29 Facts About Yashwantrao Chavan

Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan was an Indian freedom fighter and politician.

Yashwantrao Chavan served as the last Chief Minister of Bombay State and the first of Maharashtra after latter was created by the division of Bombay state.

Yashwantrao Chavan was a strong Congress leader, co-operative leader, social activist and writer.

Yashwantrao Chavan was popularly known as Leader of Common People.

Yashwantrao Chavan advocated social democracy in his speeches and articles and was instrumental in establishing co-operatives in Maharashtra for the betterment of the farmers.

Yashwantrao Chavan was born in a Kunbi-Maratha family on 12 March 1913 in the village of Devrashtre in Satara District of Maharashtra, India.

Yashwantrao Chavan was an active participant in the struggle for independence of India.

Yashwantrao Chavan went "underground" before being arrested for his participation in the movement.

Yashwantrao Chavan spent around two years in jail, and was released only in 1944.

In 1946, Yashwantrao Chavan was first elected as Member of Legislative Assembly of the Bombay State from the South Satara constituency.

Yashwantrao Chavan never joined the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti and in fact called Prime minister Nehru, who opposed formation of language based state reorganization, as "Greater than Maharashtra".

In 1957 Assembly elections Yashwantrao Chavan was elected from the Karad constituency.

On 1 May 1960, Yashwantrao Chavan became the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Yashwantrao Chavan sought to realize this vision through the co-operative movement.

Yashwantrao Chavan handled the delicate post-war situation firmly and took several decisions to empower the armed forces and negotiated, along with Pandit Nehru, with China to end the hostilities.

Yashwantrao Chavan held the Defense portfolio in the Lal Bahadur Shastri Government during the Indo-Pakistan War of September 1965.

Yashwantrao Chavan had stuck to his earlier commitment to vote for the official Congress candidate, Sanjeeva Reddy in the presidential elections and in doing so, had invited the ire of Mrs Indira Gandhi, but later be shifted his ground and supported her.

Yashwantrao Chavan was appointed as the Foreign Minister on 11 October 1974.

Therefore in the new Parliament, Yashwantrao Chavan was elected the Congress Party Parliamentary leader.

In 1981, Yashwantrao Chavan was allowed to return to the Indira-led Congress after a six-month wait.

Yashwantrao Chavan held all important posts in country from deputy PM, Finance Minister, Defence minister to Home minister and External Affairs Minister.

Yashwantrao Chavan brought important changes in all fields where he held power, he played crucial role in rebuilding Indian army back after 1962 Sino India War.

Yashwantrao Chavan played crucial role in 1965 India Pakistan War.

Yashwantrao Chavan died of a heart attack on 25 November 1984 in Delhi.

Yashwantrao Chavan established the Marathi Sahitya Mandal and supported the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.

Yashwantrao Chavan was very closely associated with many poets, editors and several Marathi and Hindi writers.

Yashwantrao Chavan initiated compilation of Marathi Vishwakosh.

Yashwantrao Chavan had planned to write his autobiography in three parts.

Yashwantrao Chavan was able to complete and publish only the first volume.