Pushpdan Shambhudan Gadhavi (born 13 December 1940) is an Indian politician, advocate, and BJP leader from Gujarat. He was a member of the 11th, 12th, 13th & 14th Lok Sabha of India representing the Kachchh (Lok Sabha constituency) of Gujarat.
Biography Pushpdan was born on 13 December 1940 in Raydhanpar village to father Kaviraja Shambhudan Ishwerdan Gadhavi and mother Parvatiben Gadhavi. His father was the Kaviraja of Cutch State and the last Acharya of the Vrajbhasha Pathshala at Bhuj, a 3 centuries old institution of learning .
Gadhavi completed his primary, secondary and college education in Bhuj. After obtaining his law degree in Ahmedabad, he became active in politics along with business. Pushpdan obtained Kovid (Hindi) and B Certificate in National Cadet Corps (N.C.C.). He started as Staff Officer at the Legal Wing in Home Guards (Gujarat) during the period 1967–89.
Gadhavi is also notable being the only politician who won four consecutive terms as the Kutch MP from 1996 to 2009. Due to Kutch constituency being declared as a reserved seat in the new delimitation, Gadhavi could no longer contest from Kutch.
Gadhavi is known for many infrastructure developments including the conversion of the Bhuj-Gandhidham railway broad gauge in Kutch, the Kutch University, or the construction of the Bhuj Airport. He presented many such project ideas to the central government and got it completed.
Gadhavi has been deeply engaged in a range of social and cultural activities, particularly within the Kutch district. He has actively participated in educational initiatives and have been a trustee of the Shiv Shakti Study Circle in Kutch since 1971. In addition to his social and educational initiatives, he has taken a keen interest in the development of rural sports and infrastructure. Furthermore, Gadhavi worked to implement water recharging activities in drought-prone areas of the Kutch district, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and community welfare.
Positions held PositionOrganizationTermMunicipal CouncillorBhuj Municipality1977—1982ChairmanPublic Works Committee, Municipality, BhujMember of Legislative AssemblyGujarat Legislative Assembly1990—1995MemberPublic Accounts Committee and Estimates CommitteeMemberExecutive Committee, Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.), Gujarat1990—1996Member of ParliamentKachchh Lok Sabha constituency1996—19981998—19991999—20042004—2009MemberCommittee on Transport and Tourism1996—1997MemberCommittee on Home Affairs and its Sub-Committee on Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme1998—1999MemberConsultative Committee, Ministry of Surface TransportMemberCommittee on Absence of Members from the sittings of the House1999—2000MemberNational Shipping Board
See also Gadhavi (title)
External links Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website
References