LesliGirard6 at 00:37, 5 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian writer (1922–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Babasaheb Purandare
| image = Babasahebwikismall.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_name = Balwant Moreshwar Purandare
| honorific_prefix = ''Shiv Shahir''
| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|07|29|df=y}}<ref name=k>{{cite news|url=http://www.mpinfo.org/mpinfonew/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=071120N15&flag1=1 |title=Kalidas Samman to Shri Purandare |publisher=Department of Public Relations, Madhya Pradesh Government |date=20 November 2007 |access-date=16 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716064424/http://www.mpinfo.org/mpinfonew/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=071120N15&flag1=1 |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/babasaheb-purandare-turns-99-wishes-pour-in-101627581899015.html|title=Babasaheb Purandare turns 99, wishes pour in|work=Hindustan Times |date=29 July 2021}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Shukrawar Peth, Pune]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|11|15|1922|07|29|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Pune, Maharashtra]], India
| occupation = Historian, writer, orator
| parents =
| awards = [[Padma Vibhushan]] (2019) <br /> [[Maharashtra Bhushan]] (2015)<br/> [[Kalidas Samman]] (2007–08)
| spouse ={{marriage|[[Nirmala Purandare]]||2019|end=died}}
| children = 3
}}

'''Balwant Moreshwar Purandare''' (29 July 1922 – 15 November 2021), popularly known as '''Babasaheb Purandare''', was an Indian historian and writer of books and plays from [[Maharashtra]], India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Banerjee |first=Shoumojit |date=15 November 2021 |title=Babasaheb Purandare, historian and authority on Chhatrapati Shivaji, passes away at 99 |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/historian-padma-vibhushan-awardee-babasaheb-purandare-dead/article37497511.ece |access-date=15 November 2021 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> His works are mostly based on the life of [[Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj|Shivaji]], the 17th-century founder of the [[Maratha Empire]]; as a result he is called ''Shiv-Shahir'' ("Shivaji's bard").<ref name="Pāṭīla1987">{{cite book|author=Śālinī Pāṭīla|title=Maharani Tarabai of Kolhapur, c. 1675-1761 A.D.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eh1BAAAAMAAJ|access-date=9 August 2013|year=1987|publisher=S. Chand & Co.|isbn=978-81-219-0269-4}}</ref> He is mostly known for his popular play on Shivaji, ''Jaanta Raja''. Purandare also studied the history of the [[Peshwa]]s of Pune. In 2015, he was awarded the [[Maharashtra Bhushan Award]], [[Maharashtra]]'s highest civilian award.<ref>{{cite news|title=Purandare awarded "Maharashtra Bhushan".|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/shivajis-poet-to-be-conferred-maharashtra-bhushan/|access-date=1 May 2015|publisher=Indian Express|date=1 May 2015}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Padma Vibhushan]], India's second-highest civilian award on 25 January 2019.

==Early life==
'''Babasaheb''' was born in Pune in 1922 and belonged to the noble family of the [[Purandare]], who were senior Sardars in the court of the [[Peshwa]]. In 1930, when he was seven, the Purandare family had to move out from Pune as a wave of plague had returned to the city. They temporarily shifted to a relative’s home in [[Donje]] on the city outskirts, at the foothills of [[Sinhagad Fort]]. During this stay, the family would visit the fort and Babasaheb's father would tell him stories of the fort and Shivaji's rendezvous at the hilly citadel which was once called [[Kondhana]].
His young mind was so taken by the history and stories of the [[Maratha Empire]] and the ramparts of the forts, that for the next nine decades it would be the sole preoccupation of his life.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/babasaheb-purandare-death-7623864/ | title=Babasaheb Purandare, 'Shivaji's Bard' who brought him alive through stories | date=15 November 2021 }}</ref>

In the early days of his career he worked in [[Acharya Atre]]'s newspaper as a journalist. He made several contributions in the formative years of the [[Shiv Sena]] as a senior party leader. He also participated in the [[Liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli]] from [[Portuguese India|Portuguese rule]].<ref>https://cmsadmin.amritmahotsav.nic.in/district-reopsitory-detail.htm?25187|title Shivshahir Balwant Moreshwar Purandare.
</ref>

==Works==
[[File:Babasaheb Purandare Wax Statue.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Babasaheb Purandare Wax Statue|Babasaheb Purandare Wax Statue at ''Wax Museum, Lonavala''.]]
Purandare had started writing stories related to the period of Shivaji's reign at a very young age, which were later compiled and published in a book titled ''Thinagya'' ("Sparks"). His other works include books titled ''Raja Shiva-Chatrapati'' and ''Kesari'', and a book on life of [[Narayanrao Peshwa]]. His most well-known work is the drama, ''Jaanata Raja'', a widely popular play on Shivaji published and first staged in 1985. Since then the drama has been staged over 1000 times in 16 districts of Maharashtra, Agra, Delhi, Bhopal, and the United States. Originally written in [[Marathi language|Marathi]], this work was later translated into Hindi.<ref name=k/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20071102/811130.html|title=Janta Raja' to be staged in the US: Baba Purandare|date=2 November 2007|access-date=16 December 2011}}</ref> This drama is performed by over 200 artists, and includes elephants, camels and horses. Generally the performance of this drama begins around [[Diwali]] each year.

For his works, in the field of drama, he was awarded the [[Kalidas Samman]] by the [[Madhya Pradesh]] government for 2007–08.<ref name=k/>

==Restoration and preservation efforts==
Historically, his [[Purandare|family]] held positions of power in the [[Maratha Empire]], which gave him access to a lot of objects,[[ceremonial weapon]]ry and documents. They were aptly ustilised by him and formed the basis of some of his literature. The items which were part of his family heritage were properly documented, analyzed and many donations to museums took place. He has also worked immensely in the field of historical [[Archive|archiving]] as well as proper restoration of historical documents and [[Artifact (archaeology)|artifacts]] from the [[Maratha Confederacy|Maratha]] Period. The [[Vishrambaug Wada]] houses many such items painstakingly preserved by him. After his demise, there was an outcry regarding the fate of the artifacts, their preservation and proper caretaking at the Wada.

He also founded [https://www.shivsrushti.com/ शिवसृष्टी (ShivShrushti)] near [[Ambegaon]] in Pune, which preserves the Maratha culture and artistic prowess from the rule of Shivaji.<ref>https://www.shivsrushtipune.com/|title ShivaShrusti Official Website.</ref>

==Personal life==
He belonged to the Deshastha Rigvedi Purandare Family. His wife, [[Nirmala Purandare]], was a veteran social activist. She founded the Vanasthali organisation in Pune.<ref>{{cite news|title=Social activist, educationist Nirmala Purandare dies in Pune|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/jul/21/social-activist-educationist-nirmala-purandare-dies-in-pune-2007070.html|publisher=The New Indian Express|date=21 July 2019}}</ref> She was known for working amongst rural women, and in the area of child development. Her brother, Shree Ga Majgaonkar, and Babasaheb Purandare had a very close association in the field of literature. Babasaheb Purandare has a daughter, Madhuri, and two sons, Amrut and Prasad. All his children are active in the Marathi literary field.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/pune-news/noted-social-activist-educationist-nirmala-purandare-dies-in-pune/story-RXHsZAPJ6w5ija3lTfGBRI.html | title=Noted social activist, educationist Nirmala Purandare dies in Pune | date=21 July 2019 }}</ref> Madhuri Purandare, his daughter, is a renowned writer, painter, and singer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jyotsnaprakashan.com/illustrators/english-illustrators/madhuri-purandare-2|title=Madhuri Purandare - jyotsnaprakashan.com|website=jyotsnaprakashan.com}}</ref>

Over his lifetime, he donated a lot of his income from literature to numerous charitable organizations and NGOs which fight for a good cause.In one such instance, he kept only 10 paise of the ₹10 [[Lakh]] cash award for receiving the [[Maharashtra Bhushan]]. He added ₹15 Lakhs from his own pocket, and donated the entire sum towards cancer research.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/purandare-donates-award-sum-for-cancer-treatment/articleshow/48548433.cms | title=Purandare donates award sum for cancer treatment | work=The Times of India | date=20 August 2015 }}</ref>

Purandare died from pneumonia on 15 November 2021, at the age of 99 in a hospital in Pune.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=15 November 2021|title=मोठी बातमी {{!}} शिवशाहीर बाबासाहेब पुरंदरे यांचे निधन|url=https://zeenews.india.com/marathi/maharashtra/big-news-from-pune-shivshahir-babasaheb-purandare-is-no-more-died-at-99-years/591870|access-date=15 November 2021|website=24taas.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-11-15|title=Historian, Padma Vibhushan Awardee Babasaheb Purandare Dead; 'Pained Beyond Words,' PM Modi Says|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/noted-author-historian-babasaheb-purandare-on-ventilator-support-4444184.html|access-date=2021-11-15|work=News18|language=en}}</ref>

==Criticism==
Purandare's critics have accused him of distorting history.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Why Marathas had a problem with the late Babasaheb Purandare, the bard of Chhatrapati Shivaji |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/why-marathas-had-a-problem-with-the-late-babasaheb-purandare-the-bard-of-chhatrapati-shivaji/832127 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=www.timesnownews.com |language=en}}</ref> One of their biggest criticisms has been that Purandare has portrayed Dadoji Kondadeo as Shivaji's guru.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-16 |title=Not against Purandare as an individual but opposition to his writings will continue: Critics |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/babasaheb-purandare-critics-7624710/ |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
* A 2008 TV show, ''[[Raja Shivchhatrapati (TV series)|Raja Shivchhatrapati]]'' depicting the life of Maratha king [[Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj|Shivaji]], was based on ''Raja Shivchhatrapati'', written by Babasaheb Purandare.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=Noted historian Babasaheb Purandare passes away |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/noted-historian-babasaheb-purandare-passes-away-1050850.html |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purandare, Babasaheb}}
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian historians]]
[[Category:Historians of India]]
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in arts]]
[[Category:Writers from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Writers from Pune]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in India]]

Babasaheb Purandare - Revision history

LesliGirard6 at 00:37, 5 March 2026