Savjibhai Korat

Savjibhai Korat (6 August 1953 – 26 November 1998) was an Indian politician, a cabinet minister of Gujarat state. He was born into a farmer’s family in an Indian village near Jetpur.
He was an inborn leader; since childhood he had the characteristics of leadership. In college days he started his journey towards politics, and he became the GS of P. D. Malaviya College, Rajkot. In the short span since he became a M.L.A. from Jetpur – 21 Constituency for the first time and continued repeating the same in the elections of 1995, he became the state minister for Road and Building and panchayat. He worked under the honorable CM Keshubhai Patel and Sureshbhai Mehta in that short span of 1995-1997. Again he was elected as a Member of the Legislative assembly from the same constituency for the third time. This time he got placed in the Cabinet Ministry and was given the portfolio of Road and Building. In a very short time with his dashing personality he worked for the government and did a lot of work in the early days of the government. His way of working was recognized all over the state. He was very energetic and known for his work against corrupted people. He was prominent for frequent raids in government offices, circuit houses, and construction site under direct or indirect control of the government.

Death

On the evening of 25 November after a meeting with state cabinet, he was admitted to hospital that evening after he collapsed while visiting his ailing mother, who was suffering from paralysis, at the New Civil Hospital, Ahemdabad. He was operated upon the same night to remove a blood clot from the brain. Though surgery helped stabilize his condition, it began to deteriorate. He was put on a respirator. On November 26 after fighting a losing battle against brain hemorrhage for two days, Roads & Building Minister Savjibhai Korat died at the New Civil Hospital at 4:25 p.m. on Thursday, 26 November 1998. Later, Korat's body was taken to Gandhinagar where a guard of honour was given at a function in the Sachivalaya premises. Besides the chief minister, Governor Anshuman Singh, cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats placed wreaths at Korat's bier. Around 7 p.m., the body was brought to the BJP headquarters at Khanpur here, where party workers paid homage. Around 8:30 p.m., the body was flown to Rakjot by helicopter, from where it was taken by road to his native village Juni Sankdi in Jetpur district. On Friday morning, 27 November, the body was taken to Jetpur district panchayat office for public viewing. Korat's body was donated to Rajkot Medical College. Korat's family also donated his eyes soon after the death. The tricolor on the Sachivalaya building was brought to half-mast around 5 p.m. after Korat's death.

A Cabinet meeting was convened at Gandhinagar in the evening that day where a resolution condoling Korat's death was adopted. Also, it was decided that government offices in Gandhinagar district, Ahmedabad city and Rajkot district would remain closed on that particular weekend. The state government also announced three-day state mourning, beginning Friday.

Memorial places

• Shri Savjibhai Korat Bridge (Varacha, Surat)
• Shri Savjibhai Korat Marg (Jetpur, Rajkot)
• Shri Savjibhai Korat Municipal Market (Jetpur, Rajkot)
• Statue of Shri Savjibhai Korat (Jetpur, Rajkot)
• Welcome Gate Shri Savjibhai Korat (Juni Sankli, Jetpur, Rajkot)
• Savjibhai Korat Bus Depot, Jetpur (Jetpur, Rajkot)
• Takshashila College of Engineering and Technology (Savjibhai Korat Educational Trust) (Rajkot)
• Shri Savjibhai Korat Hospital, (Jetpur, Rajkot)

Various other small streets, roads and bridges have been named after Savjibhai Korat