Veteran Congress leader and former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil passed away on Friday morning at his residence ‘Devghar’ in Latur, Maharashtra. Family sources said he died after a brief illness. He was 90. His funeral is expected to take place on Saturday.
Patil is survived by his son Shailesh Patil, daughter-in-law Archana Patil, and two granddaughters. Archana had contested the Latur City Assembly seat last year on a BJP ticket against Congress leader Amit Deshmukh but lost the election.
Born on October 12, 1935, Shivraj Patil began his public life as the president of the Latur municipality between 1966 and 1970. He later served two terms as an MLA and held significant positions in the Maharashtra Assembly, including Deputy Speaker and Speaker, during 1977–1979. His calm temperament and disciplined style of working soon made him one of the most recognised political figures in the region.
Patil went on to represent the Latur Lok Sabha seat seven times, marking one of the longest parliamentary careers from Maharashtra. He served as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996, a period remembered for his soft-spoken but firm approach. Although he lost the 2004 Lok Sabha election to BJP’s Rupatai Patil Nilangekar, he later entered the Rajya Sabha and continued contributing to national politics.
Over the years, he handled key portfolios in the Union government, including Defence, Commerce, and Science and Technology. His most prominent role came when he served as the Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008. Patil resigned after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, taking moral responsibility for the security lapses, a gesture seen as rare in Indian politics.
Between 2010 and 2015, he served as the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, a tenure marked by dignified conduct and adherence to constitutional duties. Political colleagues across party lines admired him for his calm and courteous nature.
Shivraj Patil was known not only for his political career but also for his wide reading habits, articulate speech, and deep understanding of constitutional matters. His command over Marathi, Hindi, and English made him an influential and respected voice in Parliament. A Congress leader described him as someone who never indulged in personal attacks, whether in public meetings or private conversations.
His passing marks the end of an era for Latur and for national politics, where he remained a steady, composed, and scholarly presence for more than five decades.