LATUR (Gurpreet Singh)— Eminent Congress leader and former Union minister Shivraj Patil died at his Latur residence on Friday morning, bringing to a close a political journey that spanned more than five decades. He was 90.
According to family members, Patil had been unwell for a short period and passed away peacefully at his home, ‘Devghar’. His funeral has been scheduled for Saturday. He leaves behind his son Shailesh, daughter-in-law Archana, and two granddaughters. Archana Patil had contested the Latur City assembly seat last year but lost to Congress candidate Amit Deshmukh.
Born on October 12, 1935, Shivraj Patil began his public life at the grassroots level, serving as president of the Latur municipality from 1966 to 1970. He subsequently won two terms in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where he held key positions, including Deputy Speaker and Speaker between 1977 and 1979.
Patil later emerged as one of Marathwada’s prominent voices in the Lok Sabha, winning the Latur parliamentary seat seven times. His tenure as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha (1991–1996) was widely noted for his calm, procedural discipline and ability to maintain order in a turbulent House. He also served a term in the Rajya Sabha.
Over the years, Patil helmed several critical Union ministries such as defence, commerce, and science & technology. As home minister from 2004 to 2008, he oversaw internal security during a challenging period before stepping down in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
From 2010 to 2015, he served as governor of Punjab and administrator of Chandigarh, roles in which he was appreciated for his thoughtful, measured approach.
Congress leaders mourning his death described him as a dignified and scholarly figure whose political conduct set high standards. Known for his soft-spoken nature and refusal to resort to personal criticism, Patil was also recognised for his intellectual depth, extensive reading habits, and mastery of multiple languages — qualities that made him one of Parliament’s most respected voices on constitutional matters.
Tributes continued to pour in through the day, with leaders across party lines recalling his discipline, integrity, and unwavering dedication to public service.
