Satish Pradhan, First Mayor of Thane Municipal Corporation, Passes Away

Thane, 31st December 2024: MUMBAI: Satish Pradhan, the inaugural mayor of the Thane Municipal Corporation following its transformation from a council in October 1982, passed away on Sunday at the age of 84. A close associate of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Pradhan served as a Rajya Sabha MP for two terms from 1992 to 2004 and also led the party in the upper house of Parliament.

For many years, Pradhan was regarded as a prominent “Shiv Sena neta” and played a significant role in the party’s growth, particularly in Thane. As president of the Thane Municipal Council, he was instrumental in building a stadium and in 1980, he founded the Satish Pradhan Dnyanasadhana College. He also initiated the popular Mayor Marathon in the city.

In 2004, Pradhan sought the Shiv Sena ticket for the Thane Assembly seat but was overlooked, which led to his disillusionment. He joined the NCP in 2005 but felt sidelined there as well. He later joined Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and returned to Shiv Sena in 2016 after differences with Raj Thackeray.

Pradhan had been unwell for some time and was admitted to Godbole Hospital last week.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde paid tribute to Pradhan, recognizing his pivotal role in both Shiv Sena’s formation and the development of Thane. “Satish Pradhan made significant contributions to the growth of Thane city and the organizational strength of Shiv Sena. His efforts in providing quality education to the children of Thane through Dnyanasadhana College will always be remembered,” Shinde wrote on X.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also honoured Pradhan’s legacy, recalling his work for the city’s development and its transformation in cultural, social, and educational spheres. “The news of Satish Pradhan’s passing is deeply saddening. His contributions to Thane’s progress and his efforts to give the city a new identity will never be forgotten,” Thackeray said in a post on X.