Babasaheb Purandare

In News

• Recently, Eminent historian Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare, passed away aged 99.

Image Courtsey: TH

About Babasaheb Purandare

• Born on July 29, 1922, at Pune district, Maharastra.
• He had a great affinity for the history of Maharashtra and its forts. 
  • He brought the history of the state alive through his writings, talks, and plays.
• He was known for his work on the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and has written several books on Shivaji, his style of administration, as well as the forts from the era. 
• His wife Nirmala Purandare, an activist and educationist, had passed away in July 2019. 
• Prolific writing career:  He wrote several books, including a two-volume biography of the king “Raje Shivchhatrapati”. 

• His other prominent publications include “Maharaj”, “Shelar Khind”, “Gadkot Kille”, “Agra”, “Lal Mahal”, “Purandar”, “Rajgad”, “Panhalgad”, “Sinhagad”, “Pratapgad”, “Fulwanti”, “Purandaryanchi Daulat”, “Mujaryache Mankari”, “Savitri” and “Kalawantinicha Sajja”.

• Popular play: He often toured the state delivering lectures on Shivaji. In 1985, he wrote and directed the play ‘Jaanta Raja’, which involved over 200 artists, and several horses and elephants. 

• The play was translated into several languages and was performed even outside the state in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and the US.

• Awards to him: In 2015, the state government had awarded the Maharashtra Bhushan award to him.  
  • He was also the recipient of the country’s second-highest civilian honour — the Padma Vibhushan — in 2019.

Source: TH