Picture this: Amruta, is the daughter of Dr. Sharad and Dr. Charu Ranade – noted ophthalmologist and gynecologist respectively. Her brother Gaurav too is a doctor. She studied in St Joseph’s Convent, Nagpur and is presently the Associate Vice President of Axis Bank, Nagpur. Amruta has grown up in a close knit cosmopolitan family of professionals who quietly pursue their life and career. She has recently got a transfer to Mumbai, after her husband Devendra became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Childhood
Devendra Fadnavis is the son of two-time legislative council member from Nagpur, the late Gangadhar-Rao Fadnavis. His father was actively into politics as member of the Janata Party and BJP. His mother, Saralati is a housewife. His aunt, Shobhatai Fadnavis was a minister in the saffron alliance government in the mid-90s and is presently a legislative council member. Devendra, as a child, was admitted to the Indira convent but he refused to go as it was named after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who had sent his father to jail during the Emergency. He was subsequently sent to Saraswati Vidyalaya, and then studied Law. He has grown up in an atmosphere surrounded by politics.
Unity in Diversity
Amruta and Devendra Fadnavis grew up in the same Orange City of Nagpur, but came from extremely different backgrounds. Amruta is a modern woman with a flamboyant taste for colours and attire, much suited to her dynamic personality. She continues to live that way but says her perception of life has changed over the years. Says she, with delightful ease, ”Earlier it was `Live Life King size’. Now with Deven’s influence it is `Make life useful to others and give happiness to others.’’’ Such an easy rollover from a cushy life to one that comes with immense public responsibility is not easy, but Amruta is enlightened enough to take it in her stride. Her father, Dr. Ranade says vociferously, ”Amruta will never do what she does not want to, but once she decides, she will do it with zest and full commitment.“ Like they say, love is…when your differences make no difference!
At the heart of this relationship is a deep understanding of each other’s profession and the need to give space to each other. They have a five year old daughter, Divija, who believes her father has been given a big responsibility by P M Modi. She was the one who innocently broke the news to a television channel that her father was going to be appointed as the chief minister. Says Amruta, ”Otherwise it was a secret to be kept between my mother-in-law, mother and me, before the formal announcement.’’
By Vinita Deshmukh
