Vilasrao Deshmukh

Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh (26 May 1945 – 14 August 2012) was an Indian politician who served as the 14th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, first term from 18 October 1999 to 16 January 2003 and second term, from 1 November 2004 to 5 December 2008.

He also served in the Union cabinet as the Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences.

Vilasrao Deshmukh was a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, India.

He had previously held the posts of Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj, Government of India and Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India.

He was a member of Rajya Sabha representing Maharashtra.

Deshmukh was born on 26 May 1945 in Babhalgaon village in Latur district in the present-day Maharashtra.

He was the eldest son of Dagdojirao Deshmukh and Sushiladevi.

He had two younger sisters 'Nalini', 'Vijaya' and one younger brother 'Diliprao'.

His grandfather Venkatrao Deshmukh was a revenue officer in Hyderabad State and held Deshmukhi rights to collect revenues and establishing law and order in jurisdiction.

Deshmukh's father Dagdojirao got hereditary rights after his grandfather, but were of less significance than the grandfather due to merge of Hyderabad state into Dominion of India.

But he was a village head in of his native village which was then in Osmanabad district.

He married Vaishali in 1973 and has three sons – Amit Deshmukh, a MLA in Maharashtra, Dheeraj Deshmukh a MLA and Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh.

His three daughters in law include- Aditi Pratap, a television actress, Genelia D'Souza, a Bollywood actress and Deepshikha Deshmukh, a movie director.

Deshmukh was known as 'Thorle Saheb' (meaning older companion) in native district and 'Anna' (big brother) among his followers.

He was devotee of Khandoba of Malegaon and Rokadeshwar Hanuman of Dhanegaon.

He used to listen songs of Mohammed Rafi.

He always resided in his ancestral home in village rather than in city.

Deshmukh entered active politics and became a member of the Babhalgaon (Latur) Village Panchayat from 1974 to 1980 and its Sarpanch (village chief) from 1974 to 1976.

He was a member of Osmanabad Zilla Parishad and Deputy Chairman of Latur Taluka Panchayat Samiti (Latur District Panchayat Committee) from 1974 to 1980.

As the President of Osmanabad District Youth Congress from 1975 to 1978, he worked for the implementation of the Sanjay Gandhi inspired Five Point Programme of the Youth Congress.

He organised the youth in Osmanabad district and became the President of District wing of the Congress (I) party.

He was a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1995 winning the 1980, 1985, and 1990 elections.

During this period, he served as the Minister of State and the Cabinet Minister and had the portfolios of the ministries of Home, General Administration, Cooperation, Public Works, Transport, Legislative Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development Fisheries, Industry, Rural Development, Education, Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare.

He lost the election in 1995 by a margin of 35,000.

Vilasrao Deshmukh was two-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008.

He was a member of the Indian National Congress and originally belonged to Latur district in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.

He was re-elected to the State Legislature from Latur Constituency in the elections held in September 1999 with a strong comeback winning by a margin of nearly 91,000 in two successive elections, the highest in Maharashtra.

He became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 18 October 1999.

He died on turn of 2000.

His mother Sushila Devi died earlier than his father, many of Vilasrao's institutes are named after her.

His younger brother Diliprao Deshmukh was member of Maharashtra legislative council and also minister in Government of Maharashtra during 2000–2018.

After completing his school education in native Latur city, he went to ILS Law College, Pune and thereafter to Pune University to study law.

After passing out from the university, he began to practice law.

He was Chief Minister until 17 January 2003, but had to step down in January 2003 and was followed by Sushilkumar Shinde, following factionalism in the state unit of the party.

He was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly from Latur Constituency in October 2004.

He became Chief Minister for the second time on 1 November 2004 – 4 December 2008.

He subsequently entered the Rajya Sabha and was appointed to the Council of Ministers as Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 28 May 2009.

He was appointed as Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises on 19 January 2011 after a cabinet reshuffle.

Critically ill with kidney and liver failures, Deshmukh died on 14 August 2012 due to multiple organ failure at Global Hospitals, Chennai.

He is the father of well-known Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh.