Shri Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan

CHAVAN, SHRI YESHWANTRAO, B.A., LL.B. [Congress (U)—Maharashtra, Satara,1980] s. of late Shri Balwantrao Chavan; b. at Deorashtre, Sangli District, March 12, 1913; ed. at Rajaram College, Kolhapur and Law College, Pune; awarded honorary Doctorate by Aligarh, Marathawada and Shivaji Universities; m. Venubai, June 2, 1942; Political and Social Worker; was a Royist, 1934—39; an active worker of the Indian National Congress; took part in Civil Disobedience Movement, 1930; suffered imprisonment twice during 1930-34 and 1942-45; Parliamentary Secretary to Minister, Home Department, Bombay State, 1946-52; Minister of Civil Supplies and later of Local Self-Government, Forests and Community Projects, Bombay State, 1952-56; Chief Minister, (i) Bombay State, 1956, (ii) Maharashtra State, 1960-62; joined Union Cabinet, Minister of Defence, 1962-66; Minister of Home Affairs, 1966-70; Minister of Finance, 1970-74 and also Governor on the Board of International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, 1970-74; Minister of External Affairs, 1974-77; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, July 29, 1979—January 13, 1980; Member, Maharashtra Pradesh, Congress Committee since 1940 and its Secretary, 1948-50; Member, Congress Working Committee and Congress Parliamentary Board; President (i) Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, (ii) Rayat Shikshan Sanstha and (iii) Bharatiya Agro-Industries Foundation; Chancellor, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth; Member, Bombay and later Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, 1946-62; Member, (i) Rajya Sabha, 1963 (ii) Third Lok Sabha, 1964-67, (iii) Fourth Lok Sabha, 1967-70, (iv) Fifth Lok Sabha, 1971-77 and (v) Sixth Lok Sabha, 1977-79; Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, November, 1977-April, 1978 and July 10, 1979-July 28, 1979; presently Leader of Congress (U) Party in Parliament; Leader, Indian Delegation to the Sessions of United Nations; attended the non-aligned Nations’ Conference at Foreign Ministers’ level and the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference at Jamaica. 

Social activities:  Special areas of interest have been education and cooperation; associated with a number of voluntary organisations; Founder, (i) Weekly ‘Lok Kranti’, (ii) Daily Prakash” and (iii) District Cooperative Bank at Satara. 

Special interests:  Economic and political affairs. 

Publications:  ‘Sahyadriche Ware’, ‘Yugantar’, ‘Winds of Change’ and ‘India’s Foreign Policy’ and a number of articles in English and Marathi.  

Sports and clubs:  President (i) Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Tournament and (ii) Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.  

Travels abroad:  USA, U.K., 1964, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, Cyprus, U.S.S.R., 1964, 1966, 1974 and 1976, Singapore, 1971, Malaysia, 1971 and 1974, West Germany, 1971, France, 1971 and 1975, Bahamas, 1971, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and japan, 1972, Italy, Thailand, Czechoslovakia, Canada and Bangladesh, 1974, Sri Lanka, 1974 and 1976, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Egypt, Syria, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Iran, UAE and Kuwait, 1975, Nepal, Turkey, Algeria and Mongolia, 1976 and Romania, 1977.  

Permanent address:  1, Race Course Road, New Delhi-110011 and ‘REVIERA’, 1st Floor, Subhas Road, Bombay-20.