Amidst the urban sprawl of Mumbai, the demise of the esteemed Manohar Joshi, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and prominent figure in the Shiv Sena, occurred in the early hours of Friday, succumbing to the aftermath of a cardiac arrest that befell him two days prior. At the venerable Hinduja Hospital, where he had been ensconced since Wednesday, the 86-year-old statesman drew his last breath.
This luminary, who once presided over the Lok Sabha as its Speaker, found himself in the throes of medical attention within the confines of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as the trajectory of his health failed to ameliorate. In accordance with familial wishes, the final rites are slated to transpire at the Shivaji Park crematorium in the Dadar district.
A chapter of health tribulations unfolded for Joshi in May of 2023, marked by a cerebral hemorrhage that relegated him to the confines of the ICU, where he lingered in a semi-conscious state before eventual discharge.
Hailing from the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, in the district of Raigad, Joshi, born on December 2, 1937, into a Brahmin lineage, achieved his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the esteemed Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in the state capital.
The genesis of his political journey traced back to his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), culminating in his alignment with the ideology of the Shiv Sena under the aegis of Bal Thackeray. Commencing his political foray as a municipal councilor in Mumbai during the period of 1968-70, he ascended to the role of Chairman, Standing Committee of the Mumbai municipal corporation in 1970. Subsequently, Joshi secured election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in 1972, serving three terms. Further, he assumed the mantle of the Mayor of Mumbai during the tenure of 1976-1977.
The electoral landscape welcomed him into the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1990, where he donned the mantle of the Leader of the Opposition during 1990-91. A luminary of the Shiv Sena, Joshi, at the age of 86, earned renown for his organizational prowess, particularly in the 1980s.
Affectionately addressed as “Joshi Sir,” he etched his name as the inaugural Chief Minister from the undivided Shiv Sena, steering the state from 1995 to 1999.
The annals of the 1999 general elections witnessed Joshi’s triumph in the Mumbai North-Central Lok Sabha Constituency under the Shiv Sena banner. Subsequently, he ascended to the position of Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. Notably, he assumed the role of the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 during the tenure of the Vajpayee-led government.
Beyond politics, Joshi’s influence extended to the realm of sports as the President of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). In homage, Mumbai players, in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal clash against Baroda at the Bandra Kurla Complex, are set to don black armbands following a two-minute silence to honor the departed former MCA President, Manohar Joshi.