Balasaheb Desai

Balasaheb Desai (Marathi: लोकनेते बालासाहेब देसाई ) famously known as Loknete Balasaheb Desai (People's Leader). He was a leading politician and social worker from Maharashtra, India. He held important positions in Maharashtra State Government as home minister, education minister, cultural minister during initial formation of Maharashtra state. He was instrumental in establishing Shivaji University in Kolhapur in 1962 .

Introduction

Desai was a famous political leader from Maharashtra state. Initially Desai started his practice in Patan

Karad Dist Satara. in 1940 he campaigned for the election of District Local Board and was elected as president. In 1952 he was elected as MLA from Patan and was again elected in 1957. In the year 1957, he became state cabinet minister. In 1960, Desai was educational minister of Maharashtra State. To literate children of poor people he declared 100% concession for people whose income was not more than Rs.1200/-through EBC facilities, due to which a number of children from poor families were able to take education. In 1962 he became agriculture minister and also in the same year he was asked to take responsibility of being the home minister.

In 1978–79 he was president of Maharashtra Vidhansabha. He was main minister in bilingual state government of Bombay state as well as Maharashtra government. He played main role in Samyukta Maharashtra Movement and handled the situation very firmly of an outrage of violence during the Samyukta Maharashtra activities in Bombay. He was a great man.He was very scholar and he had a lot of struggles in his life.

A true political leader

In history of Maharashtra government Desai is seen as one of strongest home ministers till date. He took many brave steps to make Home and Police Department strong and reliable. He handled many critical situations very well during his term as home minister, as for in outrage of violence during the Saymukta Maharashtra Movement in Bombay.

On 11 Dec 1967 a disastrous earthquake took place in patan. to uplift the people from that disaster he took continuous effort to help people, the effort took by him was seen by whole Maharashtra and was appreciated at large. He came to be known as a true leader of poor people. due to his work, honor, love shown by common people a famous journalist Pralhad Keshav Atre called him ‘’Loknete’’.

He used to contest the legislative assembly seat from Patan taluka, in Satara District of Maharashtra state in India. He won 3 times from his constituency 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.^[1]

Cooperative movement

Desai established sugar factory known as Loknete Balasaheb Desai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana in Patan. This sugar mill was started on cooperative base which help to provided stability and growth for farmers in the region. Desai worked closely with leading cooperative leaders in Maharashtra such as Yashwantrao Chavan, Vasantdada Patil, Gulabrao Patil and many more.

Key role in establishment of Shivaji University, Kolhapur

Desai was an educational minister in the first cabinet of Maharashtra government in 1960. He took many brave decisions as education minister for Maharashtra. He was instrumental in establishing Shivaji University in Kolhapur in 1962 . He also established Balasaheb Desai College of Arts and Science in 1969 at Patan.

Current scenario

His grandson Shamburaje Desai was MLA from 2004–2009 in Patan and was elected on Shivsena ticket. However he lost the general election in 2009 by a small margin. He is also chairman of Loknete Balasaheb Desai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Daulatnagar. Shambhuraje Desai was Awarded Best Legislative Member of Maharashtra Assembly in 2009.

Centenary (100th) Birth Anniversary Celebration of Balasaheb Desai was celebrated in 2010 year throughout Patan and Karad Taluka and Western Maharashtra.

References

• http://shambhurajdesai.com/prenasthan.aspx
• http://www.bdcp.in
• http://kolhapur.nic.in/Htmldocs/svidyapeeth.htm
• http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/langMove/samyukta.html