The BJP has appointed Devendra Fadnavis as the man to lead the new Maharashtra government. The 44 year old state unit president was a Modi favorite, and beat the older and more experienced Nitin Gadkari to the hot seat.

Here’s what you didn’t know about the man who’s been making waves in politics since he was 20

Is a lawyer, but doesn’t practice it

zeenews





Fadnavis has completed a five year law degree from the Law College Nagpur, but he doesn’t practice law! (Of course not. Why practice law when you can make them!)

His education didn’t stop at just a law degree!

India today

Fadnavis also has a business management degree and a project management diploma from the German Foundation for International Development, Berlin.

Did grassroot work for the ABVP

dnaindia

As an ABVP (BJP's student wing) ground worker, he painted walls and pasted political posters on them.

Was an RSS Shakha member

rediff

He joined his local RSS Shakha at Trikoni Park, Nagpur

Nagpur’s youngest municipal corporator

dnaindia

At only 21, Fadnavis was appointed corporator of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation – and it wasn’t a fluke win, as he completed two consecutive terms

Also the second youngest elected Mayor

TVDaijiworld

Fadnavis was elected as Nagpur’s Mayor in 1997, when he was just 27. Again, he completed two terms, this time as mayor, something that has never been done again in state politics!

His father mentored Nitin Gadkari

indianexpress

Gadkari acknowledges Fadnavis’ father Ganghadharrao Fadnavis (a Member of the Legislative Council ) as his “guru”. Fadnavis senior passed away when Devendra was only 17.

His wife is an Axis Bank branch manager

indianexpress

Fadnavis married Amruta Ranade in 2006. She is a branch manager of Axis Bank in Nagpur

His family is from a BJP background

thehindu

Apart from his father, Gangadharrao Gadgil who was a senior Jan Sangh leader and a BJP MLC, his aunt Shobhatai Fadnavis was a Shiv Sena-BJP government Cabinet Minister.

He refused to study at the local Indira Convent school because his father was jailed during Indira Gandhi's Emergency

nagpurtoday

Instead, he studied at the RSS run Saraswati Vidyalaya.