Shivajirao Girdhar Patil

Shivajirao Girdhar Patil Biography

Shivajirao Girdhar Patil is a senior politician and political activist from Maharashtra. He has served as a member of Rajya Sabha for one term and has also served state politics as an MLA. Legendary Bollywood actress Smita Patel who died at a young age was his daughter. Smita Patel was then married to Raj Babbar. Shivajirao’s grandson Prateik Babbar (Smita’s son) is also a Bollywood actor. Shivajirao Girdhar Patil has been honoured with Padma Bhushan (2013) in recognition of his services to the nation. As a social worker he is known for cooperative movement in the sugar sector in Maharashtra. He currently serves as a director of National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories.

He was born on 5 March 1925. He got married at the age of 13. Shivajirao’s wife Vidyatai Patil was also a social worker. She passed away most recently in 2015. He has been active in politics since younger age. As a political leader he has been associated with Congress, Communist Party of India, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. In his teens he was attracted to leftist ideologies.  He became the president of AISF, Student’s wing of Communist Party of India at a very young age of 15. Got arrested for opting violent measures for freedom struggle movement, he spent in jail for long 12 years during British rule.

After Indian independence he was associated with state politics. He served as a member of Maharashtra Legislative Council (1960-1967) followed by Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (1967-1980). He got elected as MLA for three terms - 1967, 1972 and 1978 associated with Indian National Congress, and has served as a cabinet minister twice. He was a member of Rajya Sabha from 1992 to 1998. In 1996 he started a trust, Smita Patil Charitable Trust in memory of his daughter.

Published: N/A

Updated: June 19, 2016