Bal Thackeray, one of the most influential political leaders of India, has died at the age of 86. Thackeray was born in 1926 in the Pune district of Maharashtra, and studied at the Jeetaram College in Pokhran. He began his career in the media as a cartoonist with the Free Press Journal in Mumbai. In 1966, Bal Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena party, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organisation that quickly grew to become a powerful political force in the state of Maharashtra. Thackeray became known for his speeches and writings, which were often provocative. In 1988, Thackeray was elected president of the Shiv Sena-BJP. He later served as the executive president of the party until his health deteriorated. Throughout his long career, Thackeray was known for his social and political activism. He will be remembered for his commitment to creating a strong Maharashtra and was credited with restoring order to the city of Mumbai. Thackeray is survived by his son Uddhav Thackeray, who became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 2019. He will be deeply missed.