Dinkar Balu Patil (13 January 1926 – 24 June 2013) also known as D.B. Patil was an Indian Lawyer, politician, & social activist. He was a senior member of the

Peasants and Workers Party of India The Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP) is a Marxist political party in Maharashtra, India. The party was founded in 1948, having its roots from the pre-Independence period and has around 10,000 members. The influence of the party is large ...

. He worked with the local farmers of

Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai (; also known as New Bombay, its official name until 1995) is a large city next to Mumbai, located in the Konkan division of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, on the mainland of India. Navi Mumbai is situated in Thane distr ...

for getting right price of their land which was to be purchased by

CIDCO The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) is an Indian city planning agency and richest government authority in India which is formed and controlled by the Government of Maharashtra. CIDCO was formed on 17 March 197 ...

for building the new planned city. For this notable contribution

Navi Mumbai International Airport Navi Mumbai International Airport is an international airport being constructed in Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, Raigad district, Maharashtra, India. When completed, it will become the second airport of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, serving alongside M ...

has been named after him.

Early life and education

Patil was born on January 13, 1926, in Jasai Village,

Uran Uran is a coastal town in Raigad District's Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra state in Konkan division. It lies to the east of Mumbai across the Dharamtar Creek. Uran is primarily a fishing and agriculture village, which has developed into the spec ...

. He studied art and law, practicing the latter from 1951 to 1956 before being elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1957.

Social and political activism

Patil focused on aiding the farmers of Uran Taluk in

Raigad District Raigad district (), previously Colaba fort, Colaba district, is a district in the Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. The headquarters of the district is Alibag. Other major cities in the district are Panvel, Karjat, Navi Mumbai, Khopoli, Sh ...

, Maharashtra. He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment in 1958 for participation in the ''

satyagraha Satyāgraha (from ; ''satya'': "truth", ''āgraha'': "insistence" or "holding firmly to"), or "holding firmly to truth",' or "truth force", is a particular form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. Someone who practises satyagraha is ...

'' on the issue of border disputes between the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He also took part in the movement for formation of the Samyukta Maharashtra. He became a member of the Central Secretariat of Peasants and Workers Party in 1957 and was appointed its general secretary in January 1983. Navi Mumbai was set up in 1970 on CIDCO farmer's land. But Mr. Patil brought all the farmers together in their fields and gave them fair rates for their farm lands. In 1984, 5 farmers died in the agitation but in the end, they succeeded. And provided 12.50% land for project-affected people and CIDCO allotted 40 sq. ft. Meter land per lease farmers and other workers. This brought justice to the farmers and other workers in Navi Mumbai. In 1990, he played a pivotal role in maintaining peace in Maharashtra. He is 5 times MLA,1 time MLC,2 times MP, one time Kulaba local board member and one time City President in his political career.

References

Maharashtra MLAs 2004–2009 Peasants and Workers Party of India politicians Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra Marathi politicians India MPs 1977–1979 India MPs 1984–1989 People from Raigad district 1926 births 2013 deaths {{Maharashtra-politician-stub