20 February,2026 06:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rajeshree Rajesh Shirwadkar.
Rajeshree Shirwadkar was elected as the chairperson of the education committee during the BMC Committee Elections 2026 on Friday.
The announcement was made by newly elected Mayor Ritu Tawde, who chaired the special meeting convened at 11 am. On Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had appointed 22 corporators and four non-corporators as statutory committee members after the civic polls.
With no other nominations filed for the post, Shirwadkar was declared elected unopposed.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Education) Prachi Jambhekar, Municipal Secretary Manjiri Deshpande, and other committee members were present at the meeting following the election.
Soon after her election, Shirwadkar made an appeal to citizens, urging them to avoid presenting garlands, bouquets, or gifts to congratulate her. Instead, she requested well-wishers to contribute books, notebooks, pens, and other educational materials for students of BMC-run schools.
Emphasising that ceremonial honours are fleeting, she said donations of study materials would create a lasting impact by strengthening students' learning and supporting their academic growth. She described the initiative as a socially responsible step that encourages meaningful contributions toward education rather than symbolic gestures.
The appeal is expected to benefit municipal school students by ensuring access to essential learning resources, while also fostering a culture of educational support within the community.
Prabhakar Shinde was on Friday elected unopposed as the chairman of the standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The announcement was made by Mayor Ritu Tawde, who presided over the special meeting convened to elect the head of the key statutory committee.
The election follows the recently concluded BMC Elections 2026. In a special meeting held on Monday, 26 corporators were nominated to the standing committee.
The chairperson of the education committee is an ex-officio member of the panel.
A special session was held at 2 pm on Friday to conduct the election. As Shinde was the sole candidate to file nomination papers, he was declared elected unopposed.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr Ashwini Joshi, Municipal Secretary Manjiri Deshpande, and all the standing committee members were present during the proceedings.
