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Prabodhankar Thackeray (1885-1973)

Born Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, he emerged as a social reformer, socialist, author and politician who fought towards untouchability, superstition, dowry and little one marriage. He based the Marathi journal Prabodhan (enlightenment), which later lent him the title “Prabodhankar”.

A fierce critic of Brahmanical dominance, his political engagement intensified when he grew to become a number one determine within the Samyukt Maharashtra motion, advocating for Mumbai to stay a part of Maharashtra on linguistic grounds. He coined the title “Shiv Sena” for Bal Thackeray’s outfit.

He fathered eight kids: Bal Thackeray, youthful brothers Shrikant and Ramesh, and 5 daughters. Of his daughters, Sanjeevani Karandikar shared an in depth bond with Bal Thackeray and labored with the Reserve Financial institution of India.

“Uddhav Thackeray is following his grandfather’s footsteps and wish to see Shiv Sena contact upon the reformist method,” mentioned a Shiv Sena functionary near the Thackerays.

Bal Thackeray (1926-2012)

Prabodhankar’s eldest son started his skilled journey as a journalist with the English each day Free Press Journal, crafting political satirical cartoons. He left to ascertain his personal political weekly, Marmik, by way of which he highlighted points confronting the Marathi Manoos and the rising affect of non-Marathis in Mumbai’s employment sector.

To additional his trigger, he based the Shiv Sena in 1966.

The social gathering’s first public assembly was held that October on Dussehra on the iconic Shivaji Park floor.

Veteran Shiv Sainik Subhash Desai had informed ThePrint of that day: “One in every of his advisors was towards holding it at Shivaji Park, fearing they won’t be capable to fill the grounds. However Balasaheb mentioned, ‘No matter has to occur, let it occur on that floor solely, no less than due to it, I’ll get to know if I’m proper or incorrect.’”

In opposition to all expectations, the bottom overflowed with supporters, cementing Bal Thackeray’s place within the Marathi manoos’ coronary heart. An annual Dussehra rally grew to become custom thereafter.

Past championing Marathi causes, he based the Lokadhikar Samiti to assist Marathi youth put together for presidency examinations and safe employment.

The Eighties marked a shift as Shiv Sena pivoted from Marathi id politics in direction of Hindutva. Following the 1992-93 Bombay riots, Bal Thackeray adopted a hardline Hindutva stance. He was barred from voting and contesting elections for six years within the late Nineties for looking for votes within the title of faith.

In 1988, he based the Marathi each day Saamna, which stays the social gathering’s mouthpiece.

Recognized for his flamboyant persona, Thackeray famously smoked cigars and favoured pink wine, which he claimed was useful for the center—habits he by no means hid.

At his peak, dignitaries visiting Mumbai and India, together with politicians like L.Okay. Advani and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, would name on him at his residence, Matoshree.

Married to Meena Thackeray, the couple had three sons: Bindumadhav (the eldest), Jaidev and Uddhav (the youngest). He died in November 2012.

Uddhav Thackeray

The youngest son of Bal Thackeray inherited his father’s political legacy. A photographer by career, Uddhav was reluctantly drawn into Shiv Sena politics from the early Nineties, dealing with operations from behind the scenes.

In 2003, Bal Thackeray declared him working president, signalling his intention for Uddhav to hold ahead the social gathering’s legacy—a call that embittered relations between Uddhav and his cousin Raj.

From 2003 onwards, Uddhav actively participated in social gathering affairs. After his father’s loss of life, he continued main Shiv Sena as social gathering chief.

The Shiv Sena, Maharashtra’s dominant regional drive and BJP’s political accomplice, noticed this alliance fracture throughout the 2014 meeting elections—the primary ballot after Bal Thackeray’s loss of life. Regardless of the break up, Shiv Sena recorded its best-ever efficiency, successful 63 seats within the 288-member state Meeting.

The events fashioned a post-poll alliance to manipulate the state, however bickering endured. In 2017, they contested the BMC elections individually for the primary time—Uddhav’s first municipal election as social gathering chief.

Relations deteriorated fully in 2019 over an alleged promise of a two-and-a-half-year chief ministerial time period, which the BJP denies. It marked the tip of the BJP-Shiv Sena partnership.

Uddhav ultimately joined fingers with the Congress and NCP to type the Maha Vikas Aghadi authorities, changing into chief minister and the primary Thackeray to occupy the put up.

However, fortunes reversed in June 2022 when Eknath Shinde, a trusted aide, engineered a vertical break up within the social gathering

Within the 2024 meeting elections, Uddhav’s Sena received simply 20 out of 288 seats—the social gathering’s worst-ever efficiency.

Perceived as mild-mannered, Uddhav’s ideological stand and management type diverges from that of his father, who was identified for not mincing his phrases and thundering when he spoke.

Uddhav is married to Rashmi Thackeray and has two sons: Aaditya, who’s lively in politics and presently an MLA, and Tejas, who pursues wildlife analysis and runs the Thackeray basis.

Bindumadhav Thackeray

Bal Thackeray’s eldest son died in a automobile accident within the Nineties. He has one son, Nihar Thackeray, who’s an advocate.

Jaidev Thackeray

Bal Thackeray’s second son has been married 3 times. His first spouse was Jayashree Kalelkar, daughter of a Marathi litterateur. The couple divorced within the Nineties, after which Jaidev’s relations with the Thackeray household started to bitter. He has a son from his first marriage.

Jaidev later married Smita Thackeray, a movie producer who now runs the NGO Mukti Basis. They’ve two kids—a son and a daughter. Following his mom Meena Thackeray’s loss of life in 1996, Jaidev moved out of Matoshree, however Smita continued residing there till their divorce was finalised in 2004.

He’s now married to Anuradha Thackeray, with whom he has a daughter. Jaidev is a painter, and is believed to have stayed away from politics as a result of strained relations with Bal Thackeray.

Shrikant Thackeray (1930-2003)

Prabodhankar’s son and Raj Thackeray’s father possessed abilities in each arts and music. Primarily a music composer, he additionally labored as a author and journalist, and performed the violin.

He grew to become editor of Marmik, the journal Bal Thackeray had based. Earlier than venturing into music independently, Shrikant labored briefly at All India Radio in Mumbai. As a composer, he created ghazals and collaborated with artists like Mohammad Rafi.

He married Kunda Thackeray, sister of Meena Thackeray, Bal’s spouse. He died in 2003.

Raj Thackeray

Shrikant Thackeray’s son, Raj, entered politics early and shared an in depth relationship with Bal Thackeray—so shut that many assumed Raj would inherit Bal’s political mantle. He actively participated in Shiv Sena’s operations from a younger age.

However, when Uddhav was declared working president of the Shiv Sena in 2003, Raj felt slighted. He stop the social gathering in 2004 and based the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2006.

The social gathering attracted appreciable consideration. In its first meeting election in 2009, it received 13 seats and, at its peak, was elected to the Nashik Municipal Company. Since 2014, nevertheless, the social gathering’s prevalence has waned.

Raj is thought for often altering his political stance. Throughout the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he supported the Opposition towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi however later switched to endorsing and praising the PM. He adopted laborious Hindutva rhetoric, which continued till 2024 when he backed Modi for prime minister—solely to renew criticising him shortly after.

His social gathering now clings to relevance. He’s married to Sharmila Thackeray, daughter of a Marathi cinema photographer. They’ve two kids: son Amit, who’s in politics, and daughter Urvashi, who works within the vogue trade.

Additionally Learn: When Shiv Sena ministers had been informed to take away Raj Thackeray’s pictures from their cabins

Aaditya Thackeray

The Worli MLA was appointed Yuva Sena chief—the social gathering’s youth wing—by his grandfather at a public rally in 2010 on the age of 20. The Yuva Sena addresses points in faculties, universities and different youth-related issues.

In 2019, Aaditya grew to become the primary Thackeray to contest an meeting election, successful comfortably. Within the MVA authorities, he served as tourism and atmosphere minister. He often speaks on city points, the atmosphere, schooling and metropolis planning.

Re-elected in 2024, although with a diminished margin, Aaditya has been tasked with securing Mumbai’s municipal company for Shiv Sena.

Tejas Thackeray

Uddhav’s youthful son is a conservationist and wildlife researcher who runs the Thackeray Wildlife Basis. He and his basis have been concerned in discovering numerous wildlife species.

To his credit score, he has named a crab, a snake and a gecko after the household title. His newest discovery is a brand new species—a bushy snail within the Tilari forest area in Maharashtra.

He excursions the state and has travelled from the Sahyadris to the Japanese Ghats, Arunachal Pradesh, the Andamans, Indonesia and several other different places.

Although he denies harbouring political ambitions, he frequently attends Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rallies and different important social gathering occasions, fuelling hypothesis a few potential future entry into politics.

Amit Thackeray

Raj Thackeray’s son is lively in MNS affairs. He contested his first meeting election in 2024 however misplaced.