Pune (Maharashtra): Noted historian and Padma Vibhushan awardee Balwant Moreshwar Purandare passed away at a Pune hospital on Monday after a brief illness. Purandare was popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare.
He was diagnosed with pneumonia a week ago and was admitted to the city's Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital where he breathed his last.
He was diagnosed with pneumonia owing to advanced age and was on ventilator support in the hospital's intensive care unit. His health deteriorated on Sunday and he had been in an extremely critical condition since then, the doctor said.
Known by his moniker Shiv Shahir' (literally Shivaji's bard), Purandare was considered one of the pre-eminent authorities on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Raja Shivchhatrapati, Purandare's popular two-part, 900-page magnum opus on Shivaji Maharaj in Marathi, was first published in the late 1950s and has since been a staple in Marathi households, going through numerous reprints over decades.
Purandare had also conceived and directed the theatrical history extravaganza on Shivaji Maharaj's life titled Jaanta Raja in the mid-1980s.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolence on his demise.
In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said that Babasaheb Purandare left a major void in the world of history and culture.
"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," he said.
"Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare will live on due to his extensive works. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," Modi further said.
Notably, the Prime Minister had in August, attended a function to mark Baba Saheb Purandare entering the 100th year of his life.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a state funeral for Babasaheb Purandare.
Paying tributes, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has also said that crores of people understood Shivrai in the true sense only because of Babasaheb.
"It was Babasaheb, who made us and millions of people like us understand Shivrai in the true sense! When I met him in Pune recently, I was convinced that Shatayushi Babasaheb would continue to bring Shivrai alive through his voice and that voice would continue for generations," Gadkari had said.
Purandare, born on July 29, 1922, was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award in 2019. The Maharashtra Government honoured him with Maharashtra Bhushan Award in 2015 and Madhya Pradesh Government has awarded him the Kalidas award.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the demise of Padma Vibhushan Shiv Shahir Babasaheb Purandare, saying "his death is the end of an era".
Taking to Twitter, the Union Home Minister reminded "A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting Babasaheb Purandare ji and had a long discussion. His energy and ideas were truly inspiring. His death is the end of an era. My condolences to his family and countless fans. May God place him at his own feet," the Home Minister tweeted in Hindi.
(agency inputs)
