Prithviraj Chavan (Marathi: पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण, born 17 March 1946) is the current and 22nd Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The Indian National Congress selected him to be the successor of Ashok Chavan. He was a Member of the Parliament of India representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. He was the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.

He has graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, India. He also holds a Masters degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He wrote articles on computer science; engineering design; and also contribution to research in computerization of Indian languages in his early days before entering the politics.

Prithviraj Chavan was born to Late.Shri.Anandrao alias Dajisaheb Chavan who Member of Loksabha and served as Minister for various portfolios under the Prime-Ministership of Late.Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,Late.Lal Bahadur Shastri and Late.Smt.Indira Gandhi.His mother was Late.Smt.Premalakaki Chavan,who was elected as Member of Loksabha after the death of her husband Late.Shri.Anandrao Chavan from his Karad constituency and served in the same capacity for all consecutive terms till her death in 1991. Chavan started his political career in 1991,his name was proposed by Mr. Hindurao Sakharam Jagtap (President Karad Taluka Youth congress Committee)in place of Smt.Premlatatai Chavan,his mother and won the family seat of Karad thrice, in '91, '96 and '98 and lost it in 1999.