Renowned Marathi poet, Sahitya Academy Award winner and Padma Bhushan recipient Mangesh Keshav Padgaonkar passed away at his Sion residence in north-central Mumbai on Wednesday, after a brief illness.
He was 86 and is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Padgaonkar was accorded a State funeral at a crematorium at Sion in the afternoon.
A versatile writer, Padgaonkar wrote poems for nearly seventy years. Padgaonkar had 40 publications to his credit. He also came out with a collection of essays which published under the title Nimbonichya Zaadamage. The US library of Congress acquired 31 of his publications.
Mourning the death of Padgaonkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Mangesh Padgaonkar was a doyen of Marathi literature. His poetry & writing influenced many. Saddened by his demise”.
While he received Sahitya Academy award in 1980 for his collection of poems Salam, Pagaonkar was honoured with the MP literary Conference Award in 1956 and Maharashtra State Awards in 1953 and 1955.
While Padgaonkar received the Maharashtra Bhushan award in 2008, he was bestowed with Padma Bhushan in 2013. In 2012, he was also honoured with “Jeevan Sadhana Gaurav Puraskar” by University of Pune for his contribution in the field of literature.
Padgaonkar began his writing career at 14. “Tuz pahile tav pahile, he pushpa rudayatale” was his first poem.
A translator par excellence, Padgaonkar translated works of Mirabai and published a book “Mira” in 1965.He has also translated works of Kabir and Surdas in Marathi along with Shakesphere’s “The Tempest”, “Julius Caesar and “Romeo and Juliet”. These translations have been included in the Shakespeare Memorial at British town of “Stratford upon Avon”. The only other Indian author whose poems are included in the memorial is Rabindranath Tagore.
His translation of “Bible: the New Testament” was published in 2008. Apart translating the famous works of other authors, Padgaonkar also wrote forewords to the translated books wherein he has commented about the original authors, their styles of writing and literature of respective eras. A collection of these forewords is published as “Chintan” by Popular Publications.
Along with two popular poets of his time Vinda Karandikar and Vasant Bapat, Padgaonkar was part of many poetry recitation programmes that were held in Maharashtra in 1960s and 1970s. He has also written lyrics of many Marathi film songs.
Born on March 10, 1929 at Vengurla in Sindhudurg district of coastal Konkan region, Padgaonkar did his master graduation in Marathi and Sanskrit from the University of Bombay. After teaching Marathi language at Ruia College during the initial years, Padgaonkar worked as an editor at the US Information Service for some years. He was also an assistant editor with the “Sadhana” Marathi weekly for some time. He also worked with All India Radio, Mumbai, from 1964 to 1970.
Also a lyricist, Pandgaonkar wrote many songs in Marathi his songs “Ya Janmawar, Ya Jaganyawar Shatada Prem Karawe”, “Bhatukalichya Khelamadhali” and “Shukratara Mand Wara” are popular among the Maharashtrians.
Very quick in composing songs and writing poems, Padgaonkar wrote the Pune University’s theme song or the “Punyamayee De Amha Akshar Vardaan” in just one day, during 1983–84. He penned the song on being asked to do so by legendary Marathi writer P. l Deshpande. Noted Music director Bhaskar Chandavarkar composed the music for the song.
He was made the President of the second Vishwa Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Dubai in 2010. The conference was organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal.
Among his popular collection of poems were: Kavyadarshan (1962), Utsav (1962), Salam (1980), Gajhala (1981), Bhatake Pakshi (1984), Jipsi (1994), Mira (1995), Triveni (1995), Vidushak (1999), Suradas (1999), Kavita Manasanchya, Manasasathi (1999) and Radha (2000).
