Shri Vilasrao
Dagadojirao Deshmukh is a member of
parliament of India representing Maharashtra in Rajya Sabha. Before taking this
charge, he was Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government
of India. He
was also a two-time Chief
Minister of Maharashtra, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2004 to
2008. He is a member of the Indian
National Congress
and originally belongs to Latur district in the Marathwada region of the state of Maharashtra.
Shri
Deshmukh was born on May 26, 1945 in Babhalgaon in the Latur district.
He graduated with a degree in Science (B.Sc.) and Arts (B.A.) from M.E.S Abasaheb
Garware College, (Pune University) and went on to study law (L.L.B.) from the ILS Law
College (Pune University). He started social activities in his early
youth with particular interest in drought relief work. He was elected as the
Director of the Osmanabad district Central Cooperative Bank and also of the Maharashtra State
Cooperative Bank in 1979.
Shri
Deshmukh entered active politics and became member of
the Babhalgaon Village Panchayat from
1974 to 1979 and its Sarpanch (village chief) from 1974
to 1976. He was a member of Osmanabad Zilla Parishad and
Deputy Chairman of Latur Taluka
Panchayat Samiti (Latur District Panchayat
Committee) from 1974 to 1980. As a President of Osmanabad
District Youth Congress from 1975 to 1978, he worked for the implementation of
Five Point Programme of the Youth Congress. He organised the youth in Osmanabad
district and became President of District wing of the Indian National
Congress.
He
was Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1995
winning 1980, 1985 and 1990 elections.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilasrao_Deshmukh - cite_note-eci-1978-2004-4
During this period, as the Minister of State
and the Cabinet Minister, Deshmukh handled departments
such as Home, General Administration, Cooperation, Public Works, Transport,
Legislative Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development
Fisheries, Industry, Rural Development, Education, Technical Education, Sports
and Youth Welfare.He has been a minister in various
governments in Maharashtra from 1982
to 1995 holding portfolios
of revenue, cooperation, agriculture, home, industries and education.
Shri Deshmukh had an opportunity to visit Japan, Thailand,
Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong in 1980, to study Cooperative Movement in
Amsterdam, Netherland and Agricultural Development.
He also visited West Germany, France, England, United States and Japan in 1981.[2] As the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he led an official delegation in May 2000, to
U.S.A. and UK and visited New York, Los Angeles, San Jose, Washington and
London to interact with the investors to bring investment to Maharashtra.
His
interests include reading, classical music, volleyball and table tennis.
KP