Aaditya Thackeray is an Indian politician from Maharashtra and a leading figure of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction. The son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the grandson of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, he is the first member of the Thackeray family to contest and win an electoral office. He has served as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly representing the Worli constituency in Mumbai and held cabinet portfolios in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by his father.
| Full name | Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 June 1990, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Father | Uddhav Thackeray |
| Mother | Rashmi Thackeray |
| Grandfather | Bal Thackeray |
| Party | Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) |
| Constituency | Worli, Mumbai |
| Education | Bombay Scottish School; St. Xavier's College, Mumbai; KC Law College, Mumbai |
Aaditya Thackeray was born into the Thackeray family, which has been central to the politics of Maharashtra since the founding of the Shiv Sena by his grandfather Bal Thackeray in 1966. He studied at Bombay Scottish School in Mahim, completed his undergraduate degree in history from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, and pursued a law degree from KC Law College, Mumbai.
In 2010, the Shiv Sena launched the Yuva Sena as its youth wing, with Aaditya Thackeray as its founding president. The Yuva Sena focused on student and youth issues, and contested elections to the Senate of the University of Mumbai, where it secured a significant presence.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, Aaditya Thackeray contested from the Worli constituency in Mumbai and won, becoming the first member of the Thackeray family to enter electoral politics. After the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, an alliance of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Indian National Congress, with Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister, he was inducted into the state cabinet.
As a cabinet minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government (2019–2022), he held charge of portfolios including Tourism, Environment and Climate Change, and Protocol. During his tenure he was associated with initiatives related to urban green spaces, climate action plans for Mumbai, and night-life and tourism policy in Maharashtra.
Following the political crisis in June 2022, when a faction led by Eknath Shinde broke away and aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena split into two groups. Aaditya Thackeray remained with his father's faction, subsequently recognised as the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). He retained his Worli seat in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election and has continued to be a prominent voice of the Uddhav-led Sena, especially on issues concerning Mumbai, environment, and youth.
Aaditya Thackeray's entry into electoral politics marked a notable shift in the Thackeray family's traditional approach, which had historically preferred to wield influence from outside legislatures. His political profile combines the Shiv Sena's regional Marathi identity with an emphasis on urban governance, climate policy, and youth engagement, making him one of the more visible younger leaders in Maharashtra politics.