Vishnu Deo Sai
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Vishnu Deo Sai (born 21 February 1964) is an Indian politician currently serving as the 4th Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He is the first senior tribal leader in Central India. Sai is the member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He currently represents
Kunkuri Kunkuri is a town in Chhattisgarh, India. It is a ''tehsil'' of Jashpur district. Geography Kunkuri is located at . It has an average elevation of . Transport Three roads out of this township lead to the Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha O ...
in
Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly The Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha or the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Chhattisgarh state in India. The seat of the Vidhan Sabha is at Raipur, the capital of the state. The Vidhan Sabha comprises 90 Memb ...
. He officially became Chhattisgarh's first tribal Chief Minister after taking oath on December 13, 2023. Sai is known for his decisive approach in addressing public welfare issues. His dedication extends beyond
Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...
, as he has actively engaged with tribal concerns in states including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, and
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
.


Early life

Sai was born in a farmer's family in the village of Bagiya, located in the Farsabahar development block of
Jashpur district Jashpur District is a district of the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh bordering Jharkhand and Odisha. Jashpur Nagar is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district was formerly a princely state before Indpendence. Highly mou ...
,
Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...
. His father, the late Shri Ramprasad Sai, and mother, Smt. Jasmani Devi Sai, raised him in this rural setting. His educational journey led him through higher secondary schooling in Kunkuri, within the Jashpur district. Hailing from the tribal Kanwar community, Sai's roots are deeply embedded in agriculture, with a family lineage entrenched in politics. He draws inspiration from his late uncles,
Narhari Prasad Sai Narhari Prasad Sai (1929 – 8 December 1999) was an Indian politician who was a member of the 6th Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. He was from Bandarchuan village near Kunkuri in the Jashpur State, India. Sai was elected f ...
and Kedarnath Sai, both esteemed politicians.
Narhari Prasad Sai Narhari Prasad Sai (1929 – 8 December 1999) was an Indian politician who was a member of the 6th Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. He was from Bandarchuan village near Kunkuri in the Jashpur State, India. Sai was elected f ...
served as an MLA from the Lailunga Assembly constituency from 1962 to 1967 and from the Bagicha Assembly Constituency from 1972 to 1977. Later, he held the position of Member of Parliament and Union Minister of State for Communications from 1977 to 1979. Kedarnath Sai represented the Tapkara Assembly Constituency during the Jan Sangh era from 1967 to 1972. Additionally, Sai's grandfather, the late Budhnath Sai, established a political legacy as an MLA from 1947 to 1952.


Education

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai pursued his education up to the Higher Secondary level. Unfortunately, his father passed away when he was in the fourth standard, leaving him with the responsibility of supporting his mother, Jasmani Devi, and his two younger brothers, Om Prakash Sai and Vinod Sai. Following his Higher Secondary education, he was unable to continue his studies further and instead took up agriculture to provide for his family. During this period, he became familiar with Late Dilip Singh Judeo, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and then Member of Parliament. Vishnu Deo Sai regards Late Dilip Singh Judeo as his political mentor and guide.


Political career

Sai started off humbly in politics in 1989, when he was elected Panch of Bagiya Gram Panchayat in undivided Madhya Pradesh. The 1990 Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Bagiya was elected without a single vote due to his exceptional leadership skills. He won the seat of member of the assembly for the Tankara Assembly constituency that same year, marking his entry into legislative politics. Sai continued his rise in politics by holding the position of MLA for two terms in a row, from 1990 to 1998. After that, he entered national politics and, beginning in 1999, won four terms in a row as the representative for the Raigarh Lok Sabha constituency. From 1999 until 2014, Sai served in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th Lok Sabha, making significant contributions during that time. Sai's dedication to serving the public also extended to his ministerial positions. From May 27, 2014, until 2019, he effectively oversaw the Ministry of Steel, Mines, Labor, and Employment as a Union Minister of State. Sai was named the BJP's Chhattisgarh State President in 2006 after being recognized for his leadership within the organization. He then served in this capacity again from 2020 to 2022. He was named to the BJP National Working Committee as a special invitee member on December 2, 2022. He was then elevated to the rank of full member of the BJP National Working Committee on July 8, 2023.


Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh

In a BJP meeting, it was announced that Vishnu Deo Sai will become the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh along with Arun Sao and
Vijay Sharma Vijay Sharma is an Indian painter and art historian, known for his expertise in the Pahari painting, Pahari school of miniature painting. He was honored by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma ...
as deputy CM. On 13 December 2023, Sai took oath as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and Arun Sao and
Vijay Sharma Vijay Sharma is an Indian painter and art historian, known for his expertise in the Pahari painting, Pahari school of miniature painting. He was honored by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma ...
were elected as Deputy Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh at the Science College ground in Raipur.


Philanthropy

Beyond politics, Sai has actively engaged in social work, particularly focused on tribal education and the development of essential infrastructure in tribal regions. He has been a consistent advocate for improving the living standards of backward tribes, reflecting a deep-rooted commitment to social welfare. Known for his reverence for Lord Shri Ram, Sai staunchly opposes conversions through compulsion or deception.


Kanwar Community Development

Within the Kanwar community of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai is a well-known and revered individual who serves as a guide to the group's members. In addition to Sai, his wife, Kaushalya Sai, is an active participant in the processes that lead to the development of the Kanwar community. There is a sizeable community of members of the Kanwar tribe in Northern Chhattisgarh. These individuals can be found in all six districts that make up the Surguja division, as well as in the districts of Bilaspur, Korba,
Raigar Chamar is a Dalit community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action. Historically subject to untouchability, they were traditionally outside the Hindu ritual ranking system of castes known as varna. T ...
h, and
Janjgir Janjgir is the headquarters of the Janjgir–Champa district in Chhattisgarh, India. It has been the district headquarters since 25 May 1998, when Janjgir–Champa was carved out of Bilaspur. Well known for its Vishnu Temple aka Nakta Mandir ...
. Throughout the Kanwar community, Vishnu Deo Sai has been an important figure in the process of raising awareness about the need of education.


Naxalism Stance

Since assuming the role of Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai has swiftly implemented numerous decisive measures for public welfare, profoundly impacting both the state and national political landscape. In tackling the longstanding issue of Naxalism in Chhattisgarh, Sai has employed a strategy of "Boli ka Jawab Boli Se aur Goli ka Jawab Goli" (dialogue for dialogue, and bullet for bullet). Within a mere four months of his tenure, security forces engaged in multiple encounters with Maoists in Bastar, resulting in the killing of over 100 Naxalites, including several high-profile leaders with substantial bounties on their heads. Notably, a large number of Maoists and their supporters have surrendered, drawn by the rehabilitation policies of the Chhattisgarh Government. Concurrently, the Vishnu Deo Sai government has significantly increased the number of security camps in Bastar. The "Niyad Nellnar" scheme has been initiated to foster Bastar's development through these security camps, ensuring that villages within a five-kilometer radius receive the benefits of various Central and State Government schemes, thereby promoting comprehensive community development.


Personal life

On May 27, 1991, Vishnu Deo Sai entered into marriage with Kaushalya Devi Sai, with whom he shares a family consisting of one son and two daughters.


See also

* Vishnu Deo Sai ministry


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sai, Vishnu Deo 1964 births Living people India MPs 1999–2004 India MPs 2004–2009 India MPs 2009–2014 Lok Sabha members from Chhattisgarh India MPs 2014–2019 People from Raigarh district Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Chhattisgarh Narendra Modi ministry Chhattisgarh MLAs 2023–2028 Chief ministers from Bharatiya Janata Party