Former Congress Rajya Sabha member, Dr Shrikant Jichkar, who died in a road accident near Kondhali in Nagpur district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, was one of the most qualified and gentle politicians in the state.

Also Read Shrikant Jichkar killed in road accident

Born on September 14, 1954 in a farmer's family in Aajangaon near Katol in Nagpur district, Jichkar was an MLA from 1980 to 1992. Between 1982-83 and 1987-88 he held 14 portfolios in the state government.

Jichkar lost to the Shiv Sena's Subodh Mohite in Ramtek in the last Lok Sabha election.

He was first elected to the Maharashtra assembly in 1980 from the Katol-Narkhed constituency. A student of St Francis Desales High School, Jichkar obtained a degree in medicine from the Government Medical College and Hospital.

He did his Master of Arts in 10 subjects - Public Administration, Sociology, Economics, Sanskrit, History, English Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology.

An academician to the core, Jichkar also had degrees in journalism and law and a D Litt in Sanskrit.

He passed the Indian Police Service exam in 1978 and then qualified for the Indian Administrative Service in 1980 before plunging into politics.
 
He was appointed chancellor of Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University in 1993.

Jichkar had worked closely with Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde during the latter's tenure as the state's finance minister in an earlier Congress government.
 
He was chairman of the Nava Samaj Ltd, publishers of  <I>Nagpur Times</I> and <I>Nagpur Patrika</I> newspapers.