Nagpur: Prof Bhaurao Tulsiram Deshmukh, fondly known as BT Deshmukh, a five-term member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Amravati Division Graduates’ Constituency and one of Vidarbha’s most respected intellectuals, passed away on Friday night. He was 88. Family members said Deshmukh was unwell and recently returned home after treatment at a private hospital. He suffered a heart attack around 8pm at his residence in Amravati. His last rites will be held on Saturday.A noted political science scholar, journalist, educationist and teachers’ leader, Deshmukh represented the graduates’ constituency for five consecutive terms and earned a reputation as a deeply researched and disciplined legislator. Widely referred to as the “Maharshi of Irrigation Backlog Eradication,” he consistently raised issues related to irrigation imbalance, water scarcity and regional neglect in the western Vidarbha.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis described his death as “a great loss not only to Amravati but to the socio-political sector of the entire Maharashtra.” Union minister Nitin Gadkari called Deshmukh “a lifelong crusader for the eradication of Vidarbha’s backwardness” and also added that his research-driven speeches guided generations of legislators.Deshmukh played a crucial role in pushing for infrastructure and irrigation projects in the region. His efforts are widely credited with accelerating the Upper Wardha Dam project, which greatly reduced Amravati city’s chronic water shortage. Also, he remained an advocate for balanced regional development and frequently highlighted the backlog in roads, irrigation and public infrastructure in Vidarbha through speeches backed by data and policy analysis.As president of Nagpur University Teachers’ Association (NUTA) , Deshmukh spearheaded several movements for lecturers and professors across Maharashtra. Colleagues said many of the financial protections as well as job security measures that is enjoyed by teachers today were the outcome of his sustained efforts.Born on Aug 21, 1939, in Belora village to a farming family, Deshmukh began his professional career as a political science lecturer at Shri Shivaji College of Arts and Commerce in Amravati. Deshmukh also authored a book on Vidarbha’s water crisis and launched the NUTA Bulletin nearly five decades ago.
