Man Who Made History

A stalwart, strongman of and builder of modern Maharashtra he played a major role in the freedom struggle and in State and National Politics. Born on 12th March 1913 at Deorashtra in the now Sangli district of Maharashtra he lost his father in the plague of 1917 and was brought up by his mother Vithabai. He underwent his first punishment and fine for participating in the Non-Corporation movement of Mahatma Gandhi in 1930.
In 1932 he Sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for hoisting the Indian flag on 26th January 1932.
He passed his B.A with History and Political Science from the Bombay University in 1938.
In 1940 he was elected as Satara District Congress President.
He became an M.L.A in 1946 from South Satara Constituency.
He married Venutai on 02nd June 1942.
In early 1946 he was elected as an MLA from the South Satara Constituency. And on 14th April 946 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the State Home Minister Shri Morarjibhai Desai.
In 1952 he was elected as a M.L.A from Karad constituency and appointed Minister of Civil Supplies, Social Welfare and Forest in the council of Ministers headed by Shri. Morarjibhai Desai.
In 1953 he was a signatory to the Nagpur Pact, assuring equitable development of all regions of Maharashtra.
On 1st November,1956 he became Chief Minister of the bilingual State of Bombay.
In 1957 he was elected as a M.L.A from Karad constituency, elected as Leader of the Congress Legislature Party and became Chief Minister of the bilingual State.
In 1958 he was elected to All India Congress Working Committee.  
1st May 1960 saw the formation of Maharashtra as a separate State. Shri Y.B. Chavan became the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
On 9th March 1962 he was elected as a M.L.A from North Karad Constituency and elected as Leader of the Congress Legislature Party to became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
 21st November 1962 he was appointed as Defence Minister of India, in the wake of India – China border conflict and resignation of Shri Krishna Menon.
In 1963 he was elected unopposed as M.P. from Nasik Constituency.
Among his various tours abroad as Defence Minister he visited the United States Of America in May 1964, the then USSR in August 1964 and the United Kingdom in November 1964.
On 14th November 1966 he was appointed Home Minister of India.
26th June 1970 saw him been appointed as Finance Minister of India.
He was appointed Foreign Minister of India on 11th October 1974.
In June 1974 internal emergency was declared in India and in 1977 the Congress lost power at the Centre. Shri Chavan became the Leader of Opposition.   
In July 1979 he was appointed as Home Minister and Dy. Prime Minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Shri Charan Singh.
In 1982 he joined the Indira Congress and was appointed Chairman of the Eighth Finance Commission.
He lost his dear wife Venutai who pass away on 1st June 1983.
Y B Chavan passed away on 25th November 1984 in Delhi @ 7.45 p.m. after a brief illness.
He was cremated on 27th November 1984 with full military honors at the confluence of Krishna and Koyna rivers at Karad @ 3.40 p.m.
"Krishna Kath" Vol.I the autobiography of Shri. Chavan’s has been published.