Maharashtra IT and Cultural Minister Ashish Shelar Speaks with Rachana Shah & Rhythm Wagholikar

Ashish Shelar is a prominent Indian politician, lawyer and one of Mumbai’s most prominent public leaders. A senior figure of the Bharatiya Janata Party, he served multiple terms as MLA in Bandra West and held important organizational roles, including the President of Mumbai BJP. Known for his keen legal acumen and grassroots connections, Shelar played a key role in shaping Mumbai’s civic and development policies, advocating for issues related to education, urban infrastructure and youth empowerment.

He currently serves as Minister for Information Technology and Minister for Culture in Maharashtra, where he drives digital growth, creative advancement and cultural preservation across the state.

Beyond politics, Shelar is also deeply involved in sports and social initiatives. As the former President of the Mumbai Cricket Association, he supported major sports infrastructure and talent development. A Bandra boy at heart, Ashish Shelar continues to be an influential voice in Mumbai’s evolving public life.

To understand Ashish Shelar is to know a figure shaped as much by the quiet, inherited traditions of Mumbai as by its vibrant energy. A man who rose above the layered ground of the city without breaking away from the places that first formed him. The years she spent in a modest shawl didn’t just define her beginnings; They created a lifelong grammar of community, discipline, and instinctive empathy. His journey is not the familiar arc of a politician shaped by circumstance, but that of a man who learned early that responsibility comes not from opportunity but from exposure to collective life. These formative corridors shaped his sense of belonging long before he entered the public leadership lexicon.

Even today, beneath the roles he carries, lies the unmistakable presence of someone who listens closely to the heartbeat of the city. He understands their festivals and their silences, their ambitions and anxieties, their need for celebration and their longing for continuity. Shelar’s public persona has a rare blend of assertiveness and accessibility; this combination allows him to navigate the institutional corridors of government and the lived reality of people’s daily concerns with equal ease. He stands as one of a generation of leaders who have seen Mumbai reinvent itself time and time again, and he carries these transformations within himself with a sense of both personal and civic responsibility.

The door opened with the silence of a room designed for conversation rather than spectacle. Inside, calm and unhurried, sat Ashish Shelar; He had the comfort of someone who grew up in the same soil as the city he served. Nothing about the environment felt like performance. There was the atmosphere of a familiar Mumbai afternoon, where stories float in the air long before they are spoken out loud. The room slowly settled into a steady rhythm as Rachana Shah and Rhythm Wagholikar took their seats. Shelar seemed determined to speak not as a political figure but as a man shaped by the daily pulse of the city that raised him.

What followed was an interaction that moved with unforced grace. This was a conversation that did not rush to conclusions, allowing insights to surface at their own natural pace. Memories blended with thoughts, personal anecdotes blended with beliefs, and the portrait of a leader quietly deepened. By the time the discussion was over, it felt less like an interview and more like a window into the making of a man who continues to carry Mumbai within him. The interview was warm, engaging and revealing in its own gentle way; It was revealed with the ease of a story that needed the right moment to be told.

Below are selected excerpts from the candid and wide-ranging interview with Ashish Shelar by Rachana Shah and Rhythm Wagholikar….

Sir, you grew up in a period when Mumbai’s cultural and social identity was being shaped. What part of your childhood shaped you?

“My first education in Mumbai was my first education. Life unfolded in close proximity. You heard your neighbour’s joys and concerns; you witnessed their efforts and celebrations. You entered every festival, every house, every common courtyard. The instinct for coexistence shaped me long before I understood its words. It taught me informality, empathy and a rhythm of belonging that no structured education could offer.”

Who were you as a young student or dreamer before public life found you?

“I was a struggler. There was no early ambition for leadership or public life. I worked hard for a better education, for opportunities that seemed modest at the time but extremely important. Circumstances kept illusions at a distance. Looking back now, I realize that fate, or perhaps my Sadguru’s guidance, had charted this path long before I realized it.”

Faith remains at the center of your life despite the pressures of public responsibility. What keeps this connection alive?

“I love being with people. Service has always come naturally to me, whether it’s development work, healthcare outreach, or simple presence. Temple visits are an extension of that same instinct. They keep me in line with the inner rhythm I trust.”

Mumbai has reinvented itself many times. What is the spirit of the city today?

“The soul of Mumbai lies in shared celebrations. A society thrives when people come together. In my childhood, Navratri nights, Devikala Utsav, Vrinda Utsav and small school assemblies were part of our emotional landscape. I used to write hoardings for competitions. These details may seem small, but they created belonging. Keeping this spirit alive feels like an important responsibility.”