Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan

Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan was an Indian freedom fighter and politician who served as 8th Minister of Finance from 1970 to 1971 & 1971 to 1974. He served as the Minister of External Affairs from 1974 to 1977 and was the last Chief Minister of Bombay State and the first of Maharashtra after latter was created by the division of Bombay state. His last significant ministerial post was as the Deputy Prime Minister of India in the short lived Charan Singh government in 1979.

He was a strong Congress leader, co-operative leader, social activist and writer. He was popularly known as Leader of Common People. He advocated social democracy in his speeches and articles and was instrumental in establishing co-operatives in Maharashtra for the betterment of the farmers.