Noted historian and Padma Vibhushan awardee Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare, died at a Pune hospital on Monday after a brief illness, a doctor said.
Purandare (99), an authority on the Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was admitted to Pune'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.
Purandare breathed his last shortly after 5 am on Monday, a statement from the hospital said.
Known by his moniker ‘Shiv Shahir' (Shivaji's bard), Purandare was among 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.
Expressing grief at the death of Purandare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his demise leaves a major void in the world of history and culture, and noted that the coming generations will get further connected to Maratha king Shivaji because of him.
Modi tweeted, "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."
The prime minister said Purandare was witty and 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 tweeted, posting a video of his address at the event.
Purandare will live on due to his extensive works, Modi said, extending condolences to his family and countless admirers.
Purandare, born on July 29, 1922, was awarded with Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award in 2019. He was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award in 2015.
He is survived by two sons and a daughter.
