Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar (Aged 96) was born on December 1, 1885. He is popularly known as Kaka Kalelkar and was an Indian independence activist, social reformer, journalist, and an eminent follower of the philosophy and methods of Mahatma Gandhi. 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 named Rashtramat, and then as a teacher at a school named Ganganath Vidyalaya in Baroda in 1910. In 1912, the British government forcibly closed down the school because of its nationalistic spirit.
He traveled to the Himalayas by foot and later joined Acharya Kripalani on a visit to Burma (Myanmar) in 1913. He first met Mahatma Gandhi in 1915. Influenced by Gandhi, he became a 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 the 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.
In 1935, Kalelkar became a 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 until his death. He was appointed as a member of Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1964 and later appointed as the president of Backward Classes Commission in 1953. He presided over Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in 1959. He established Gandhi Vidyapith, Vedchhi in 1967 and served as its vice-chancellor. He passed away on August 21, 1981.
Kalelkar wrote several books, including voluminous travelogues, in Gujarati, Marathi, and Hindi. Kalelkar received a Sahitya Akademi Award in 1965 for his Jeevan-Vyavastha, a collection of essays in Gujarati. He was honored with the 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. It also issued a commemorative stamp in his honor in 1985.
Kaka Kalelkar
(1885 – 1981) – (Maharashtra)
Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar (Aged 96) was born on December 1, 1885. He is popularly known as Kaka Kalelkar and was an Indian independence activist, social reformer, journalist, and an eminent follower of the philosophy and methods of Mahatma Gandhi. 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 named Rashtramat, and then as a teacher at a school named Ganganath Vidyalaya in Baroda in 1910. In 1912, the British government forcibly closed down the school because of its nationalistic spirit.
He traveled to the Himalayas by foot and later joined Acharya Kripalani on a visit to Burma (Myanmar) in 1913. He first met Mahatma Gandhi in 1915. Influenced by Gandhi, he became a 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 the 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.
In 1935, Kalelkar became a 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 until his death. He was appointed as a member of Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1964 and later appointed as the president of Backward Classes Commission in 1953. He presided over Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in 1959. He established Gandhi Vidyapith, Vedchhi in 1967 and served as its vice-chancellor. He passed away on August 21, 1981.
Kalelkar wrote several books, including voluminous travelogues, in Gujarati, Marathi, and Hindi. Kalelkar received a Sahitya Akademi Award in 1965 for his Jeevan-Vyavastha, a collection of essays in Gujarati. He was honored with the 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. It also issued a commemorative stamp in his honor in 1985.
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