Former Governor and senior educationist, Padma Shri awardee Dr. Gyandev Yashwantrao Patil (91), passed away on Tuesday morning at his residence in Bavda, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He had been unwell for the past few days and was undergoing treatment at home. Family sources informed that Dr. Patil’s mortal remains will be cremated in Kolhapur on Tuesday.
Born on October 22, 1935, in Bavda, Kolhapur district, Dr. DY Patil began his public life in Kolhapur. He built a vast educational empire that gained international recognition in the fields of education and social service. He made significant contributions to making education accessible to the masses, and for this reason, he is considered one of the country’s leading educationists.
Dr. Patil began his political career from the grassroots level. He served as a member and mayor of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation from 1957 to 1962. Subsequently, he was elected MLA from the Panhala Assembly constituency in 1967 and 1972. However, he faced defeat in the 1978 Assembly elections, after which he withdrew from active politics. However, due to his long-standing involvement in the Congress Party, he was appointed Governor of Tripura in November 2009. In March 2013, he assumed the office of Governor of Bihar and also successfully served as the additional Governor of West Bengal for a short period.
At the age of approximately 45, he devoted his work to the education and health sectors. By establishing an engineering college in Navi Mumbai in 1983, he developed a chain of educational institutions that earned him recognition both nationally and internationally.
His contributions to the education and health sectors were widely recognized. In 1991, Dr. Patil was honored with the Padma Shri award for his outstanding work. During his long public life, Dr. Patil was known for his simplicity, gentleness, and cordial relations with leaders of all political parties. His demise has caused irreparable loss in the field of education, social service and public life.