Freeindia > Biographies > Freedom Fighters > Shri Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher
Shri Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher was born on 24 August 1888 at Ratnagiri in a middle class family, He spent some years of his boyhood at Kundgol in the then Jamkhandi State. later he migrated at the instance of Shri G. K. Gokhale to Pune to study at the New English School. Later he obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1908 from the Wilson College, Bombay, with high distinction and received the Bhau Daji Lad price for standing first in Sanskrit.
In 1923 he took an active part in the Nationalist Movement, and became the Secretary of the Bombay Branch of the Swaraj Party. a wing of the Indian national Congress. He worked at that time as editor of newly started marathi daily Likamanya. Kher took keen interest in the Bardoli Satyagraha. He worked hard to creae better conditions for the tanners in Bandra,a suburb of Bombay. Shri Kher particitpated in the civil Disobedience Movement responding to the call of Mahatma Gandhi From 1930 to 1945 he was in jail four times.
The noteworthy period of Shri Kher's political career was between 1937 an d1939, when he was nominated the Chief MInister of Bombay at the instance of Gandhiji. When the 1946 elections purt he Congress Ministries back in office, Shri Kher again became the Chief Minister of Bombay. His Ministry earned the reputation of being the most progressive Ministry in India. As Chief Minister, he was an ex-office member of the Constituent Assembly, and he played a notable part in the drafting of the Constitution. As he declined to stand for election in Bombay in 1952, he was elected by the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a member of Rajya Sabha. He also served as Indian's High Commissioner in the United Kingdom. In recognition of his distinguished service to the country, the President conferred upon him the honour of Padma Vibhusahn in 1954. In June 1955 he was appointed Chairman of the Official languages Commission.
He took keen interest in Adivasi Welfare work. In 1956 he was appointed Chairman of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. He started the quarterly `Gandhi Margo' as forum for propogation &discussing the ideas an diddles of Gandhiji. he died on 8th March 1957.
Copyright © by FreeIndia.Org - India Site dedicated to freedom movement, education, culture, All Right Reserved.
