In the quiet town of Katol, Maharashtra, a prodigious mind was born on September 14, 1954—one that would go on to become India’s most educated man. But his life, full of remarkable achievements, took an unexpected turn that left many in admiration and others in shock.
Shrikant Jichkar was no ordinary individual. By the time he was just 26, he had already earned his first degree in medicine (MBBS and MD from Nagpur). But Jichkar's thirst for knowledge knew no bounds. Between 1973 and 1990, he pursued and completed an astonishing 20 university degrees, earning accolades in medicine, law, journalism, business management, and Sanskrit literature, among others. He was not only a scholar but a genius, appearing in 42 university examinations during this period and amassing a collection of gold medals for his academic excellence.
In 1978, Jichkar took on the challenge of the UPSC exams, one of India's most difficult tests, and emerged victorious, securing a position in the Indian Police Service (IPS). However, his journey didn’t stop there. Two years later, he cleared the UPSC exam once again, this time to become an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. But in a twist that would puzzle many, Jichkar resigned from his prestigious IAS post just weeks after joining, choosing instead to enter the world of politics.
At 26, Jichkar was elected as the youngest MLA in India, later serving as a minister with charge of 14 portfolios, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, and eventually, the Rajya Sabha. His life was a whirlwind of accomplishments, but tragically, it was cut short. On June 2, 2004, Jichkar's car met with an accident near Kondhali, just 50 kilometres from Nagpur, ending his extraordinary journey at the age of 49.
Shrikant Jichkar's life was a testament to boundless curiosity and ambition, but it also leaves us wondering what more he might have achieved had fate not intervened so abruptly.
