Shri Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher Biography

Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher was a notable politician of India. He was born on 24 August 1888 in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. After spending a few years of his childhood at Kundgol, he shifted to Pune to study at the New English School. In 1908, he passed the Bachelor of Arts examination from the Wilson College, Bombay with distinction and was awarded the Bhau Daji Lad prize for securing the highest marks in Sanskrit.

Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher was actively involved in India’s independence movement. In 1923, he was elected as the Secretary of the Bombay Branch of the Swaraj Party, which was a part of the Indian National Congress. At that time he was the editor of Likamanya, a marathi newspaper. Kher did social work and tried to improve the living conditions of the tanners in Bandra which is located on the outskirts of Bombay. He was even associated with the Bardoli Satyagraha and took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement of Mahatma Gandhi. During the period of 1930 to 1945 he was sent to jail four times by Britishers for his involvement in revolutionary activities.

During the period between 1937 to 1939 his political career reached its apex. During this period he became the Chief Minister of Bombay twice. He even played a notable role in drafting the Indian Constitution. Since he did not compete for the elections in Bombay in 1952, he was elected as a member of Rajya Sabha by the Legislative Assembly of Bombay .

Shri Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher held the office of an Indian’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom. For his exceptional service to the country, the President honored him with Padma Vibhushan in 1954. Next year in June he was appointed as the Chairman of the Official languages Commission and the Chairman of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi in 1956. He established a forum called `Gandhi Margo’ to propagate and discuss the ideals of Gandhiji. Shri Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher passed away on 8th March 1957.