Vasantrao Naik
Vasantrao Phulsingh Naik (1 July 1913 – 18 August 1979) was an Indian politician and social reformer who served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1963 until 1975.Vasantrao Naik was an eminent agriculturist, progressive farmer and politician. He was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the longest time. Naik was born in a prosperous farming family in a small village called Gahuli near Pusad in eastern Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. Naik is considered the father of the Green Revolution, Panchayat Raj as well as the White Revolution and Employment Guarantee Scheme in Maharashtra. Former President, Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee said, "Vasantrao Naik is a great son of Mother India." Naik's are glorified in this word. A.D.  During the severe drought in Maharashtra in 1972, he implemented far-reaching relief schemes for farmers. Vasantrao Naik was not only aware of the problems of farmers but also took far-reaching measures. His umbilical cord was always connected with agriculture and farmers. Naik's did revolutionary work even in difficult times. He is called as the 'Knowing King of Farmers ', 'Green Warrior'. Well-known writer Eknathrao Pawar has described Vasantrao Naik as the 'Krishisant of modern agrarian India'. Mahanayak Vasantrao Naik is not just a name but a people-oriented ideology of sustainable development. Career
He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh during 1952-1957, of the then bilingual Bombay State during 1957-1960 and of Maharashtra during 1960 to 1977. In 1952, he was appointed Deputy Minister for Revenue in the Government of Madhya Pradesh. He was made Minister for Cooperation in 1957 and, later, Minister for Agriculture in the Government of Bombay State. From 1960 to 1963, he was Minister for Revenue in the Government of Maharashtra. After the death of Marotrao Kannamwar, Naik was elected Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a post which he held for more than eleven years during 1963-1975. He is considered the father of the Green Revolution in Maharashtra. The industrialization of Maharashtra is largely the legacy of his progressive industrial policies.eHe was also elected to the 6th Lok Sabha from Washim in 1977. Death
V. P. Naik died in Singapore on 18 August 1979. Later his nephew Sudhakarrao Naik also became Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Many journalists and experts of political studies attribute the rise of right wing party Shiv Sena in the 1970s to his policy of building up the Shiv Sena as a counterweight to the communist-led labour unions in Mumbai. Legacy
The Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College in Yavatmal city of Maharashtra state and Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agriculture University Parbhani, Maharashtra state was named in his honour. The 2015 Marathi film Mahanayak Vasant Tu, starring Chinmay Mandlekar, is his biopic. 