In childhood, he formed a gang and stole, he was insulted when he bathed in the well, Maharashtra’s first Dalit CM told how he became Sushil Kumar?

Sushil Kumar Shinde Autobiography: Sushilkumar Shinde, who became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 2003, has made big revelations in his autobiography Politics in five decades. He has also mentioned how he became Sushil Kumar. 83-year-old Shinde later also became the Home Minister of the country. He has dedicated this autobiography to his daughter and Solapur MP Praniti Shinde. Shinde is the first Dalit CM of Maharashtra.

Written by Avijit Ghosh | Edited by Achalendra Katiyar

• Senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde wrote his autobiography

• In the autobiography, Shinde narrated his struggle from Sushil Kumar 

• Shinde told how the name changed and he became Sushil Kumar
• Shinde dedicated his autobiography to his daughter Praniti Shinde, MP from MP in Maharashtra

The first Dalit CM of Maharashtra Sushil Kumar Shinde dedicated his autobiography to his daughter.

 Mumbai: Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was the first Dalit Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Home Minister of the country, has recalled childhood incidents in his autobiography. In this, he has told how he had established small gangs. On his 83rd birthday, he has dedicated this autobiography to his daughter Praniti Shinde. Praniti has been elected as a member of the Lok Sabha by winning from Solapur in the 2024 elections. Shinde has described his struggle in the autobiography. He writes that in his youth he used to do the work of traditionally skinning dead cattle. His grandfather established a profitable business of leather goods. His father had a business of making and supplying bags. He also received a letter of appreciation from Mahatma Gandhi for promoting the concept of Swadeshi, but his untimely death worsened the financial condition of Shinde’s family. After this he fell into bad company. Mother taught a tough lesson

Shinde, who belongs to the Dhor community of Scheduled Caste, has written in his autobiography ‘Five Decades in Politics’ that he had formed a gang with some friends, which was specialized in stealing goods from street vendors. Shinde stole jewelry from a female hawker. When his simple mother came to know about this incident, she slapped Shinde and took him to the pawnbroker. He said that she paid the two rupees he had given me, took back the jewelry and took me to the seller, so that I could return the goods in front of everyone. Shinde writes that my humiliation was complete, but my mother had taught me the most valuable lesson of life.

Discrimination inspired

Shinde’s life has been spent in Solapur city in the south-west of Maharashtra. This city is famous for its sheets. Shinde sold incense sticks in his childhood, worked in a toffee factory. Having worked as a peon in a local court for some time, Shinde writes that he was troubled by social discrimination. He narrates an incident where a man, on learning about his caste, tilted the vessel to give him water in such a way that his lips could not touch the water. Shinde writes that social discrimination troubled him. The bitter experiences motivated him to work harder and make his place in the world. He later became a constable and then got promoted as a sub-inspector. After this, Shinde became a national politician.

How did he get away from idol worship

Shinde has written in his autobiography that in childhood, he was forbidden to go to the Devghar (worship room). This may be one reason that turned me away from idol worship forever. Shinde has written that when he went to meet his cousin in Dhotri, a very orthodox village located 10 miles from Solapur, he had to face a very bitter face of caste fanaticism. Shinde told that after walking the whole way in the scorching sun, when I was resting in my cousin’s house, I heard a noise outside. The villagers were angry that a cattle had defiled the well by bathing.

Gradually discrimination decreased

Shinde writes that when I said on this occasion that I do not believe in casteism, the crowd became even more furious. Shinde writes that in the end, sensible advice won. It was decided to call a priest to purify the well. Shinde wrote that physically I was safe, but this experience left a permanent mark on my psyche about the disgusting caste system. However, Shinde has admitted that as he progressed in life, discrimination decreased. For example, in college he never felt discrimination among friends.

How did he become Sushil Kumar?

Sushil Kumar Shinde, Maharashtra’s first Dalit CM, has also revealed the secret of his name. His family named him Dnyaneshwar after the revered medieval poet-saint of Maharashtra. But he remembers that the name was difficult to pronounce and everyone called him Genba. When he became popular in college due to his acting skills, his friends wanted him to choose a new name. It was not that I was ashamed of my name, but my friends insisted that I change it. He says. He chose Sushil Kumar. Shinde has revealed that very few people know that his new name was inspired by his attraction towards Hindi cinema.

Wanted to go to Bollywood

Shinde recalls that this was the time when I used to dream of getting lead roles as an actor and making a big name in Pune and Mumbai. So I also wanted a catchy name. Film stars like Dilip Kumar, Rajendra Kumar and Raj Kumar, who either chose their stage names or dropped their last names, all preferred Kumar and so the name came into vogue. He said, “I had also tried my luck in Bollywood, encouraged by my friends who often told me that with my fair complexion, light-coloured eyes and moustache, I looked like Raj Kapoor. This illusion was soon dispelled when a strict guard at Mehboob Studio refused to let me in.”

Shared anecdote with Dilip Kumar

Sushil Kumar may have given up the idea of ??becoming an actor, but lovers of old Bollywood would remember a hero of the same name in the 1964 blockbuster Dosti. Eventually the film world adopted the name. Later, when he became Maharashtra’s culture and art minister, Shinde would often clap muhurat shots for films. He remembers, “One day, I told Dilip Kumar about my experience with the guard.” We both laughed a lot and later they publicized it saying that once the gatekeeper stopped them, now they stop us.

Courtesy : Hindi News