Patangrao Kadam, Maharashtra Congress leader and educationist, passes away 

Sitting MLA from Palus-Kadegaon in Sangli district, senior Congress leader, former Maharashtra minister and educationist Patangrao Kadam passed away on Friday, March 9.

Born into a lower-middle class family in Sangli district of Western Maharashtra, Kadam had a rapid rise in the fields of politics and education. He had MA and LLB degrees. Despite adverse circumstances, Kadam went on to complete his doctorate in management from the University of Pune.

After his brief stint as a part-time teacher, he joined the Congress and was elected to the state Assembly four times from Palus-Kadegaon constituency in western India. Though he contested his first Assembly election in 1980 as an Independent but lost, he won in 1985 as an independent candidate from a seat that was known as a Congress bastion.

Known to be a staunch Congressman, Kadam came from an extremely poor family. He was elected to the Maharashtra assembly four times, and held key portfolios such as cooperation and forest in the Congress-NCP government (1999 to 2014).

Kadam also founded Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University in 1964. The institute currently is said to have more than 180 educational institutes under its umbrella in the country and abroad.

Kadam also used to head a local cooperative sugar mill.

The late leader also served as chairman of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

During his stint at MSRTC, Kadam started a scheme under which every major village in the state was connected with MSRTC bus service.

As news of his Kadam’s demise spread, tributes began pouring in for the veteran leader on Twitter.

With PTI inputs.