Editing Bal Thackeray (section)

{{short description|Indian and politician (1926-2012)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}} 
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    = 
| name                = Bal Keshav Thackeray
| nationality         = Indian
| image               = Bal_Thackeray_at_70th_Master_Dinanath_Mangeshkar_Awards_(1)_(cropped).jpg
| image_size          = 200px
| caption             = Thackeray in 2012
| office1             = [[Shiv Sena (1966–2022)|Leader (Pramukh) of Shiv Sena]]
| predecessor1        = ''position created''
| successor1          = [[Uddhav Thackeray]]
| term_start1         = 19 June 1966
| term_end1           = 17 November 2012
| office2             = [[Saamana|Editor-in-chief of Saamana]]
| term_start2         = 23 January 1988
| term_end2           = 20 June 2006
| predecessor2        = ''office established''
| successor2          = Uddhav Thackeray
| office3             = [[Marmik|Co-founder and Editor-in-chief of Marmik]]
| predecessor3        = ''office established''
| successor3          = Uddhav Thackeray
| term_start3         = 13 August 1960
| term_end3           = 17 November 2012
| alt                 = Bal Thackeray at 70th Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award
| birth_name          = Balasaheb Thackeray
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1926|01|23|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Pune|Poona]], [[Bombay Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] (present-day [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], India)
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2012|11|17|1926|01|23|df=y}}
| death_place         = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| party               = [[Shiv Sena (1966–2023)|Shiv Sena]]
| otherparty          = [[National Democratic Alliance]] {{small|(from 1998)}}
| nickname            = *''Balasaheb'' <br/>  
*''Hindu Hriday Samrat''
| occupation          = {{hlist|[[Politician]]|[[cartoonist]]}}
| spouse              = {{marriage|Sarla Vaidya{{efn|aka Meena Thackeray}}|1948|1995|end=her death}}<ref name="purandare1362"/>
| father              = [[Keshav Sitaram Thackeray]]
| mother              = Ramabai Thackeray
| residence           = Matoshree Bunglow, [[Bandra, Mumbai]]
| known_for           = [[Marathi people|Marathi]] [[regionalism (politics)|regionalism]]<br/>[[Hindutva]]
| children            = 3, including [[Uddhav Thackeray]]<ref name="Political dynasties in Maharashtra">{{cite news |title=Political dynasties in Maharashtra |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/political-dynasties-in-maharashtra-101711456983784.html |access-date=15 December 2024 |publisher=Hindustantimes |date=27 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215143308/https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/political-dynasties-in-maharashtra-101711456983784.html |archive-date=15 December 2024}}</ref>
| relatives           = [[Aaditya Thackeray]] (grandson)<br>[[Raj Thackeray]] (nephew)<br>[[Thackeray family]]
}}

'''Bal Thackeray''' ({{IPA|mr|baːɭ̆ keːʃəʋ ʈʰaːk(ə)ɾeː}}; 23 January 1926 – 17 November 2012), also known as '''Balasaheb Thackeray''', was an Indian cartoonist and politician who founded the original [[Shiv Sena (1966–2022)|Shiv Sena]], a Far-right and a pro-[[Marathi people|Marathi]] and [[Hindu nationalist]] party active mainly in the state of [[Maharashtra]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Berger, Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sBgLb8XIGR8C&pg=PA179 |title=The Modern Anthropology of India: Ethnography, Themes and Theory |last2=Heidemann, Frank |date=3 June 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1134061112 |page=179}}</ref>

Thackeray began his professional career as a [[cartoonist]] with the English-language daily, ''[[The Free Press Journal]]'' in [[Mumbai|Bombay]], but he left the paper in 1960 to form his own political weekly, ''[[Marmik (periodical)|Marmik]]''.<ref name=":6" /> His political philosophy was largely shaped by his father [[Keshav Sitaram Thackeray]], a leading figure in the [[Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti|Samyukta Maharashtra]] (United Maharashtra) movement, which advocated the creation of a separate linguistic state for Marathi speakers. Through ''Marmik'', Bal Thackeray campaigned against the growing influence of non-Marathis in Mumbai.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=The legacy of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, the tiger of Marathi resurgence |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/bal-thackeray/photo/maharashtra-shiv-sena-bal-thackeray-passes-away-368594-2012-11-03 |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=India Today |date=4 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref>

He had a large political influence in the state, especially in [[Mumbai]].<ref name=":0" /> 

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Thackeray built the Shiv Sena with help of Madhav Mehere, Chief Attorney for Trade Union of India, [[Babasaheb Purandare]], historian for Govt of Maharashtra and Madhav Deshpande, Head Accountant for Shiv Sena.These three individuals to a large extent were responsible for the success of Shiv Sena and stability of politics in Mumbai till 2000 to ensure it grows into an economic power center.<ref name="Kaminsky">{{cite book |last1=Kaminsky |first1=Arnold P. |last2=Long |first2=Roger D. |title=India Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic|year=2011 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-37462-3 |pages=693–4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VVxlfDHGTFYC&pg=PA694 |edition=illustrated |access-date=20 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205073008/https://books.google.com/books?id=VVxlfDHGTFYC&pg=PA694&dq= |archive-date=5 February 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Thackeray was also the founder of the Marathi-language newspaper ''[[Saamana]]''.<ref name="wan-ifra">{{cite news |url=http://www.wan-press.org/3may/2000/profiles/IndiaGoenka.html |title=India |publisher=WAN-IFRA |access-date=30 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410095734/http://www.wan-press.org/3may/2000/profiles/IndiaGoenka.html |archive-date=10 April 2015}}</ref> After the riots of 1992–93, he and his party took a [[Hindutva]] stance. Shivsena was seen as a fascist, chauvinist & a variant of far right. In 1999, Thackeray was banned from voting and contesting in any election for six years on the recommendations of the Election Commission for his controversial speeches, inciting violence and massive mobilization tactics & a based fear-less image.Thackeray was arrested multiple times and spent a brief stint in prison, but he never faced any major legal repercussions.Thackeray had an image of a hardcore regional supreme leader, godfather & controlled the state with an iron hand.<ref name="Time world">{{cite news |title=The Firebrand Who Renamed Bombay: Bal Thackeray (1926–2012) |url=https://world.time.com/2012/11/17/the-firebrand-who-renamed-bombay-bal-thackeray-1926-2012/ |publisher=17 November 2012 Time World |date=17 November 2012 |access-date=14 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123041712/http://world.time.com/2012/11/17/the-firebrand-who-renamed-bombay-bal-thackeray-1926-2012/ |archive-date=23 November 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Upon his death, he was accorded a [[state funeral]], at which many mourners were present.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bal Thackeray's funeral procession on way to Shivaji Park; lakhs of supporters follow |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bal-thackerays-funeral-procession-on-way-to-shivaji-park-lakhs-of-supporters-follow-504876 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |title=Hundreds of Thousands Mourn Indian Politician Thackeray |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/world/asia/hundreds-of-thousands-mourn-indian-politician-thackeray.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=18 November 2012 |access-date=8 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003656/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/world/asia/hundreds-of-thousands-mourn-indian-politician-thackeray.html |archive-date=13 November 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Thackeray did not hold any official positions, and he was never formally elected as the leader of his party but still controlled the party and state. Thackeray left a nationwide right wing surge, ultra-nationalism that is still seen today in current rulling right wing parties & active paramilitary organisations in India.<ref name=":0" />