Sushilkumar Sambhaji Shinde (born 4 September 1941) is an Indian former police officer and statesman from the state of Maharashtra. He was the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Power in the Manmohan Singh government, and the Leader of the House in Lok Sabha{{cite news| url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3722572.ece|title= Shinde is new Leader of Lok Sabha| date= 4 August 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/govt/cabinet.php |title=Council of Ministers – Who's Who – Government: National Portal of India |work=india.gov.in |publisher=Government of India |access-date=11 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813133910/http://india.gov.in/govt/cabinet.php |archive-date=13 August 2010 |df=dmy }} until 26 May 2014. He previously served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 18 January 2003 to 4 November 2004.

Early life and education

Shinde was born on 4 September 1941 at Solapur to Sambhaji Rao Shinde and Sakhu Bai.{{Cite magazine|author=Krishna Kumar |date=August 6, 2012 |title=Family retainer with Dalit card|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/opinion/krishna-kumar/story/family-retainer-with-dalit-card-sushil-kumar-shinde-112345-2012-08-05|access-date=16 March 2019|magazine=India Today}}{{Cite web|date=2019-07-01|title=Rahul Gandhi's Successor: Sushil Kumar Shinde the New Favourite?|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/rahul-gandhi-congress-successor-sushil-kumar-shinde-ashok-gehlot|access-date=2020-06-14|website=The Quint|language=en}} Shinde completed his education with an honours degree in arts from Dayanand College, Solapur and LLB from ILS Law College{{Cite web |url=http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/States/Andhra%20pradesh/governor.htm |title=Bio data Of Shri Sushilkumar Shinde |access-date=1 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012031829/http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/States/Andhra%20pradesh/governor.htm |archive-date=12 October 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} and New Law College, University of Bombay, Maharashtra.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=423|title=Lok Sabha Data}}

Early career

Sushilkumar Shinde started his career as a bailiff in the Sessions court of Solapur where he worked from 1957 – 1965. He then joined the Maharashtra Police as a constable.[http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_be-more-sensitive-towards-people-s-needs-sushilkumar-shinde-to-police_1800557 Be more sensitive towards people's needs: Sushilkumar Shinde to police – India – DNA]. Dnaindia.com. Retrieved on 17 August 2013. Subsequently, he served in the Maharashtra CID for six years,{{Cite web |url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok12/biodata/12mh37.htm |title=Shri Sushilkumar Shinde biography |access-date=1 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009063112/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok12/biodata/12mh37.htm |archive-date=9 October 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} as a sub-inspector of police, under Amukuraj Patil, his CID mentor.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sushilkumar-shinde-s-meteoric-rise-from-peon-to-union-home-minister-1722446|title=Rise from Peon to Home Minister}}

Political career

In the year 1971, Shinde became a member of the Congress Party. He won the Maharashtra state assembly elections in 1974, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1992, 24 May 2003 to August 2004–(General) by-election, September 2004 to 2 October 2004–(General).{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/electionanalysis/AE/S13/partycomp218.htm |title=State Elections 2004 – Partywise Comparison for 218-North Solapur Constituency of Maharashtra |publisher=Eci.nic.in |access-date=26 August 2010}} Shinde was elected to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra during July 1992 to March 1998.{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.5/Newmembers/alphabeticallist_all_terms.aspx|title=Rajya Sabha members|access-date=31 December 2009}} In 1999, he acted as campaign manager of the Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. In 2002, Shinde lost the election for the post of Vice-President of India contesting against the National Democratic Alliance candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. He served as the chief minister of Maharashtra from 2003 to 2004. He was appointed the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on 30 October 2004 replacing Surjit Singh Barnala, who became the Governor of Tamil Nadu. He left the office on 29 January 2006.

Shinde was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha for the second time from Maharashtra on 20 March 2006.[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060321/main3.htm "Arjun, Bhardwaj, Shinde elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha"], Tribuneindia.com, 20 March 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_we-are-talking-of-a-lifestyle-sans-god_1326966 |title=We are talking of a lifestyle sans God – Lifestyle – DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=24 December 2009 |access-date=26 August 2010}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/|title=The News International: Latest News Breaking, Pakistan News|website=www.thenews.com.pk|access-date=16 March 2019}} Shinde became the leader of Lok Sabha after his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee was elected President of India.[http://www.firstpost.com/politics/shinde-to-be-new-leader-of-house-in-lok-sabha-404132.html Shinde to be new Leader of House in Lok Sabha]. Firstpost. Retrieved 12 August 2012. Shinde served as Power minister of India from 2006 to 2012. Later, he was appointed Home Minister of India in 2012.[http://www.firstpost.com/india/home-minister-shinde-to-visit-pune-blast-sites-today-404647.html Home minister Shinde to visit Pune blast sites today]. Firstpost. Retrieved 12 August 2012.{{cite web|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-07-31/news/32961486_1_home-minister-assam-chief-minister-p-chidambaram|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301060916/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-07-31/news/32961486_1_home-minister-assam-chief-minister-p-chidambaram|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 March 2014|title=Chidambaram appointed as FM, Sushil Kumar Shinde to be Home Minister |access-date=31 July 2012}} His tenure as a Home Minister saw two major decisions of hanging the terrorists Afzal Guru and Ajmal Kasab.{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/afzal-guru-hanging/story/home-minister-sushilkumar-shinde-afzal-guru-hanging-ajmal-kasab-hanging-153667-2013-02-09|title=Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde scores with hangings, says govt recommended death sentence for Afzal Guru on February 3|work=India Today}}

During the 2012 northern India power grid failure, Shinde deflected criticism by observing that India was not alone in suffering major power outages, as the United States and Brazil had both experienced similar blackouts within the previous few years.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19043972|title=Power cut causes major disruption in northern India|date=30 July 2012|publisher=BBC News|access-date=30 July 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/power-grid-failure-makes-370m-swelter-in-dark-as-india-struggles-to-meet-its-vast-energy-needs/2012/07/30/gJQAY4afKX_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222210002/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/power-grid-failure-makes-370m-swelter-in-dark-as-india-struggles-to-meet-its-vast-energy-needs/2012/07/30/gJQAY4afKX_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 February 2019|title=Power grid failure makes 370M swelter in dark as India struggles to meet its vast energy needs|date=30 July 2012|work=The Washington Post|access-date=31 July 2012|agency=Associated Press}} Officials in Uttar Pradesh, where the problem was believed to have begun, said the grid could not keep up with the huge demand for power in the hot summer. Uttar Pradesh power corporation chief Awanish Kumar Awasthi stated that the grid collapse was due to the states drawing more than their allotted power to meet the summer demand.

In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Shinde was the Congress party nominee. He was defeated by BJP Candidate Mr. Sharad Bansode.{{Cite web|url=http://www.myneta.info/ls2014/candidate.php?candidate_id=3693|title=Neta Info}}

Sushilkumar Shinde contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Solapur. Shinde was the Congress party nominee. He was defeated by BJP Candidate Mr. Siddheshwar Maharaj by a margin of 156,261 votes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/politics/2019-general-elections-raj-babbar-sushil-kumar-shinde-priya-dutt-in-congress-second-list-of-lok-sabha-candidates-2587871.htm|title=CNBC TV18}}

According to him, 2019 Indian general elections were the last Lok Sabha elections contested by him.{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/maharashtra/this-is-going-to-be-my-last-election-says-sushilkumar-shinde/articleshow/68921654.cms?from=mdr|title=This is going to be my last election, says Sushilkumar Shinde |date=April 17, 2019|newspaper= The Economic Times }}

Personal life

Shinde married Ujwala Shinde on 1 May 1970. The couple has three daughters.{{cite web|url=http://www.archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=423|title=Detailed Profile – Shri. Sushil Kumar Sambhajirao Shinde – Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) – Who's Who|publisher=Government: National Portal of India|access-date=9 January 2014}} One of his daughters Praniti Shinde is MP of Solapur, Maharashtra India.{{cite news |last1=News18 |title=Praniti Shinde in Solapur City Central Election Results 2019: Praniti Shinde of Congress Wins |url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/praniti-shinde-in-solapur-city-central-election-results-2019-live-updates-2359593.html |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=24 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025094115/https://www.news18.com/news/politics/praniti-shinde-in-solapur-city-central-election-results-2019-live-updates-2359593.html |archive-date=25 October 2023 |language=en}}

Awards and honours

15 January 1977: Selected in Ten Noteworthy Youth of the country by Indian Jaycees.
1978: Second choice as most popular Minister in the survey by 'Manohar' a weekly.
1981: Honoured with Basav Bhushan Award as "Ideal Youth" by Congress Party.
9 March 1996: "National Citizen Award" as a Best Member of Parliament at the hands of Mother Teresa.
2003: Bhai Bagal Award 2003, Third place at India Today – Reader's Choice The Best Chief Minister.
2005: Guruvarya Shankarrao Kanitkar Award at the hands of senior journalist Arun Tikekar.
22 September 2005 to 21 September 2007 & 21 November 2007 to 24 December 2009: Tilak Maharashtra Vidhyapeeth Chancellor.
23 January 2007: First D Lit. awarded by D Y Patil University. (Subject – Literature)
9 September 2007: Second D Lit. degree awarded by Srikrishna Devrai University, Andhra Pradesh. (Subject – Literature)
18 February 2009: Third D Lit. awarded by Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, Bhopal. (Subject – Science)
9 May 2009: "Navshakti Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar" awarded by Navshakti Times.
19 July 2009: Government Award of "Ideal Teacher" in memory of Education Officer Hon. B.C. Dhegale.

Positions held

Source:{{cite web|url=https://archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=423|title=Archive India}}

1974 – 1992: Member, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
1974 – 1975: Minister of State for Sports and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
1975 – 1977: Minister of State for Finance, Family Welfare, Sports and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
1978: Cabinet Minister for Labour and Tourism, Government of Maharashtra
1983 – 1985: Cabinet Minister for Finance, Planning, Sports and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
1985: Cabinet Minister for Finance, Planning, Environment, Government of Maharashtra
1986: Cabinet Minister for Finance, Planning, Industry, Law and Judiciary, Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra
1988 – 1990: Cabinet Minister for Finance, Cultural Affairs, Sports and Planning, Government of Maharashtra
1990: Cabinet Minister for Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra
1991: Cabinet Minister for Urban Development, Law and Judiciary, Government of Maharashtra
1992: Elected to Rajya Sabha
1998 – 1999: Member, Twelfth Lok Sabha
1999 – 2003: Member, Thirteenth Lok Sabha
2003 – 2004: Member, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
2004: Chief Minister, Maharashtra
2004 – 2006: Governor of Andhra Pradesh
2006: Member, Rajya Sabha and Union Cabinet Minister of Power
2009: Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha
31 May – 31 July: Union Cabinet Minister, Power
Aug 2012: Union Cabinet Minister, Home Affairs
30 Aug 2012: Leader of the House, Lok Sabha

Theatre and films

The Marathi film, Dusari Goshta (2014) and a documentary film Andherese Ujale Ki Aour are based on his life from childhood to becoming a popular politician.