Eminent Marathi poet Mangesh Padgaonkar passes away

December 30, 2015

Eminent Marathi poet Mangesh Padgaonkar passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on after a brief illness. He was 86.
He was iconic Marathi poet best known for many poetry recitation programmes and for writing lyrics for many Marathi films.

About Mangesh Padgaonkar

Born on 10 March 1929 in Vengurla, Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra. He had received a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Marathi and Sanskrit from the University of Bombay.
Padgaonkar had served as an editor at the US Information Service (USIS) both in Mumbai from 1970 to 1990.
He had 40 publications to his credit of which US Library of Congress has acquired 31 publications.
He had peened famous Marathi songs Ya Jaganyawar Shatada Prem Karawe, Shukratara Mand Wara and Bhatukalichya Khelamadhali.
Padgaonkar also had penned University of Pune’s theme song Punyamayee De Amha Akshar Vardaan in 1983.
He had translated works of Mirabai (6th century mystic poet and devotee of Krishna) and published a book Mira in 1965. He also had translated Bible: The New Testament in Marathi in 2008.
He translated works of Surdas and Kabir in Marathi and also Shakespeare’s plays The Julius Ceasar, Tempest and Romeo and Juliet.
Awards and Honours: Sahitya Academy Award (1980) for his collection of poems Salam, MP Literary Conference Award (1956), Maharashtra State Award in 1953 and 1955, Maharashtra Bhushan Award (2008) and Padma Bhushan (2013). He was President of the second Vishwa Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Dubai in 2010.