Born on July 11, 1925 at Pune, Maharashtra
M.A (Pune University), Ph.D from Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune.
Joined the Communist Party in 1943
Secretary Solapur Students Union (1943)
Went Underground during 1948-51 for 27 months
Elected Secretary Solapur City Committee of CPI
Elected Secretary Goa Vimochan Samity, Sholapur Branch in 1955
Joined Central office of AITUC in 1958 and Elected Secretary in 1966
In-charge Parliamentary Party office from 1964 to 1969
Went underground for 14 months during 1965-66
Coopted into the underground CC after arrest of leadership
Elected Secretary CITU in 1970
Elected to the Central Committee in 1978 At the Jalandhar Congress
Elected CITU General Secretary in 1990
Elected to the Polit Bureau in 1998 at the Kolkata Congress
Elected President of CITU in 1999
Currently Member Polit Bureau, President CITU, President All India Coal Workers Federation, Co-President International Energy and Miners Organisation, Member Joint Committees in Steel, Coal, BHEL, BEL and Port and Docks, Member, National Shipping Board, Member, National Maritime Board.