Kaka Kalelkar
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2016) |
Kaka Kalelkar | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
In office 3 April 1952 – 2 April 1964 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar 1 December 1885 Satara,Maharashtra |
Died | 21 August 1981 New Delhi | (aged 95)
Nationality | Indian |
Alma mater | Fergusson College |
Occupation | Social reformer, activist |
Profession | Writer |
Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar(1 December 1885 – 21 August 1981), popularly known asKaka Kalelkar,was an Indian independence activist, social reformer, journalist and an eminent follower of thephilosophy and methods of Mahatma Gandhi.
Biography
[edit]Kalelkar was born inSataraon 1 December 1885. His family's ancestral village of Kaleli, nearSawantwadiinMaharashtra,gave him his surname Kalelkar. He matriculated in 1903 and completed B.A. in Philosophy fromFergusson College, Punein 1907. He appeared in the first year examination of LL.B. and joined Ganesh Vidyalaya in Belgaum in 1908. He worked for a while on the editorial staff of a nationalistic Marathi daily namedRashtramat,and then as a teacher at a school named Ganganath Vidyalaya inBarodain 1910. In 1912, the British government forcibly closed down the school because of its nationalistic spirit. He travelled to the Himalayas by foot and later joinedAcharya Kripalanion a visit toBurma(Myanmar) in 1913. He first metMahatma Gandhiin 1915.[1]
Influenced by Gandhi, he became member ofSabarmati Ashram.He taught at Rashtriya Shala of Sabarmati Ashram. For some time, he served as the editor ofSarwodayaperiodical which was run from the premises of the Ashram. He was imprisoned several times due to his participation inIndian independence movement.With Gandhi's encouragement, he played an active role in establishingGujarat VidyapithatAhmedabad,and served as its vice-chancellor from 1928 to 1935.[2]He retired from Gujarat Vidyapith in 1939.[1]Mahatma Gandhi called himSavai Gujarati,a quarter more than a Gujarati.[1]
In 1935, Kalelkar became member ofRashtabhasha Samiti,a committee whose objective was to popularizeHindi-Hindustanilanguage as the national language of India. He was active with Gandhi Smarak Nidhi from 1948 to his death.[1]
He was appointed a member ofRajya Sabhafrom 1952 to 1964 and later appointed a president ofBackward Classes Commissionin 1953.[3]He presided overGujarati Sahitya Parishadin 1959. He established Gandhi Vidyapith, Vedchhi in 1967 and served as its vice chancellor.[1][clarification needed]
He died on 21 August 1981.[1]
Selected works
[edit]Kalelkar wrote several books, including voluminous travelogues, inGujarati,Marathi,andHindi.The following is a partial list of Kalelkar's books:
- Quintessence of Gandhian Thought (English)
- Profiles in Inspiration (English)
- Stray Glimpses of Bapu (English)
- Mahatma Gandhi's Gospel of Swadeshi (English)
- Mahatma Gandhi Ka Swadeshi Dharma (Hindi)
- Rashtriya Shiksha Ka Adarsha (Hindi)
- Smaran Yatra (Marathi)
- Uttarekadil Bhinti (Marathi) (also translated into English asEven behind the Bars)
- Hindalgyacha Prasad (Marathi)
- Lok-Mata (Marathi)
- Latanche Tandav (Marathi)
- Himalayatil Pravas (Marathi)
- Himalayano Pravas (Gujarati)
- Jeevan-Vyavastha (Gujarati)
- Purva Africaman (Gujarati)
- Jivavano Anand (Gujarati)
- Jivata Tehvaro (Gujarati)
- Mara Sansmarano (Gujarati)
- Ugamano Desh (Gujarati)
- Otterati Divaro (Gujarati) (also translated into English asEven behind the Bars)
- Brahmadeshano Pravas (Gujarati)
- Rakhadvano Anand (Gujarati)
- Multi-Part Kaka Kalelkar Granthawali
- Part 5: Atmacharitra
- Part 6: Charitra Kirtan
- Part 7: Geeta darshan
- Part 8: Dharma
- Part 9: Sahitya
- Part 10: Diary
- Part 11: Patra
- Sahijan ka ped
Recognition
[edit]Kalelkar received aSahitya Akademi Awardin 1965 for hisJeevan-Vyavastha,a collection of essays in Gujarati.[1]He was honored withSahitya Akademi Fellowshipin 1971 for his literary achievements.
The Government of India conferred on himPadma Vibhushan(India's second-highest civilian award after theBharat Ratna) in 1964.[1][4]It also issued a commemorative stamp in his honor in 1985.
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghBrahmabhatt, Prasad.અર્વાચીન ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યનો ઈતિહાસ: ગાંધીયુગ અને અનુગાંધીયુગ (History of Modern Gujarati Literature: Gandhi Era and Post-Gandhi Era)(in Gujarati). Parshwa Publication. pp. 38–51.
- ^"From Kaka Kalelkar and Sarojini Nanavati".The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute.29 April 2016.Retrieved13 October2019.
- ^Chhokar, Jagdeep S. (August 2008)."Caste card".frontline.thehindu.Archived fromthe originalon 25 September 2023.Retrieved22 September2024.
- ^"Padma Awards: Year wise list of recipients (1954–2014)"(PDF).Ministry of Home Affairs (India). 21 May 2014. pp. 1, 3–6, 9, 11, 14, 17, 19–20, 23, 25, 29, 32–33, 37, 42, 48, 55, 59, 63, 66, 69–70, 72, 74, 83, 86, 88, 90–93, 95, 99–100, 105–106, 112, 114–115, 117–118, 121, 126, 131, 135, 139–140, 144, 149, 154–155, 160, 166, 172, 178, 183, 188. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 October 2015.Retrieved18 October2015.
Further reading
[edit]- A Gandhian Patriarch: A Political and Spiritual Biography of Kaka Kalelkar(book) by Madho Prasad
- [1]
- People from Satara (city)
- Indian independence activists from Maharashtra
- Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in literature & education
- 1981 deaths
- 20th-century Indian educational theorists
- Marathi-language writers
- 1885 births
- Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
- Gujarati-language writers
- Gandhians
- Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Gujarati
- Savitribai Phule Pune University alumni
- Indian travel writers
- Gujarati people
- Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha
- 20th-century Indian journalists
- Indian male writers
- Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat
- Presidents of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
- Fergusson College alumni