Historian Babasaheb Purandare Dies At 99; PM Modi Says ‘Pained Beyond Words’
Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the death of historian and Padma Vibhushan awardee Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare.
Doctors at Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune said that Purandare died in the morning after a brief illness. He was 99.
“I am pained beyond words. The demise of Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare leaves a major void in the world of history and culture. It is thanks to him that the coming generations will get further connected to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His other works will also be remembered,” PM Modi posted on Twitter.
“Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare was witty, wise and had rich knowledge of Indian history. I had the honour of interacting with him very closely over the years. A few months back, had addressed his centenary year programme,” he also wrote.
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1460079828107993091?s=20
Purandare, known as Shiv Shahir or the bard of Shivaji, was one of the chief officers of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Purandare’s popular two-part, 900-page magnum opus on Shivaji Maharaj in Marathi, Raja Shivchatrapati, was published in the late 1950s and has been reprinted over the decades.
Purandare also conceived and directed drama historiography in the mid-1980s on the life of Shivaji Maharaj titled Janata Raja.
Purandare, who was born on July 29, 1922, was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award in 2019. He is survived by two sons and a daughter.
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