Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday confirmed that the Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after late DB Patil.
"While granting permission for the airport construction earlier, the centre had approved the name 'Navi Mumbai International Airport'. With the proposed renaming, it will now be officially known as 'Loknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the state's proposal," CM Fadnavis said.
Demanding that the Navi Mumbai International Airport be named after D. B. Patil, a massive protest march was announced for Monday, October 6.
During the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime, when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, he had announced that the airport would be named after D. B. Patil, approving the proposal in principle.
Who Was DB Patil?
Dinkar Balu Upakhya, also known as D. B. Patil, was born in Jasai, in the Raigad district, on 13 January 1926. Patil was a prominent leader of the Shetkari Kamgar Paksha (Peasants and Workers Party) in North Konkan, Maharashtra.
His father, Balu Gauru Patil, was a farmer and teacher who played a key role in promoting the importance of education in Jasai and the surrounding villages. His mother’s name was Madhubai. Patil pursued a degree in law in Pune, with significant support from his brother, Atmaram Balu Patil, who contributed greatly to his education.
D. B. Patil served as the Mayor of Panvel Municipality. He was elected MLA five times from the Panvel-Uran Assembly constituency of Maharashtra and served once as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. He also held the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Additionally, he was elected twice as Member of Parliament from the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency.
Patil devoted his entire life to advocating for the rights of farmers and labourers. He later left the Shetkari Kamgar Paksha and joined the Shiv Sena on 16 August 1999, though he subsequently retired from active politics. He passed away in Panvel, Mumbai, on 24 June 2013.
