Bal Thackeray
Bal Thackeray | |
|---|---|
Thackeray in 2012 | |
| Leader (Paksha Pramukh) of Shiv Sena | |
| In office 19 June 1966 – 17 November 2012 | |
| Preceded by | position created |
| Succeeded by | Uddhav Thackeray |
| Editor-in-chief of Saamana | |
| In office 23 January 1988 – 20 June 2006 | |
| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | Uddhav Thackeray |
| Co-founder and Editor-in-chief of Marmik | |
| In office 13 August 1960 – 17 November 2012 | |
| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | Uddhav Thackeray |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bal Keshav Thackeray 23 January 1926 |
| Died | 17 November 2012 (aged 86) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Party | Shiv Sena |
| Other political affiliations | National Democratic Alliance (from 1998) |
| Spouse |
Sarla Vaidya
(m. 1948; died 1995) |
| Children | 3, including Uddhav Thackeray |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Aaditya Thackeray (grandson) Raj Thackeray (nephew) Thackeray family |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Marathi regionalism Hindutva |
| Nicknames |
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Bal Keshav Thackeray (Marathi pronunciation: [baːɭ̆ keːʃəʋ ʈʰaːk(ə)ɾeː]; 23 January 1926 – 17 November 2012), also known as Balasaheb Thackeray, was an Indian cartoonist and politician who founded the original Shiv Sena, a right-wing Marathi regionalist and a Hindu nationalist party, active mainly in the state of Maharashtra.
Thackeray began his professional career as a cartoonist with the English-language daily, The Free Press Journal in Bombay, but he left the paper in 1960 to form his own political weekly, Marmik. His political philosophy was largely shaped by his father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, a leading figure in the Sanyukta Maharashtra (United Maharashtra) movement, which advocated for the creation of a separate linguistic state for Marathi speakers. Through Mārmik, Bal Thackeray campaigned against the growing influence of non-Marathis in Mumbai. He had a large political influence in the state, especially in Mumbai.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Thackeray built the Shiv Sena with help of Madhav Mehere, the Chief Attorney for Trade Union of India, Babasaheb Purandare, a historian for Govt of Maharashtra and Madhav Deshpande, the Head Accountant for Shiv Sena. These three individuals, to a large extent, were responsible for the success of Shiv Sena and stability of politics in Mumbai till 2000 to ensure its growth into an economic power center. Thackeray was also the founder of the Marathi-language newspaper Saamana. After the riots of 1992–93, he and his party took a Hindutva ideological stance. In 1999, Thackeray was banned from voting and contesting in any election for six years on the recommendations of the Election Commission for indulging in seeking votes in the name of religion. Thackeray was arrested multiple times and spent a brief stint in prison, but he never faced any major legal repercussions. Upon his death, he was accorded a state funeral, at which many mourners were present. Thackeray did not hold any official positions, and he was never formally elected as the leader of his party.