Manohar Joshi is the former Lok Sabha speaker and an Indian politician from Maharashtra. He is a notable leader of the Shiv Sena political party. Manohar Joshi became Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the year 1995. His tenure ended in the year 1999. On 10 May 2002, Shri Manohar Joshi joined this memorable line of Presiding Officers when he was selected to the elevated position of Speaker. He remained in office till 4th June 2004.

Early Life of Manohar Joshi
Manohar Joshi was born in a Deshstha Brahmin Family on 2nd December 1937 in Nandvi in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. Manohar Joshi was educated in Mumbai. This Bachelor of Law also holds a Master`s degree of Arts and is proficient in Marathi, Hindi, English and Sanskrit.

Political Career of Manohar Joshi
Manohar Joshi was elected to the Legislative Council from the Shiv Sena in the year 1976 thus beginning his political career. After the election, Joshi became the Mayor of Mumbai City, during 1976 to 1977. In 1990, he was voted to the Legislative Assembly from a Shiv Sena ticket. He held the Office of the Mayor of Mumbai during 1976-77. He was also the Chairman of All India Council of Mayors for some time. In the years ahead after Manohar Joshi became a member of the State Legislature, his close connection with the Mumbai city and his appreciation of various developmental issues helped him convincingly champion the cause of Mumbai. When the SS-BJP`s coalition beat the Congress in the State Elections, he became the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Shri Manohar Joshi`s legislative and parliamentary career on the other hand began in 1972 when he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. He served three terms in the Legislative Council and was later elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1990. He served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra during 1995-99. Earlier during 1990-91 he also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly. He is also credited with starting a National Association of the Leaders of Opposition in the country.

Manohar Joshi was unanimously elected for the post of the Speaker of Lok Sabha for the period of 2002-2004 during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration. He was elected for a six-year term to the Rajya Sabha on March 20, 2006. The Kamadhenu Policy for women, Matoshri Vrudhashram Scheme for the aged and Sainik Schools for the youth, was launched during his tenure as Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Manohar Joshi always had an abiding concern for different aspects of national development and took up various issues relating to labour, agriculture, industrial development, business, trade, housing, environment, employment, education and the promotion of Marathi language, literature and culture.

During his Chief Ministership, Manohar Joshi organized Advantage Maharashtra Conference to promote industrial investments in the State; arranged a programme known as Agro Advantage Maharashtra for farmers. He was also instrumental in the construction of a number of fly-overs in Mumbai and also started schemes like `Tanker-free Maharashtra Scheme`.

Business Career of Manohar Joshi
Shri Joshi, as a productive businessman of long standing, had been Chairman, Managing Director, Proprietor and Partner of several organisations. He gives equal importance to industrial and agricultural sectors and therefore worked hard for the procession of both. Manohar Joshi is the proprietor of the Kohinoor chain, comprising of technical schools, hotels, construction, real estate to name just a few.

Shri Joshi instituted the Jagatik Marathi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. As an educationist, he established Kohinoor Technical Institute, in order to bestow technical education to youth. Manohar Joshi has also established Kohinoor Business School, as well as Kohinoor-IMI Institutes in Maharashtra, which are ranked among the top most institutes.

Publications of Manohar Joshi
Manohar Joshi authored a book Swachh Mumbai; Harit Mumbai, in Marathi focusing on the problems relating to environment. He also has the book, Clean Mumbai Movement, to his credit.

Personal Life of Manohar Joshi
Manohar Joshi got married on 14th May 1964 to Anagha Joshi, and has a son, Unmesh, and two daughters. Manohar Joshi set up a Kala Academy in Mumbai as part of an active cultural and literary involvement. He also instituted Maharashtra Bhusan Award and coordinated a graceful Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sammelan at Shivaji Park, Mumbai during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

In the year 2010, Manohar Joshi received a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Mumbai.