Narmada cause was close to Dave's heart

Ever since Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Narmada Yatra in December 2016, Environment Minister Anil Dave, who was associated with the Narmada movement for a long time, wanted to be a part of the programme.

However, ill health and official duty (Dave was the minister in waiting for the visiting Indonesian president) prevented him from travelling to his home state. It was only towards the end of the Narmada Yatra that he could find time to attend an event in Indore. Dave’s wish came true about a fortnight before his untimely death.

Dave is credited of being one of the key backroom boys behind the BJP’s success in Madhya Pradesh. Though he had a long association with the RSS, the soft-spoken leader shot into prominence in 2003 when he crafted the strategy leading to the defeat of the then chief minister Digvijaya Singh. Uma Bharti, who subsequently became the chief minister, made him her adviser.

Passion for flying
As an NCC air wing cadet, Dave took early lessons in flying, which became a lifetime passion. A private pilot licence-holder, Dave once flew a Cessna 173 aircraft along the banks of Narmada for 18 hours. He also completed a 19-day raft journey covering 1,312 km in the river.

Dave became environment minister in July 2016. In the last 10 months, he took several policy decisions on animal welfare and environmental compliances. However, the decision that is pending pertains to the commercialisation of genetically modified mustard, which has received the regulator’s approval.