New Shivaji

One of the rare people in Politics who had the most celebrated and fruitful career. A good leader is someone who doesn't back down in times of crisis. A good leader is as rare as the Tiffany Yellow Diamond.
The first Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Image source: Britannica

The first Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Image source: Britannica

A good leader is someone who possesses the ability to convince people to stay even after everything has changed. A good leader is someone who can ask people to invest in a risky venture, assuring them that it is bound to pay off. A good leader is someone who doesn't back down in times of crisis. A good leader is as rare as the Tiffany Yellow Diamond.

When India was still taking its shape, many political leaders were unsure of their roles and how the people of the newly formed states would fare. When the Bombay presidency was broken up, the modern state of Maharashtra came into being.

You must be wondering what happened to the chief minister of Bombay or if there was any chief minister or Princely rule in the first place. Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan was the third chief minister of the state of Bombay and the first chief minister of Maharashtra. He was one of the few politicians who held many portfolios and fulfilled all roles to the best of his abilities.

Yashwantrao Chavan was born in the Stara district of Maharashtra. He lost his father at an early age and was raised by his mother and uncle. Since Chavan's mother had always taught him about patriotism, he was fascinated by India's freedom struggle.

He studied Political science, and after completing his LLB, he practiced as a criminal lawyer. He had actively participated in the activities conducted by the Congress and was quite involved. It was only natural that sooner or later, Y.B Chavan would become a member of the Congress Party.

When the creation of the Bilingual state of Maharashtra was underway, Chavan's observations of the experiment were instrumental in making the top leaders of Congress aware of people's feelings.

Chavan reported that the people were unhappy. The people were further aggravated when Chavan supported Nehru's resolution of the creation of the state of Maharashtra and that the 'home-grown colonialism' (the Samyukta Maharashtra movement) was unideal.

Chavan entered central politics in 1962. Yashwantrao, though well-liked by many, became an unpopular figure with this one move. When the Congress was being split, Chavan stood by his commitment to vote for N. Sanjeeva Reddy, but when the time came, he went back on his word and voted for Indira Gandhi. Chavan was seen as a duplicitous person who could change his stance to support his needs.

After the humiliating defeat in the 1962 war, Chavan made sure that he brought military reforms and modern weaponry to India. These advancements helped India win the war in 1971.

Aside from being dedicated to his political career, Chavan realized the importance of economic growth in Maharasthra. He pitched Maharashtra as the ideal economic center, a place for investment that brimmed with a commercial atmosphere. Though the industrialists were wary at first, Chavan succeeded. How do we know? The financial hub of India is located in Maharashtra.

Chavan passed away on 25th November 1984. He was cremated with state honors, and a Samadhi was built in his honor.

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