Padma Shri awardee educationist Dr. D.Y. Patil, who also served as Governor of Bihar, Tripura and West Bengal, died on Monday (August 4) in New Delhi. He was 90 and is reported to have passed away due to ill health.
Born on October 22, 1935, in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, Patil came from a farming family. He completed his graduation at Rajaram College, Kolhapur, and later earned a law degree from Shivaji University.
Though trained as a lawyer, his most significant contribution was in education. He was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of private higher education in Maharashtra.
At a time when opportunities for professional education were limited, Patil established institutions offering engineering, medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, agriculture, management, architecture and other professional courses. Over the years, the D.Y. Patil group expanded across Kolhapur, Navi Mumbai, Pune and other locations, eventually setting up more than 100 educational institutions.
Several of these institutions later emerged as recognised universities, particularly in medical and technical education. He was conferred the Padma Shri in recognition of his contributions to education and social service, and condolences have been pouring in from various quarters.
