Quick Facts
Biography
Manohar Gajanan Joshi (born 2 December 1937) is an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra. He is one of the prominent leaders of the Shiv Sena political party. He was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1995–1999.
Background and family
He was born in a Brahmin family hailing from Raigad district. His forthfathers migrated from Beed district to Goregaon village of Raigad district. He got help from his other middle class relatives while studying. He was married on 14 May 1964 to Smt. Anagha Joshi, and has a son, Unmesh, and two daughters.
Shri Manohar Joshi has been awarded a honorory doctorate (in political science) by Mumbai University in 2010.
Formation of Kohinoor
After MA in law he joined in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as an officer, but later started the Kohinoor technical/vocational training institute with the idea of an institute for semi–skilled youths to offer training as electrician, plumber, TV/radio/scooter repairman, photography. Eventually, he started multiple branches of Kohinoor in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, etc., and later he made an entry in construction and other capital-oriented business.
Manohar Joshi also founded the Kohinoor Business School & Kohinoor-IMI School of Hospitality Management in Khandala, Maharashtra.Later on took Chancellorship of Dnyaneshwar Vidyapeeth.
Political career
Early years
He began his career by being elected to the Legislative Council from the Shiv Sena. He served three terms from 1972 till 1989. He became the Mayor of Mumbai during 1976 to 1977. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly from a Shiv Sena ticket in 1990.
Chief Minister
He became the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Maharashtra when the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition came to power.
Controversy and resignation
During his term as Chief Minister he was embroiled in a scam involving the change of reservation of a plot of land in Pune, which was being developed by his son-in-law, Girish Vyas. Just a couple of months prior to the High Court of Mumbai passing a verdict against Girish Vyas and terming the housing complex "Sundew", illegal, under severe pressure from the opposition, Mr. Joshi resigned. Later, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the High Court but set aside the order to conduct criminal investigation against the former Chief Minister.
Lok Sabha and Speaker
He was promoted to the Lok Sabha when he won from Central Mumbai in the 1999 General Elections. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2002 to 2004 during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration.
He was elected for a six-year term to the Rajya Sabha on 20 March 2006 after being defeated in the previous Lok Sabha election from the Central Mumbai constituency.