Who is Devendra Fadnavis?

Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis is an Indian politician who serves as the ninth Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra since June 30, 2022. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RRS). He represents the Nagpur South West constituency in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly since 2009.

 

He was the 18th Chief Minister of Maharashtra from October 31, 2014 to November 12, 2019. He is the only politician to serve both as the CM and the Deputy CM of Maharashtra. After Sharad Pawar, he is also the second-youngest CM in Maharashtra's history.

Early life and education

Devendra Fadnavis was born on July 22, 1970 to Gangadhar Fadnavis and Sarita Fadnavis in Nagpur. His father, Gangadhar Fadnavis was a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from Nagpur and his mother Sarita Fadnavis was a former director of the Vidarbha Housing Credit Society.

 

As a college student, Fadnavis was an active member of the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

 

He holds a graduate degree in law from Government Law College, Nagpur University, a post-graduate degree in Business Management and a diploma in Methods and Techniques of Project Management from DSE-German Foundation for International Development, Berlin, Germany.

 

Career

Devendra Fadnavis' political career began in 1992 when he was elected as the Councilor at Nagpur Municipal Corporation and served two consecutive terms. He became the second youngest Mayor in the country. He was appointed as the CM of Maharashtra on October 31, 2014. Fadnavis launched the Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan to address the water shortage issue of Maharashtra's hinterland in 2014. He launched ‘Mumbai Next' on January 30, 2015, which was a roadmap to convert the country's financial capital into a global financial and entertainment hub. On September 15, 2015, Fadnavis unveiled the Maharashtra Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) in Nagpur to digitise its police force.

 

In 2016, under Fadnavis' ministership, Maharashtra launched various digital initiatives to mark 70th Independence Day and also proposed an initiative for Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Way. Fadnavis announced a 1 per cent government reservation in 2018 in the open category for orphans education and government jobs in the state.

 

In another initiative, the Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government introduced the 'Magel Tyala Shettale' scheme in 2016 to overcome the drought and sustainable agriculture in the state.

 

Devendra Fadnavis has served as a member of various Subject Committees, Standing Committees and Joint Select Committees of Legislature. He is a recipient of The Best Parliamentarian Award of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.