Surat: Dinkar Desai, a freedom fighter, former MLA of Gandevi constituency in South Gujarat and father of sitting BJP MLA of Navsari, Piyush Desai passed away today. He was 97. Once a die-heard supporter of Indira Gandhi and close to then Gujarat Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki, Desai was later a supporter of Narendrabhai Modi. He had been whip in the State assembly.

Dinkarbhai was first batch graduate of Gujarati Vidyapith, set up by Mahatma Gandhi. He was jailed as a student for 16 months during year 1942 Bharat Chhodo movement.

He was the first president of Halpati Seva Sangh. Halpati Seva Sangh under his leadership had started seven high schools. Later he also became secretary of Navsari Mill Majur Mahajan Mandal.

Dinkarbhai completed MA from Gujarat University in 1959 and also passed LLB exam in 1963. He had practiced as a lawyer till 1980.

He was elected as MLA from Navsari in 1971 and later from Gandevi in 1980 and 1990.

He was honored at Rashtrapati Bhavan in year 2012. Even in 1972, after 25 years of India’s independence, he was honored with tamprapatra by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. DeshGujarat