] and [[Jawaharlal Nehru|Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru]]. Yavatmal district was actively participating in the freedom struggle and credit for rekindling the nationalist spirit among the people there goes to veteran freedom fighters like Jawaharlal. He is amongst the most prominent freedom fighters from the Yavatmal district.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-07-03 |title=Nitin Gadkari on Jawaharlal Darda: People’s editor |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/jawaharlal-darda-alias-babuji-birth-centenary-lokmat-media-group-8697878/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2023-07-02 |title=जवाहरलाल दर्डा उपाख्य बाबूजींच्या जन्मशताब्दीनिमित्त त्यांच्या जीवनाचा वेध.. {{!}} nitin gadkari article on jawaharlal darda life on the occasion of the birth centenary |url=https://www.loksatta.com/vishesh/nitin-gadkari-article-on-jawaharlal-darda-life-on-the-occasion-of-the-birth-centenary-zws-70-3761237/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Loksatta |language=mr}}</ref>

Jawaharlal Darda deeply felt about Vidarbha's progress. In his tenure as the state industry minister, he set up many industrial estates [[Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation| Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC]] in [[Vidarbha]] area. Darda's arguments in the state legislature were unparalleled.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-03 |title=मेरे साथ उनकी अलग ही केम‍िस्‍ट्री थी…कांग्रेस नेता जवाहरलाल दर्डा को नितिन गडकरी ने ऐसे क‍िया याद |url=https://www.jansatta.com/jansatta-special/nitin-gadkari-on-veteran-freedom-fighter-and-founder-editor-of-lokmat-jawaharlal-darda/2895197/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Jansatta |language=hi}}</ref><ref name=":3" />

== Founding Lokmat Media Group ==
Darda began his journey in journalism by launching ‘Nave Jag’ a weekly newspaper from [[Yavatmal district|Yavatmal]] to foster the spirit of nationalism, a biweekly in 1950 and later in 1952, he launched Lokmat, a Marathi weekly which was converted into a daily in 1971 from Nagpur. The title Lokmat was given by legendary freedom fighter [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] in 1918. Founder editor of the Lokmat group, Shri Darda launched several editions of [[Lokmat]], Lokmat Samachar (Hindi) and Lokmat Times (English).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Birth Centenary of Shri Jawaharlal Darda (Denomination of `100) UNC -Folder Packing -FGCO001110 – India Government Mint |url=https://www.indiagovtmint.in/product/3-birth-centenary-of-shri-jawaharlal-darda-denomination-of-100-unc-folder-packing-fgco001110/ |access-date=2025-05-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Family ==
Jawaharlal Darda has Four children, Vijay and Rajendra (Sons); Snehal & Jayashree (daughters)

[[Vijay J. Darda|Vijay Darda]], a politician of Indian National Congress party, was a Member of the Parliament of India representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha since 1998 having been elected for three consecutive terms into the upper House of the Indian Parliament. He is the chairman of the Lokmat Media Group.<ref name=":2" /> [[Rajendra Darda]], also a politician, elected thrice from Aurangabad East Assembly constituency since 1998. He was the Education & Industry and State Home Minister in Maharashtra Government. He is the Editor-in-Chief of [[Lokmat]] Media Group<ref name=":2" />

== Political Life ==
[[File:Hon. President of India Shri Abdul Kalam with Vijay Darda and Rajendra Darda.jpg|thumb|President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Visit Yavatmal Prerana Sthal ]]
Jawaharlal Darda was a loyal Congressman who rose from District Congress to [[All India Congress Committee|All India Congress]]. He was elected to the [[Maharashtra Legislative Council]] for four times between 1972 & 1995. As a senior [[Maharashtra]] Minister, he ably handled many portfolios. He served as a Minister in the [[Maharashtra]] government for 23 years successfully handling the energy, industry, irrigation, health, food & civil supplies, sports, youth affair, textiles, & environment portfolios. He ushered the industrial revolution in [[Maharashtra]] buy setting up the state [[Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation| Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)]] in 1980, and this led to coming up of several projects in [[Bhandara district|Bhandara]], [[Chandrapur]], [[Aurangabad district, Maharashtra|Aurangabad]] & [[Nagpur]]. He introduced innovation and transparency in the ministries he headed taking the benefit of the government schemes to the common man. A politician with vision, his efforts helped open many hospitals & medical colleges in [[Yavatmal district|Yavatmal]] & other parts of Maharashtra and the Government Medical colleges in Nagpur & Mumbai got a face-lift and hospitals here got advanced equipment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-03 |title=मेरे साथ उनकी अलग ही केम‍िस्‍ट्री थी…कांग्रेस नेता जवाहरलाल दर्डा को नितिन गडकरी ने ऐसे क‍िया याद |url=https://www.jansatta.com/jansatta-special/nitin-gadkari-on-veteran-freedom-fighter-and-founder-editor-of-lokmat-jawaharlal-darda/2895197/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Jansatta |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-03 |title=Nitin Gadkari on Jawaharlal Darda: People’s editor |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/jawaharlal-darda-alias-babuji-birth-centenary-lokmat-media-group-8697878/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-02 |title=जवाहरलाल दर्डा उपाख्य बाबूजींच्या जन्मशताब्दीनिमित्त त्यांच्या जीवनाचा वेध.. {{!}} nitin gadkari article on jawaharlal darda life on the occasion of the birth centenary |url=https://www.loksatta.com/vishesh/nitin-gadkari-article-on-jawaharlal-darda-life-on-the-occasion-of-the-birth-centenary-zws-70-3761237/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Loksatta |language=mr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-07-02 |title=विशेष संपादकीय: शंभर वर्षांची कहाणी |url=https://www.lokmat.com/editorial/special-editorial-one-hundred-years-story-senior-freedom-fighter-jawaharlal-darda-a-a642/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Lokmat |language=mr}}</ref> Darda set up [[Butibori]] Industrial area (MIDC), near Nagpur tenure as Industries Minister. also during his tenure that the cities of [[Nashik]] and [[Aurangabad|Sambhajinagar]] began to industrialize.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-07-01 |title=Jawaharlal Darda: Kind-hearted and farsighted Babuji |url=https://www.siasat.com/jawaharlal-darda-kind-hearted-and-farsighted-babuji-2629333/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=The Siasat Daily |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=वृत्तसेवा |first=सकाळ |date=2023-07-02 |title=सहृदयी आणि बहुआयामी बाबूजी! |url=https://www.esakal.com/maharashtra/sharad-pawar-writes-jawaharlal-darda-birth-aniversary-pjp78 |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Marathi News Esakal |language=Mr}}</ref>

== Awards and achievements ==
On 12 September 2013, Jawaharlal Darda was posthumously conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award at UK's House of Commons.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 September 2013|title=Freedom Fighter Jawaharlal Darda Conferred House of Commons Award Posthumously|url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/freedom-fighter-jawaharlal-darda-conferred-house-of-commons-award-posthumously-1379596796-1|access-date=9 October 2021|website=Jagranjosh.com}}</ref>
*[[Yavatmal Airport]] is known as Jawaharlal Darda Airport.
*[[APMC]] [[Yavatmal]] is known as Jawaharlal Darda Market Yard.
*He set up the first college Amolakchand Mahavidyalaya at [[Yavatmal]] in 1956.
*Jawaharlal Darda Institute of Engineering and Technology, [[Yavatmal]].
*Jawaharlal Darda English Medium School & Jr. College, [[Yavatmal]].
*Jawaharlal Darda Sangeet Kala Academy, Lokmat Bhavan, [[Nagpur]].
*Veenadevi Darda School, [[Yavatmal]] is a new-age school floated by Shri Jawaharlal Darda Education Society.
*Yavatmal Public School, [[Yavatmal]] Started in April 2006 the first CBSE school in [[Yavatmal]].

[[File:Jawaharlal Darda with with Jawaharlal Nehru at 1956 in Yavatmal.jpg|thumb|Jawaharlal Darda with first Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darda, Jawaharlal}}
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:1923 births]]

[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:Members of the Maharashtra Legislative Council]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian politicians]]

Jawaharlal Darda - Revision history

Rozella5628 at 01:51, 25 February 2026