MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister and Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Friday (February 23) after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 86.
Joshi, affectionately known as Joshi Sir, was admitted to Hinduja Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on February 21 and passed away early Friday (February 23), according to the private medical facility.
He served as the first chief minister of the undivided Shiv Sena from 1995 to 1999. Joshi’s political journey began with his involvement in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), later joining the Shiv Sena, where he emerged as a prominent leader in the 1980s, known for his organizational prowess.
Born on December 2, 1937, in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, Joshi obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai.
Besides his tenure as chief minister, Joshi also served as an MP and was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 during the Vajpayee government.
He was elected from the Mumbai North-Central Lok Sabha Constituency.
Joshi’s contributions extended to municipal governance, where he served as a municipal councillor and Mayor of Mumbai.
He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in 1972 and later to the Legislative Assembly in 1990, where he served as the Leader of the Opposition.
He was survived by a son and two daughters, his wife Anagha Joshi having passed away in 2020. Joshi, who began his career as a teacher, dedicated over four decades to the Shiv Sena, leaving a significant impact on Maharashtra’s political landscape.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who served in the Maharashtra ministry alongside Joshi, lamented his passing, describing him as a “cultured face” of politics. Joshi’s last rites are scheduled to be performed at the Shivaji Park crematorium in Dadar area.