Late Pri. Vamanrao Mahadik

Founder and Executive Chairman (Lifetime)

Different positions held by Principle Vamanrao Mahadik

Birth : 17^th March 1925

Corporator with Bruhanmumbai Mahanagar Palika : 9^th March 1968 to 31^st March 1984

Mayor of Mumbai : 6^thApril 1978 to 15^th November 1978

Member of Legislative Assembly : 1969 to 1972

Member of  Legislative Council : 1980  to 1986

Member of Parliament (Shivsena) : 1989 to 1991

President, National Integration Committee : 1995 to 1999 (Cabinet Status)

Member, Sudhar Samiti, BMC : 1968-69 to 1970-71

Member, Sudhar Samiti, BMC : April 1970 to March 1971

Member, Sthayi Samiti, BMC : 1970-71 to 1975-76

Member, Sthayi Samiti, BMC : April 1975 to December 1976

Member, Best Samiti, BMC : 1975-76 (ex-officio member)  to 1976-77

Member, Sarvajanik Aarogya Samiti : December 1978 to May 1984

Member,Vruksha Pradhikran Samiti : 7^th April 1978 to 23^rd October 1979

Member,Vruksha Pradhikran Samiti :  8^th November 1979 to 30^th March 1984

Member, Anudan Sahayya Samiti: 1970-71 to 1971-72, 1975-76 to November 1978

Member, Mumbai Mahanagarpalika Shatabdi Samiti  : 1975-76, 1979-80 and 1980-81

Member, Aashwasan Samiti: 1975-76

Member, Niyojan Samiti: 1975-76

Member, Pani Puravatha Prakalp Samiti: 1981-82

Member,Telephone Sallagar Samiti : 1973-74 and 1974-75

Member, Pheriwala (Hawkers) Samiti:

Leader of the Opposition Party, Mumabi Mahanagarpalika:

Founder/ President,  Muncipal Karmachari Kamgar Sena

President, B.E.S.T Kamgar Sena

President, Agnishamana Dal Karmachari Union

President, Shikshak Sanghtana

President, Mazagaon Dock Kamgar Sena

Founder/ Executive Chairman (for life time) : Talere Panchkroshi Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, Mumbai

Death : 12^th October 1999

Biography :

Shri Wamanrao Mahadik was born in a village called ‘Talere’ in Kankakavali Taluka situated in Sindhudurga district (formerly known as Ratnagiri). He was born on 17^th March 1925 to Late Mrs. Rukminibai and Mr. Shivram Vishram Mahadik. Wamanrao’s father was a warkari. His family consisted of parents, nine brothers and two sisters. He spent his childhood days in hardships and poverty. As it was impossible to seek education at his native place Talere, he left for Devgad and completed his education until Matriculation while staying with his elder brother Balkrishna. Wamanarao had always been an exemplary student and scored 74% and secured first rank in matriculation examination in 1944 at the district level. Later, he worked as a Tahasildar of Devgad for some time. Similarly for a very short span of time, he worked as a professor at Devgad college. Wamanrao was a R.S.S. cadet and was sent to prison for some time after Gandhiji’s assassination.  Then at the age of 22, he came to Mumbai in search of a job and  completed his Bachelor of Arts degree from Siddharth College while working in the postal department and cloth mill and later studied for two more years and completed his Law education. In his student days, he represented his college and won many prizes in the inter college speech competitions.  He was a favourite student of Writer and Professor Anant Kanekar. Later, he started working in the C.T.O. in night shift. And then in the year 1948, he started working as a clerk with Mumbai Municipality in the Engineering Department. In 1952, he got married to Lakshmibai daughter of Mr. Dyneshwar Pore from Mhapral, a village in Mahad Taluka. While he was working with the Mumbai Municipality he worked as a teacher with the well known Pinge’s classes in Dadar, Mumbai. However, due to some clashes with management he started his own coaching class under the name of Mahadik’s Classes in Dadar. He used to be fully occupied with his classes in the morning and evening and with his job with municipality during 10.30 to 5.30. Then he appeared for the head clerk examination and after clearing it with flying colours he was promoted to head clerk’s position in the Mumbai Municipality. In his life’s journey his wife Mrs. Lakshmibai has been a huge support to Wamanrao and her contribution was remarkable. His  family consisted of his wife, five daughters and two sons. Later in 1968, Wamanrao decided to work as a full time cadre for Shivsena. And under the strong leadership of Shivesena Superemo Late Balasaheb Thackrey he worked as corporator and later even served as a MP (Member of Parliament). His razor sharp intelligence, excellent oratory skills, hardworking nature and empathy towards the poor and down trodden he shone like a star in Municipal Corporation, Legislative Assembly and even in the parliament. He worked relentlessly for the upliftment of poor and down trodden people and remained loyal to Shivsena all throughout his life. Always clad in simple clothes, he remained a country dweller all throughout his life with his unreserved attitude a typical trait of any Malavani man and was very soft hearted person just like a jackfruit tough from outside and sweet inside till he breathed his last. Not only his family members but even a simple shivsanik used to call him fondly as “Appa”. During his last leg, he was confined to bed due to age related illness and health issues. At the same time, the untimely death of his beloved young son left his heart wrenching in grief. In spite of all these difficulties and traumas in his personal life he remained loyal to the Shivasena Chief Balasaheb Thackrey and continued to serve the society till breathed his last due to short illness on 12^th October 1999.

Educational Activities :

Wamanrao was a worshiper of Goddess Saraswati, Goddess of knowledge and wisdom in the true sense of the term. For a short span of time he worked as a teacher in Devgad. After settling down in Mumbai and while he was working in the Mumbai Municipality he joined Pinge’s classes. However, due to differences with the management he left that job and started his own classes under the banner Mahadik’s classes in Dadar. Thus his hectic routine started as he used to work from 10.30 to 5.30 at his office and before that and after he used to take the classes.

Later, in the year 1978, while he was the acting Mayor of Mumbai, the villagers from his home town Talere, requested him to construct a secondary school at his native place as there was none and it was much needed, so he established an educational institute called “Talere Panchkroshi Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, Mumbai” and under its flagman ship he started the “Talere Panchkroshi Secondary School”. Till his last breath, he worked as  Executive Chairman. He worked relentlessly right from acquiring state government recognition till making  the school financially competent. After the demise of Wamanrao  Mahadik and as token of love and gratitude and mark of respect for his exemplary contribution in the establishment of this school, it was named as Wamanrao Mahadik Secondary School at the hands of the then opposition party leader Shri Narayanrao Rane, in the year 2002-03.

Political Life :

While he was working as a head clerk in the Mumbai Municipality he got highly impressed and influenced by Shivsena Chief Balasaheb’s thoughts.  This influence reflected in Wamanrao turning into a public speaker and thus he delivered many speeches in front of some young aspiring individuals at his resident in Sewri, these young men got so influenced by his oratory skills that they requested Balasaheb to give an election ticket to Wamanrao Mahadik. Since Wamanrao had been associated with R.S.S. from the beginning he had good grasp and understanding of politics as well as the discipline in politics. However, he was in two minds whether to continue his job or to enter into full fledge politics finally in 1968 he took the huge risk and left his job and entered politics.  That year Shiva Sena contested the election for the very first time. Wamanrao won that election and got elected as the first corporator of Shiv Sena on 26^th March 1968 from Sewri Koliwada, Hajibandar in Sewri ward no. 70 and it was a landslide victory.  Then in 1973 Wamanrao had to vacate his existing house in Sewri as under the newly passed resolution the candidate contesting the municipal election was not supposed to occupy or live in the premises or property owned by the Bombay Municipality. During that time Wamanrao was left with no other option but to stay in slum area with a fellow Shivasainik and then later on he moved to Parel. Continuously for fifteen years Wamanrao got elected as a corporator from the same ward. In his 15 year long tenure as a corporator, Wamanrao was on many committees from a mere member to the president. Until now, there has been no other corporator apart from him who delivered a speech on the budget for six long hours at a stretch. All the party workers were very fond of him and used to call him as “Appa” as a token of their sense of belonging. After the death of MLA Krishna Desai, Wamanrao contested and won the by-election from the same constituency, this fight was indeed tough as 13 opposition parties gathered and stood in unison against Shivsena. However Wamanrao won with an overwhelming majority. This time he took the oath in the Legislative Assembly in Sanskrit. His intelligence, studious nature and good oratory skills were so impressive that the then Chief Minister Late Vasant Rao Naik praised him wholeheartedly in front of Balasaheb. Even Vasant Dada Patil the ex-chief minister was very much fond of Wamanrao. Later, he became the Mayor of Mumbai from 6^th April 1978 to 15^th November 1978. Even in this short span of time of merely nine months his contribution as a mayor has been very impressive.

Those days were really hard for Shivsena. During that turbulent time Dattaji Salvi, Sudhir Joshi, Manohar Joshi, Pramod Navalkar, Wamkanrao Mahadik, Liladhar Dake, Dattaji Nalawade, Madhukar Sarpotdar and Sabir Sheikh took painstaking efforts to create strong political base for Shiv sena to blossom. This was like Balasaheb’s Ashtapradhan Mandal. All of them had only one mission and one vision and that was to see Shiva sena expanding by leaps and bound and turning into a Big Banayan Tree. And to fulfill this dream all these men were working hard and relentlessly. By this time, they understood the importance of political presence and dominance and understood that social service alone cannot bring any change. Hence, they contested many elections. They won some and lost some. Wamanrao personally took keen interest and efforts in making Shiv Sena’s presence known, heard and seen from by lanes of Mumbai to the national Capital. He hardly used to be there at his home. He was on wheels all the time. Sometimes in Goa, sometimes in Jammu, sometimes in Bangalore and sometimes in Konkan, thus he was neck deep busy in his political tours. During those days, the means of transportation were sparse and often inconvenient but that didn’t stop him. His unshakable loyalty towards Balasaheb and Shiv Sena coincided with his oratory skills he spread Shiva Sena in nooks and corners of Maharashtra and without expecting anything in return. He was extremely intelligent, his command over the language and his outstanding oratory skills, his hardworking nature and empathetic attitude towards the poor and needy people of our society made him stood apart and thus he spent his entire life in uplifting the poor people. For him it doesn’t matter whether he got mere five minutes or fifty minutes to express his thoughts. People used to be eagerly waiting to listen to his speeches decorated with pearls of wisdom from ancient Sanskrit poems and his poetic and rhetoric language was quite engaging and enchanting. Later, during 1980 to 1986 he became member of the Legislative Council by grace of Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackrey.

Later, in the year 1989, Balasaheb asked him to contest the Member of Parliament election from the South Central Constituency of Mumbai against the then stalwart and late Congress leader  Dadasaheb Rupawate and Dr. Datta Samant. Wamanrao won that election with a sweeping mandate of 1,60,167  votes and thus he got the honor to be the first Member of Parliament from Shiv Sena and flew to Delhi. Even in the parliament he represented the Marathi Manus and Shiv Sena quite vehemently. On the eve of the auspicious Shivjayanti festival Wamanrao was present in Delhi as the parliament was in session. He grabbed this opportunity and collected all the Shiv Sena cadres and took them in unison to the Mint Road where the statue of Shivaji Maharaj riding the horse is placed and celebrated the Shivjayanti festival in joyous mood. This event was shown on television and Wamanrao received lot of acclaim and many congratulated him over the phone calls for his excellent idea. As a member of parliament Wamanrao got only two years however he could raise and discuss important issues of Mumbai. The fund which MP’s receive today is also due to the proposal Wamanrao put forward in the parliament during those two years. He discussed many issues in the parliament such as Renaming Bombay as Mumbai, Bombay high gas issue, the subsidy for mango and cashew nut crops to be given to farmers from Konkan etc. Later, in 1991 Parliament elections were declared and Balasaheb asked Wamanrao to contest the election from Konkan against Madhu Dandvate the imminent Janata Dal leader. Wamanrao went to all the nooks and corners of his constituency and his victory was sure however the sudden and shocking assassination of Rajiv Gandhi during the election time turned the tables and the sympathy wave created thereafter marked the victory of the congress candidate. But Wamanrao was second in the ranking. In the year 1995, Shiv Sena came to power in the state and he was appointed as the head of National Integration Committee, the designation was parallel to any cabinet ministry.

Wamanrao was an excellent organizer. Wamanaroa was closely associated with many educational, cultural and social organizations from the mill area better known as Girangaon. He took painstaking efforts to lay the foundations of Shiv Sena not only in Maharashtra but also in Delhi, Goa, Jammu and Bangalore. While pursuing this dream he had to face many storms and face many challenges. He used to participate passionately in organizational work and made Girangaon his resident until he breathed his last and participated in their joy and sorrow alike.  He was all in all a people’s man all throughout his life and never took any due or undue advantage of his position for his own family members. Always clad in simple clothes, he remained a country dweller all throughout his life with his unreserved attitude a typical trait of any Malavani man and was very soft hearted person just like a jackfruit tough from outside and sweet inside till he breathed his last. During his last leg, he was confined to bed due to age related illness and health issues. At the same time, the untimely death of his beloved young son left his heart wrenching in grief. However, while battling with physical pain and the deep grief of losing his son he continued serving the society till the end of his life.

Until he breathed his last, he continued to serve as a president of Muncipal Karmachari Kamgar Sena and Shikshak Sanghatana. He used to say it many a times that, “even though prolonged illness has weakened my body it hasn’t weakened my mind yet. It inspires me continuously to engage in a dialogue with my people and this conversation is so enchanting that hours becomes minute and time literally flies. This main reason behind this unstoppable flow of my thoughts is my devotion towards my goal and my sincere love, respect and faith on my deity, Shivsenapramukh. I am a dreamer and yes Shiv sena is my dream.  

On 17^th March 1999, Wamanrao completed 74 years and entered into 75^th year the Diamond Jubilee year. Muncipal Karmachari Kamgar Sena hosted a grand celebration to commemorate this event where Wamanrao was felicitated at the hands of Balasaheb. While answering to this grand felicitation Wamanrao was overwhelmed and said that, “I am just one flower in this beautiful garland called Shiv sena tomorrow I will wilt and fall off but I wish to be offered as wreath on the Saffron Flag of Shiv Sena”. While his words were still fresh in memories of the audience Wamanrao breathed his last on 12^th October 1999 and with his sad demise the unrelenting blazing cannon called Wamanrao came to an end.