Padma Vibhushan Awarded Historian & Theatre Personality Babasaheb Purandare Passes Away At 99

Purandare was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award in 2019. He was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award in 2015.

Balwant Moreshwar Purandare was popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare. (File Photo)

New Delhi: A noted historian Padma Vibhushan awardee Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare passed away at a Pune hospital shortly after 5 am on Monday after a brief illness, reported PTI.

The 99-year-old was admitted to the city's Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital three days ago and was being treated for pneumonia. He was on ventilator support in the hospital's intensive care unit after his health deteriorated on Sunday. He had been in an extremely critical condition since then, the doctor said. 

An authority on the Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, his two-part, 900-page magnum opus, 'Raja Shivchhatrapati' on Shivaji Maharaj in Marathi, was first published in the late 1950s and has since been a staple in Marathi households, reprinted numerous times over the decade.

In the mid-80s he conceived and directed, 'Jaanta Raja', the theatrical history extravaganza on Shivaji Maharaj's life.

Purandare, born on July 29, 1922, was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award in 2019. He was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award in 2015.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "I am deeply saddened. The demise of Babasaheb Purandare has created a void that will never be filled in the world of history and culture. We will always be grateful to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for connecting the coming generations with his work. Other works done by him will be remembered."

Earlier this year Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Purandare via a video message, aside from which he was sent greeting by various people from the political spectrum.

He is survived by two sons and a daughter.