25 Lesser-Known Facts About Balasaheb Thackeray The Tiger of Maharashtra

Born on 23rd January 1926 in Pune to Keshav Sitaram Thackeray and Ramabai, he was named Bal Keshav Thackeray. Eldest among his nine siblings, he rose to become one of the most enigmatic and powerful leaders in Maharashtra. Popularly called ‘Balasaheb Thackeray’, he was founder of the Shiv Sena, a right wing Marathi ethnocentric party. He was an ardent espouser of Hindutva and more specifically the Marathi cause. He passed away on 17th November 2012 at the age of 86 following a cardiac arrest.

Here are some fascinating facts which will reveal more about the life, career, ideology and other facets of his personality:

1. Bal Kehav Thackeray was born on 23rd January 1926 to Ramabai and Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, who was an Indian social reformer and a prolific author

Keshav Sitaram Thackeray was also known as Prabodhankar Thackeray.

2. Was a Cartoonist first and later became a Politician

An accomplished cartoonist, Balasaheb Thackeray began his professional career with the Free Press Journal, an English language daily newspaper in Mumbai. He worked there with the famous cartoonist R. K. Laxman.

3. In 1960 he started his own satirical cartoon weekly ‘Marmik’

He used the weekly to campaign against the growing number of non-Marathi population in Mumbai, specially targeting South Indians.

4. Bal Thackeray was heavily influenced by his father’s ideology

His father’s association with the ‘Samyukta Maharashatra’ (Unified Maharashtra) movement and his demand for a separate Marathi state, with Mumbai as its capital, shaped Bal Thackeray’s political philosophy.

5. His entry into politics of Maharashtra

On June 19, 1966, he founded the ‘Shiv Sena’, named after the army of the Maratha emperor Chatrapati Shivaji. The primary objective of Shiv Sena at that time was ensuring job security for Marathi manoos (person), competing against Gujaratis and South Indians.

6. His last name was originally spelt as ‘Thakre’

Bal Thackeray’s father used to spell his last name as ‘Thakre’, which is the conventional Marathi spelling. But he changed it to ‘Thackeray’ as he was a big fan of the 19th century English Novelist William Makepeace Thackeray.

7. Being a very popular leader in Maharashtra, he was called “Balasaheb” by his supporters

His admirers also called him ‘Hindu Hruday Samrat’ (Emperor of Hindu Hearts) due to his hard Hindutva stand. He believed that Hindus must be organised to struggle against those who oppose their identity and religion.

8. He was all praise for Indira Gandhi

Bal Thackeray admired Gandhi’s efforts in getting Bangladesh liberated. He also publicly supported her during the 1975 Emergency and even called her ‘The Best Prime Minister’.

9. Launched ‘Saamna’, a Marathi language newspaper, on 23rd January 1988

Its Hindi version, ‘Dopahar ka Saamna’, was launched on 23 February 1993. Until his death, both the newspapers were edited by him.

10. Balasaheb Thackeray married Meena Thackeray (nee’ Sarla Vaidya) in 1948

They had three sons, Bindumadhav, Jaidev and Uddhav. He lost his wife in 1995 and his son Bindumadhav passed away in a car accident in 1996. Uddhav Thackeray succeeded him as the leader of Shiv Sena.

11. An ardent admirer of the German Dictator Adolf Hitler

Though he did not approve of Hitler’s methods, he was impressed by his oratory and organizational skills and felt that he shared many common things with him. He believed that India needed a benevolent dictator who would rule with an Iron hand.

12. Government of India blamed Thackeray and his supporters for playing a major role in Mumbai riots, 1992

He was blamed for inciting tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities during the 1992-93 Mumbai riots in which around 900 people died. Though Thackeray was never convicted of any offence in connection with the riots.

13. He never held any official position and was never formally elected as the chief of his party

Though Bal Thackeray had huge political influence throughout Maharashtra, specially Mumbai, he never fought any elections.

14. Balasaheb had a special bond with Amitabh Bachchan

While talking about his friendship with Bal Thackeray, Amitabh Bachchan revealed that he was in critical state while shooting for “Coolie” and no ambulance could reach to pick him up due to bad weather. It was Shiv Sena ambulance that helped the actor. Big B, in his statement, said:

Balasaheb helped me when I needed it most. If it had not been for him, I would not have been alive today.

15. Thackeray fought for Sanjay Dutt’s release under TADA case which helped the actor get a clean chit

During a conversation on a television show Sanjay Dutt said:

First time I heard the name of Balasaheb from my mother. She always said that Balasaheb is like my brother and I have great respect for him. Before going to the United States for the cancer treatment, she called us three and said, ‘Anything you want in life, I have a brother, Balasaheb Thackeray. You definitely go to him’.

He further added

Saheb is a real Tiger. He gave me a lot of love. The time I was in the jail, I got the message from him every day. ‘Inform Sanjay to not worry about anything, I am there’. In these words, he gave me great support. He was a politician, but he was more than a patriot. If he loved someone, he would express it freely, whether the person is good or bad.

16. Was banned from taking part in the electoral process

On July 28 1999, Election commission banned him from voting and contesting any elections for six years, for seeking votes in the name of religion. After the ban was lifted in 2005, Bal Thackeray voted for the first time in 2007 in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

17. Criticized the proposal to have a 22-crore throne for Shirdi Sai Baba

Bal Thackeray did not approve of and objected to getting a ₹ 22 crore throne for Sai Baba idol at Shirdi, stating that the money should be spent for the betterment of poor farmers of Maharashtra who were committing suicide.

18. Bal Thackeray did not tolerate anything even remotely against Maharashtra

He was very critical of anybody who would speak against Maharashtra or Marathi people. In 2009, he criticized the Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, when the latter had said that “Mumbai belongs to India. I am a Maharashtrian and am extremely proud of it, but I am an Indian first”.

19. Michael Jackson visited Bal Thackeray on his Mumbai tour of 1996.

Bal Thackeray presented the King of Pop with a silver table and a taanpura.

20. Balasaheb’s favourite beverage was warm beer and he loved Havana Cigars

21. Salman Rushdie reportedly criticized Bal Thackeray in his book ‘The Moor’s Last Sigh’

The megalomaniac character of ‘Raman Fielding’ in the book is said to be inspired by real life character of Bal Thackeray. The book was banned in Maharashtra for fears of violence and protest.

22. Bal Thackeray died on 17 November 2012 due to cardiac arrest

Bal Thackeray was accorded a State funeral at Shivaji Park. It was the first public funeral in the city since that of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He did not hold any official position, yet was given a 21 gun salute, which is a rare honor.

23. Bal Thackeray’s cremation was broadcast live on television

His name has been noted in the Parliament of India’s traditional list of obituaries, even though he was not a member of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.

24. His son Uddhav Thackeray lit the pyre

Though there are no official figures on number of mourners who attend his funeral, the estimate is between 1 to 2 million.

25. “Thackeray” – a movie made on his life and times

Several Bollywood movies are based on the controversial story of Bal Thackeray life. Sarkar directed by Ram Gopal Verma. A bilingual Bollywood biopic titled “Thackeray” is scheduled to be released on 25th January 2019, coinciding with 93rd birthday of Bal Thackeray. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the main lead in the movie, which has been written by Shiv Sena politician Sanjay Raut. The movie was shot in Marathi and Hindi, simultaneously.

Bal Thackeray has left an indelible impression on Maharashtra’s political scenario with his charisma, popularity and inimitability. Even though he remained extremely controversial during his entire life, his stature in Maharashtra’s politics would perhaps never be equaled by anyone in the times to come.