Madhu Dandavate (21 January 1924 – 12 November 2005) was an Indian politician.
He was born in a Deshastha family. He was popularly known as an Economist.
From 1971 to 1990 he was an M.P., elected to the Lok Sabha for 5 times consecutively from Rajapur in Konkan, Maharashtra. He was one of the prominent opposition leaders when Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were the Prime Ministers.
He was the Minister for Railways in the Morarji Desai Ministry. He initiated improvements in second-class railway travel for passengers by replacing the wooden berths with berths consisting of two inches foam. He was also the Finance minister in the cabinet of V. P. Singh. He actively campaigned for the Konkan Railway and is considered one of its founders. He was also the Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission of India in 1990 and again from 1996 to 1998. He was associated with the Janata Dal (Secular), a party led by H. D. Deve Gowda. He was known for his probity in public life.
He was also the president of 'All India Life Insurance Employees Association' (AILIEA), a non-political association of LIC employees, for 24 years till his death. His wife, Pramilla Dantavate was also prominently involved in the Socialist movement in India.
As per his wish, his body was donated to J. J. Hospital, Mumbai. V. P. Singh observed: `Even in death he served the country and the mankind by donating his body, and he has left only friends and no enemy.'
| Preceded by Kamalapati Tripathi |
Minister of Railways 1977–1979 |
Succeeded by Kamalapati Tripathi |
| Preceded by S. B. Chavan |
Finance Minister of India 1989–1990 |
Succeeded by Yashwant Sinha |