Vilasrao Deshmukh Biography

Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh was born in Babhalgaon, Maharashtra on 26th May 1945 and was a well known Indian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in Rajya Shabha, a member of the Indian National Congress and two times Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

He held the posts of Minister of Rural Development, Minister of Panchayati Raj, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences. In August 2012, Vilasrao Deshmukh was reported seriously ill with kidney and liver failures and was on life support in a Chennai hospital. He passed away on 14th August 2012 at Chennai’s Global Hospital.

Vilasrao Deshmukh was from the Maratha community. His wife’s name is Vaishali Deshmukh and his three sons are Amit Deshmukh – a MLA of Latur city, Ritesh Deshmukh – a famous bollywood actor and Dheeraj Deshmukh. Mr. Vilasrao graduated from M.E.S Abasaheb Garware College, Pune University with a degree in Science and Arts and went on further to study law from the ILS Law College, Pune University. Early in his youth he started showing interest in social activities. In 1979, he was designated as the Director of the Osmanabad district Central Cooperative Bank as well as the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank. He established the Manjra Charitable Trust which runs a number of colleges in Latur & Mumbai.

In 1974, Deshmukh entered politics and became a member of the Babhalgaon Village Panchayat, during this period he also became the Sarpanch (village chief), a member of the Osmanabad Zilla Parishad and the Deputy Chairman of Latur Taluka Panchayat Samiti. As the President of the Osmanabad District Youth Congress he worked for the completion of the Five Point Programme of Youth Congress and became the President of the District wing of the Indian National Congress.

From 1982 to 1995, as the Minister of State and the Cabinet Minister, he handled many departments such as General Administration, Home, Cooperation, Transport, Legislative Affairs, Public Works, Tourism, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Dairy Development Fisheries, Rural Development, Industry, Education, Technical Education, Youth Welfare and Sports. In 1995, he lost the elections, but made a strong comeback winning the elections held in 1999 with a margin of nearly 91,000 in two consecutive elections, the highest in Maharashtra. Twice he became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, once on 18th October 1999 and the second time on 1st November 2004.After the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, he took moral responsibility and resigned from his post.

Later in 2009 he re-entered the Rajya Sabha and was appointed as the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. In January 2011, he was appointed as the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Minister of Rural Development. He was last appointed as the Minister of Science and Technology and the Minister of Earth Sciences in July 2011. In August 2012, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh was suffering from a critical illness and was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai. He was diagnosed with liver and kidney failure. He was later flown to a hospital in Chennai. He passed away there on 14th August 2012. The President and Prime Minister of India passes their condolences and expressed that Vilasrao Deshmukh will be always remembered as the greatest grassroots leader of Maharashtra.