440. B.T.Ranadive (1904-1990)

Bhalchandra Trimbak Ranadive (December 19, 1904 – April 6, 1990), popularly known as BTR was an Indian Communist politician and trade union leader.

B. T. Ranadive

BTR memorial in Allepey

BTR completed his studies in 1927, obtaining an M.A degree with distinction. In 1928 he joined the clandestine Communist Party of India. In the same year he became a major leader of the All India Trade Union Congress in Bombay. He was active with the Girini Kamgar Union of the textile workers in Bombay and with the struggles of the railway workers. He organised the Strike of the Bombay Jute Mill Workers in 1928 and the strike of the Railway Workmens' in 1930.

In more than one way the Meerut Conspiracy case trial helped theCommunist Party of India to consolidate its position among workers. Dange along with 32 persons were arrested on or about March 20, 1929  and were put on trial under Section 121A of the Indian Penal Code, which declares:

Whoever within or without British India conspires to commit any of the offenses punishable by Section 121 or to deprive the King of the sovereignty of British India or any part thereof, or conspires to overawe, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, the Government of India or any local Government, shall be punished with transportation for life, or any shorter term, or with imprisonment of either description which may extend to ten years.

BTR became the Central committee member in 1934.

( Portrait of 25 of Meerut Prisoners taken outside the jail. Backrow:(left to right) K.N. Sehgal, S.S. Josh, H.Lester Hutchinson, Shaukat Usmani, B.F. Bradly, A. Prasad, Philip Spratt, and G. Adhikari.Middle Row: K.R. Mitra, Gopan Chakravarthy, Kishore Lal Ghosh, K.L. Kadam, D.R. Thengdi, Goura Shanker, S. Banerjee, K.N. Joglekar,P.C. Joshi, and Muzaffar Ahmed. Front Row: M.G. Desai, G. Goswami, R.S. Nimkar, S.S. Mirajkar, S.A. Dange, G.V. Ghate and Gopal Basak.)

He  was jailed in connection with the 

He became the secretary of the GIP Railwaymens’ Union. In 1939, he married Vimal, a trade union activist.

In 1943 he was elected to the central committee of the party. In February 1946 BTR played a major role in organizing a general strike in support of the Naval ratings revolt.

At its 2nd Party Congress held in Calcutta in February, 1948 the party elected BTR in place of P.C. Joshias its general secretary. BTR was the general secretary of CPI 1948-1950. During that period the party was engaged in revolutionaryuprisings, such as the Telangana armed struggle. In 1950 BTR was deposed, and denounced by the party as a "left adventurist".

In 1956, at the 4th Party Congress inPalghat BTR was again included in the Central Committee. He became a leading figure of the leftist section of the CC.

BTR Bhavan, Kerala

At the time of the Indo-China border conflict in 1962, BTR was one of many prominent communist leaders jailed by the government. In 1964 he became one of the main leaders of Communist Party of India (Marxist).

BTR became one of the Central Committee  and Politbureau member when CPI(M) was formed in 1964.

At the founding conference of theCentre of Indian Trade Unions inCalcutta May 28–31 1970, BTR was elected president. The central building of CITU in New Delhi is named after him, BTR Bhavan.