Vasantrao Naik facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vasantrao Naik
4th Chief Minister of Maharashtra
In office 5 December 1963 – 20 February 1975
Preceded by	P. K. Sawant
Succeeded by	Shankarrao Chavan
Member of the Indian Parliament for Washim
In office 1977–1979
Preceded by	Constituency created
Succeeded by	Ghulam Nabi Azad
Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for Pusad
In office 1960–1977
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Sudhakarrao Naik
Member of the Bombay Legislative Assembly for Pusad
In office 1957–1960
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Himself
Member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly for Pusad
In office 1952–1957
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Himself
Personal details
Born	(1913-07-01)1 July 1913 Gahuli, Central Provinces and Berar, British India
Died	18 August 1979(1979-08-18) (aged 66) Singapore
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse	Vatsala Vasantrao Naik
Children	2
Alma mater	Morris College, Nagpur Nagpur University

Vasantrao Phulsingh Naik (born July 1, 1913 – died August 18, 1979) was an important Indian politician. He served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a long time, from 1963 to 1975. A Chief Minister is like the head of the government for a state in India. Vasantrao Naik was born in a small village called Gahuli, which is in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra.

Vasantrao Naik's Journey in Politics

Vasantrao Naik had a long and active career in public service. He started by being a member of different state assemblies.

Early Political Roles

• From 1952 to 1957, he was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Madhya Pradesh. An MLA helps make laws for their state.
• From 1957 to 1960, he was an MLA for the Bombay State.
• From 1960 to 1977, he continued as an MLA for the state of Maharashtra.

He also held several important government positions:

• In 1952, he became the Deputy Minister for Revenue in Madhya Pradesh. This role involves managing the state's income.
• In 1957, he became the Minister for Cooperation in Bombay State.
• Later, he became the Minister for Agriculture in Bombay State. This role focuses on farming and food production.
• From 1960 to 1963, he was the Minister for Revenue in Maharashtra.

Becoming Chief Minister

After the previous Chief Minister, Marotrao Kannamwar, passed away, Vasantrao Naik was chosen to lead Maharashtra. He held this important position for more than eleven years, from 1963 to 1975.

Key Achievements as Chief Minister

Vasantrao Naik is remembered for several big changes he brought to Maharashtra:

• He is often called the father of the Green Revolution in Maharashtra. The Green Revolution was a time when new farming methods and better seeds helped farmers grow much more food.
• He also helped Maharashtra become more industrial. This means he encouraged the growth of factories and businesses, which created many jobs.
• After his time as Chief Minister, he was elected to the 6th Lok Sabha in 1977. The Lok Sabha is one of the two houses of the Indian Parliament, where laws for the whole country are made.

His Legacy and Remembrance

Vasantrao Naik passed away in Singapore on August 18, 1979. His nephew, Sudhakarrao Naik, also later became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Many places and institutions are named after him to honor his contributions:

• The Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College in Yavatmal city is named after him.
• The Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agriculture University in Parbhani is also named in his honor.
• His birthday, July 1st, is celebrated as Krushi Din (Agricultural Day) by the Maharashtra Government.
• A movie about his life, called Mahanayak Vasant Tu, was made in 2015.
• A junction in Tardeo, Mumbai, is named after Vasantrao Naik.