Shivraj Patil

Shivraj Patil Biography

Shivraj Vishwanath Patil, popularly known as Shivraj Patil is an active and influential Indian politician of Indian National Congress. At present he is the Governor of the state of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Earlier he has served as Union Minister of Home Affairs in the cabinet of Manmohan Singh. He has also served as defense minister during the 1980s in the cabinet of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He resigned from the post of Home-Minister in 2008 following the criticisms of terrorist attacks on Mumbai, taking the moral responsibility for the attacks.

Patil was born in 1935 in of Chakur in the Latur district of the then princely state of Hyderabad, now a part of Maharashtra. He completed graduation in science from Osmania University, Hyderabad. Later he took bachelor of law from Mumbai University. He married Vijaya Patil in June 1963. From 1973 to 1980, he served as the legislator of Latur Rular constituency of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in two terms. Chairman of Public Undertakings Committee, Deputy Minister (Law & Judiciary, Irrigation, Protocol), Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and Speaker of the Assembly are other honorable positions held by Patil in his active political career.

In 1980, he was elected to the 7th Lok Sabha from Latur constituency and was successively elected during the terms, 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998 and 1999 to Lok sabha. In 2004 election, he lost to Rupatai Patil Nilangekar of Bharatiya Janata Party. For the first time he was inducted in cabinet ministry under the leadership of Indira Gandhi in 1980. He served as Minister of State for Defence during 1980-1982.

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Updated: February 13, 2014