This was India's most educated politician, had 20 degrees from 42 universities, cracked UPSC twice, quit IAS job due to..., died at a young age after...

Shrikant Jichkar, born on 14 September 1954, is known as the most educated man in Indian history. After leaving the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), he entered politics. At the age of 26, he became India’s youngest Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), having graduated from 20 universities. He was born in Katol, Maharashtra.

Jichkar earned degrees in public administration, sociology, economics, Sanskrit, history, English literature, philosophy, political science, and ancient Indian history, culture, and archaeology. This was after completing his MBBS and MD from Nagpur University.

List of the degrees he pursued:

• MBBS
• MD
• D.B.M
• M.B.A
• D.Litt.(Sanskrit)
• LL.M.(International Law),
• B.Journ.
• M.A.(Public Administration)
• M.A.(Sociology)
• M.A.(Economics)
• M.A.(Sanskrit)
• M.A.Philosophy)
• M.A.(Pol. Science)
• M.A.(Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology)
• Ex. I.P.S(1978)
• I.A.S(1980) Aahitangni- Diksita- Somayaji
• Ex. Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha)

A brilliant student, Jichkar, won many gold medals for his academic achievements. According to various reports, he passed 42 university exams and earned 20 degrees between 1973 and 1990, sitting for exams every winter and summer. In 1978, he passed the UPSC exam and was selected as a central public servant in the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Jichkar left the IPS cadre in 1980 to become an IAS officer after clearing the UPSC exam again. Shortly after being appointed as an IAS officer, he entered politics, won an election, and became an MLA. He was later appointed as a minister, holding responsibility for 14 ministries.

He served as the Maharashtra State Minister and a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from 1986 to 1992, and as an MLA from 1980 to 1985. From 1992 to 1998, he was a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. In 1992, he established Sandipani School in Nagpur.

Shrikant Jichkar passed away on 2 June 2004, at the age of 49, after a car accident near Kondhali, about 50 kilometres from Nagpur.