Purushottam Laxman Deshpande

Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande

Commemorative stamp on Shri P.L. Deshpande issued 16th Jun 2002 by India Post[1]
Native name पुरुषोत्तम लक्ष्मण देशपांडे
Born (1919-11-08)8 November 1919
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Died 12 June 2000(2000-06-12) (aged 80)
Pune, Maharashtra
Nationality Indian
Education M.A., LL.B.
Occupation Writer, actor, music composer, film and television producer, film director, music director
Spouse(s) Sunita Thakur
Website puladeshpande.net

Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande (Marathi: पुरुषोत्तम लक्ष्मण देशपांडे)(8 November 1919 – 12 June 2000), popularly known by his initials पु. ल. ("Pu. La.") or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Maharashtrian and Marathi writer and humorist from Maharashtra. He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, music composer, harmonium player, singer, and orator.[2] He was often referred to as "Maharashtrache Laadke Vyaktimatva" (roughly translated as "Maharashtra's beloved personality").

Biography

Early life

Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande was born on 8 November 1919 in Gaodevi area (Krupal Hemraj Chawl) in Mumbai in a Goud Saraswat Brahmin family to Lakshman and Lakshmibai Deshpande. The family used to stay at Kenway house (opposite Robert Money School), Proctor road, Grant Road. His family then moved to Jogeshwari where he stayed at the newly formed Saraswati Baug Colony till he was 8 years old. His first 8 years and Saraswati Baug is nicely described in his story "Balpanicha Kaal Sukhacha" in his book Purchundi. The family then moved to Vile Parle. He lived in many places like Pune, Belgaum, Varli, Santacruze, Delhi. Finally, Pu La Deshpande settled in Pune.

Education

Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande studied at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya. He received his college education at Fergusson College in Pune and Willingdon College in Sangli. He also took lessons in playing harmonium from Dattopant Rajopadhye of Bhaskar Sangitalaya.

Personal life

His first wife (the former Ms. Sundar Divadkar from a family in Karjat) died soon after the wedding in the early 1940s. On 12 June 1946, Deshpande married his second wife Sunita Thakur, an accomplished writer herself, in Ratnagiri. Sunita-bai outlived him. He died on the 54th anniversary of their wedding ceremony.

Professional life

Both P L Deshpande and his wife served as teachers in Orient High School, Mumbai. He also worked for some years as a college professor in Rani Parvati Devi College Belgaum, Karnataka and Kirti College, Mumbai. He also worked for newly founded Doordarshan, the state owned Indian TV. He was the first person to interview the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Indian television. He was deputed to the BBC in UK for a year-long training. After which he spent some time in France and in West Germany. It was this specific period and stays in these countries that his later travelogue "Apoorvai" was to be based upon. His other travelogue "Poorvarang" is based upon his journeys in South East Asian countries.

Accomplishments

Pu La Deshpande was proficient Hindustani classical musician. He went on to gain fame as author, screenplay writer, actor, director, music director and singer. During his lifetime he also participated in several philanthropist activities.

Death

Deshpande died in PUNE on 12 June 2000 as a result of an affliction of Parkinson's disease. He was aged 80.[3] A large public park on Sinhgad road in his adopted home town Pune was named after him in commemoration.

Literary accomplishments

Pu La Deshpande was most well known for his writings as a humorist. However he was a prolific writer in all genres and produced numerous original works as well as adaptations of works from other languages into Marathi. He preferred to identify his Marathi adaptations of plays and novels in other languages as bhawanuwad (भावानुवाद), roughly meaning "translation of expressions" or "translation of feelings". Most of his writings are deeply rooted in Marathi language.

One-act plays

Plays

Children's plays

Books (Humour)

Books (Travelogues)

Books (Translations)

Biography

Books (Life Sketches)

Other Books

Humorous Essays


Some of the above characters first appeared in various periodicals at different times. But later all of them were combined into and released as a single book titled व्यक्ती आणी वल्ली (Vyakti ani Valli).

One-man stage shows

Books (Collection of Speeches)

Movies

Awards and recognitions

Social work

Pu La Deshpande donated and participated in several social causes. He preferred adding the name "Muktangan" to any cause he donated to. Some of his prominent philanthropic involvements are as below

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Stamps 2002". http://postagestamps.gov.in/. Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Government of India. Retrieved 31 March 2016. External link in |website= (help)
  2. ↑ P. L. (PuLa) Deshpande Biography
  3. ↑ PTI (12 June 2000). "Pu La Deshpande passes away". Indian Express. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ Madaan, Neha (27 July 2011). "Pune: 19,000 addicts on the road to recovery". The Times of India – Pune. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "Pulastya – IUCAA's Children's Science Centre". SciPop IUCAA. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  7. 1 2 "P L Deshpande as a philanthropist". Retrieved 8 November 2012.
Preceded by
Gajanan Digambar Madgulkar		 Marathi Sahitya Sammelan – President
1974 Ichalkaranji 		Succeeded by
Durga Bhagwat

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