Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan: The Architect of Modern Maharashtra

 

Their is a huge contribution of Yashwantrao Chavan in the development of modern Maharashtra. He is the real architect of the modern Maharashtra. Today in this article we are going to see the life and the mission of the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra shri Yashwantrao Chavan.

He was born on 12^th march 1913 in the village of Devrashtra in the Maharashtra. His family’s main occupation was farming. Later his family moved to the Karad town in Satara District.

Yashwantrao started participating the freedom movement from the very childhood. He became the part the independence struggle at they very young age of 14-15 years.

He participated in the civil disobedience movement of 1930s and also got jailed for 18 months. So Yashwantrao was full of patriotic  energy from his childhood.

Later he obtained the degree of BA from Mumbai university in 1938 and completed in LLB degree in 1940. He  then started practising law.

In the Quit India movement of 1942 he represented the Satara District. He then quit his law carrier and made himself busy with the political works in the Satara District.

He got married on 2^nd June 1942 to a girl named Vanutai. Yashwatrao received huge support from her during his political activities. She became his backbone and always stood for him as a support.

Yashwantrao remained on the post of CM of Maharashtra for 6 years. He also handled many important portfolios in the central government. He was the member of parliament for 22 years.

In 1962 when the then defence minister of India resigned from the post Pandit Nehru invited Yashwantrao to take the responsibility of the Defence ministry. This event is always described in the history as “Sadhyandri came to help the Himalaya”.

In his 22 years as a member of Parliament he handled many ministries like Defence, Foreign Affairs, Home and Finance.

He was also the Leader of the opposition in 1977-78.

After taking responsibility of the CM he took many important decision which are benefiting for the social and the cultural life of the Maharashtra. He encouraged folk theatres and the local Marathi literature. Hence Yashwantrao not only gave boast to the agriculture and the industrial sector but also gave a sense of confidence to the educational and the cultural institutions.

During his tenure as a CM he has done tremendous work in the education sector. He started free education for all. He gave grants to many educational institutions in Maharashtra without any inspections as him main aim was to take education to the remotest village in the state.

He make English as a optional subject from the 5^th standard. As India was implementing three language formula during that time it Marathi became the medium of instruction in the many of the schools in the Maharashtra.

He also started many universities in Maharashtra like Marathwada University which later renamed as Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada university. Many students from unprivileged backward started taking higher education in this institutions.

Yashwantrao Chavan started military school in Satara. One of the notable and important work done by him was the setting up of “Ashramshalas” for Adivasi students. This was kind of residential school only for students belonging to Adivasi community. Today many states have started setting up this kind of residential schools for the Adivasi students.

Yashwantrao Chavan was also a great writer. He had written many great books which are informative to understand the history and the culture of the Maharashtra. His books includes Sahityache ware, Yagantar, Krishnakath (Autobiography), Shrunanubandh etc.

He encourages the culture of Literature in Maharashtra. He is of the thought that the Literature has a so much power to change one’s mindset about the life and the society. He had the habit of reading Biographies, Memories and literature of Indian languages.

Yashwantrao Chavan and agriculture

Yashwantrao thought that the Indian farmer needs the help of modern developments in the agriculture. To aware the farmers about the modern means of agriculture he founded the Mahatma Phule Agricultural University in Rahuri, District Ahmednagar. Later the second CM founded many such universities in Maharashtra.

The another great contribution of Yashwantrao is the formation of Co-operative societies in all over the Maharashtra. He wanted to create a socialist environment throughout the Maharashtra any promoting the Co-operative societies.

These societies have done very important works like helping farming to sell their produce, providing loans, milk production, etc.

Yashwantrao as a CM established 19 co-operative sugar factories in Maharashtra. Today many states are following the practice of co-operative societies which is pioneered by Yashwantrao Chavan.

Yashwantrao as Defence Minister

Yashwantrao was very close to the then PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Hence when the nation was on the war he felt the need of him in the central cabinet. China crossed the Mackmohan Line in October 1962 and occupied the 3000sq miles area of India. India was on official war with the China.

There was a sharp criticism about the then Defence Minister V.K Menon about his soft attitude towards China. He had to resigned from the post. Nehru called Yashwantrao and asked him to take the responsibility of Defence Ministry.

He became the Defence Minister of India on 20^th November 1962 and Marotrao Kannamwar became the second Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Yashwantrao in the Central Cabinet

Yashwantrao was determined about his role as a Defence Minister. It was a coincidence that on the date he took oath as a minister the declared an end of war from their side. He later visited the warzones in Ladakh and Nefa to see the post-war situation.

India was on the war with Pakistan in 1965. On the morning of 1^st September then Army chief Chief J. N Chaudhari and Air force chief Arjunsingh visits Home Minister and briefed him about the ongoing war situation. Yashwantrao gave the permission of using Air Force in response to the Pakistani Army attack.

Later after strong attacks from the Indian side the Pakistan accepted the demand for cease fire on 22 September.

So Yashwantrao was in active politics of Maharashtra and India between 1956 and 1984. His leadership was widely acknowledge in the political sphere of India. He was one to the great leader from the Nehru era whose political skills helped in shaping  the future of Maharashtra.

Yashwantrao wanted to participate in the General election of 1984. But just one month before the election on 25^th November this great son Maharashtra died. His last rites were conducted in Karad on the confluence of Krishna and Koyna River.