Kaka Kalelkar

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Kaka Kalelkar
Kalelkar on a 1985 stamp of India
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
3 April 1952 – 2 April 1964
Personal details
Born
Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar

1 December 1885
Satara, Maharashtra
Died21 August 1991
New Delhi
NationalityIndian
Alma materFergusson College
OccupationSocial reformer, activist
ProfessionWriter

Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar (1 December 1885 – 21 August 1991), popularly known as Kaka Kalelkar, was an Indian independence activist, social reformer, journalist and an eminent follower of the philosophy and methods of Mahatma Gandhi.

Biography

Kalelkar was born in

Burma (Myanmar) in 1913. He first met Mahatma Gandhi in 1915.[1]

Influenced by Gandhi, he became member of Sabarmati Ashram. He taught at Rashtriya Shala of Sabarmati Ashram. For some time, he served as the editor of Sarwodaya periodical which was run from the premises of the Ashram. He was imprisoned several times due to his participation in Indian independence movement. With Gandhi's encouragement, he played an active role in establishing Gujarat Vidyapith at Ahmedabad, and served as its vice-chancellor from 1928 to 1935.[2] He retired from Gujarat Vidyapith in 1939.[1] Mahatma Gandhi called him Savai Gujarati, a quarter more than a Gujarati.[1]

In 1935, Kalelkar became member of Rashtabhasha Samiti, a committee whose objective was to popularize Hindi-Hindustani language as the national language of India. He was active with Gandhi Smarak Nidhi from 1948 to his death.[1]

He was appointed a member of Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1964 and later appointed a president of Backward Classes Commission in 1953.[3] He presided over Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in 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

Kalelkar wrote several books, including voluminous travelogues, in Gujarati, Marathi, and Hindi. 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 as Even 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 as Even 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

Kalelkar received a

Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
in 1971 for his literary achievements.

The Government of India conferred on him Padma Vibhushan (India's second-highest civilian award after the Bharat Ratna) in 1964.[1][4] It also issued a commemorative stamp in his honor in 1985.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Brahmabhatt, 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.
  2. ^ "From Kaka Kalelkar and Sarojini Nanavati". The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  3. ^ Chhokar, Jagdeep S. (August 2008). "Caste card". frontline.thehindu.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. ^ "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 from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kaka Kalelkar.
  • A Gandhian Patriarch: A Political and Spiritual Biography of Kaka Kalelkar (book) by Madho Prasad
  • [1]
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