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{{short description|Indian writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Balwant Moreshwar Purandare
| image = Babasaheb Purandare.jpg
|honorific-prefix = [[Babasaheb]]
| imagesize =
| caption = Babasaheb Purandare
| birth_name = Balwant Moreshwar Purandare
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1922|07|29}}
| birth_place = [[Saswad]], [[Pune|Poona]], [[Bombay Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] (present-day [[Saswad]], [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]])<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 Dec 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>
| occupation = Historian, Writer, Orator
| nationality = Indian
| parents = Moreshwar Purandare
| awards = [[Padma Vibhushan]] (2019) <br> [[Maharashtra Bhushan]] (2015)
| children = 3
}}
'''Balwant Moreshwar Purandare''' (born 29 July 1922), popularly known as '''Babasaheb Purandare''' is a writer and theatre personality from [[Maharashtra]], India. He was awarded with [[Padma Vibhushan]], India's second-highest civilian award on 25 January 2019. His works are mostly based on the events related to the life of [[Shivaji]], the 17th-century founder of the [[Maratha Empire]]; as a result he is termed as ''Shiv-Shahir''<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> ("Shivaji's bard"). He is mostly known for his popular play on Shivaji ''Jaanta Raja'' which was popular not only in Maharashtra but also in [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Goa]]. Purandare has also studied the history of the [[Peshwa]]s of Pune. He is also known for his significant contribution along with Madhav Deshpande & Madhav Mehere as senior party leaders in the early-1970s of [[Shiv Sena]] along with [[Balasaheb Thackeray]]{{Citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=August 2017}}. In 2015, he was awarded with [[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>

==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]]. But the most well-known of his works 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 Dec 2011}}</ref> This drama is performed by over 200 artists, as well as 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 the year 2007–08.<ref name=k/>

==Personal life==
His wife Nirmala Purandare (1933–2019) was a veteran social activist. She founded 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> Her work for rural women, child development was renowned. Her brother, Shree Ga Majgaonkar, and Babasaheb Purandare had 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 Marathi literary field. <ref>https://www.hindustantimes.com/pune-news/noted-social-activist-educationist-nirmala-purandare-dies-in-pune/story-RXHsZAPJ6w5ija3lTfGBRI.html</ref> Madhuri Purandare, his daughter, is a renowned writer, painter, and singer.<ref>https://jyotsnaprakashan.com/illustrators/english-illustrators/madhuri-purandare-2</ref>

==Criticism==
Maratha outfit that has been protesting against Purandare believes that he has sullied the reputation of Maratha warrior Shivaji through his writings. They also, protested when Maharashtra government decided to award Maharashtra Bhushan to the writer.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/writer-babasaheb-purandare-receives-maharashtra-bhushan-despite-protests/articleshow/48551741.cms | title=Writer Babasaheb Purandare receives 'Maharashtra Bhushan' despite protests | first=Krishna | last=Kumar | date=20 August 2015 | newspaper=The Economic Times | access-date=1 June 2018 }}</ref>

== In popular culture ==

* A 2008 TV show [[Raja Shivchatrapati]] depicting the life of Maratha king [[Shivaji]] was based on ''Raja Shivchatrapati'' novel of Babasaheb Purandare.{{cn|date=April 2020}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purandare, Babasaheb}}
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian historians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award]]
[[Category:Writers from Pune]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in arts]]
[[Category:Historians_of_India]]
[[Category:Writers from Maharashtra]]

Balwant Moreshwar Purandare - Revision history

imported>GreaterPonce665 at 18:23, 11 August 2021