Shivajirao Girdhar Patil is an Indian social activist and politician from the state of Maharashtra. He began his social activism at an early age when he took part in the independence movement. Post-independence, he has been associated with various political parties and has been member of Maharashtra Legislative Council, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and later also of the Rajya Sabha for one term. Recently in 2013 he was presented with Padma Bhushan; India's third highest civilian award. He is father of Hindi film actress Smita Patil. He was born on 5 March 1925 in Mumbai. Patil was involved in various social activities since his young age. He has been associated with various political parties of Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and also headed various organization. He has been member of Maharashtra Legislative Council from 1960 to 1967 and of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1980 in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. While in the Assembly, he handled the state ministry with portfolios of irrigation, power, protocol and co-operation and legislative affairs in the Government of Maharashtra in 1968-72 and 1976-78.

Later he also was the member of Rajya Sabha for one term from 1992 to 1998. In 1996, under his chairmanship, the Smita Patil Charitable Trust was founded in memory of his daughter. The trust runs a Smita Patil Public School in the village of Dahiwad in Shirpur taluka of Dhule district with a mission to impart quality education to students in rural area. As of 2012 he is one of the directors of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories.