Raj Thackeray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raj Thackeray
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| President of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena | |
| Assumed office 9 March 2006 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Swararaj Shrikant Thackeray
14 June 1968 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Political party | Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (2006–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Shiv Sena (before 2006) |
| Spouse | Sharmila Thackeray |
| Children | Amit Thackeray Urvashi Thackeray |
| Parent | Kunda Thackeray Shrikant Thackeray |
| Relatives | Thackeray family |
| Residences | Shivaji Park, Dadar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Alma mater |
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| Profession | Politician, Cartoonist, orator |
Raj Shrikant Thackeray (born Swararaj Shrikant Thackeray on 14 June 1968) is an Indian politician. He is known for starting a political party called Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Raj Thackeray is also the nephew of Balasaheb Thackeray, who founded another well-known political party, Shiv Sena.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Raj Thackeray's birth name was Swararaj, and "Raj" is a shorter, more common version of it. His parents were Shrikant Thackeray and Kunda Thackeray. Shrikant was the younger brother of Bal Thackeray, and Kunda was the younger sister of Bal Thackeray's wife, Meena Thackeray.
When he was a child, Raj Thackeray learned to play musical instruments like the tabla, guitar, and violin. He later studied at Mumbai's Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art. After finishing his studies, he started working as a cartoonist for Marmik, a weekly magazine that belonged to his uncle, Bal Thackeray.
Political Journey
Starting in Shiv Sena
Raj Thackeray began his political career by creating the student group of Shiv Sena, which was called Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena. He became well-known during the election campaigns in Maharashtra in 1990. For a while, many thought he would be the one to take over from his uncle, Balasaheb Thackeray. However, Balasaheb eventually showed more support for his own son, Uddhav.
After some time, Raj Thackeray decided to leave Shiv Sena on 27 November 2005. He then announced that he would start his own political party. On 9 March 2006, in Mumbai, he officially founded the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, often called MNS.
Key Beliefs and Views
Raj Thackeray and his party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, focus on supporting the state of Maharashtra, the Marathi language, and the Marathi Manoos (Marathi people). They believe that these aspects are sometimes overlooked or not given enough importance by other politicians.
He has spoken about people moving into Maharashtra from other Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. He believes that new people coming into the state should respect the local culture and that there are concerns about jobs.
Raj Thackeray also commented on Chhath Puja, a festival celebrated in parts of northern and eastern India. He suggested that some leaders were using the festival for political reasons to gain votes.
Initially, Raj Thackeray praised Narendra Modi when Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He even supported Modi to become the Prime Minister in the 2014 elections. However, over time, his views changed, and he has since become a critic of Modi and the government. For the 2019 elections, his party did not run for any seats. Instead, Raj Thackeray encouraged his supporters to vote for the alliance between the NCP and the Congress parties.
Personal Life
Raj Thackeray is married to Sharmila Wagh. Sharmila is the daughter of Mohan Wagh, who was a well-known photographer, producer, and director in Marathi cinema. Raj and Sharmila got married on 11 December 1990 in Mumbai. They have two children: a son named Amit Thackeray and a daughter named Urvashi Thackeray. Their children went to the Bombay Scottish School, Mahim, which was started by Christian missionaries from Scotland.
See also
- Zenda, a 2010 Marathi-language film
