Up in the stars

BAL KESHAV THACKERAY 

(23rd Jan 1926 - 17 Nov 2012)

Thank you Mario Miranda!

CHAPTER 1

This is Nitin.

He is six.

He lives in Nashik.

This is Nitin's garden.

… and you met Mario for the first time in that garden. The lovely illustrations in your 1st Standard Balbharati English book were created by MARIO MIRANDA… May his soul rest in peace!

Share this post with your classmates if you feel that he has enriched your childhood by making studies enjoyable…

MARIO'S MUMBAI MAP

Shammi Kapoor is no more...

Seen here in the immortal song 'Govinda Ala Re Ala'... probably the most authentic portrayal of the Dahi Handi festivities in Mumbai!  

Nalini Jaywant is no more...

Nalini Jaywant

(1926-2010)

Maharani Gayatridevi is no more!

.

Maharani Gayatridevi of Jaipur (1919-2009)

Gayatridevi, the famed Maharani of Jaipur, passed away at the ripe old age of 90… She was the true representative of ‘Royal India Beauty’ and was voted amongst the 10 most beautiful women in the world by Vogue Magazine. But her contribution to Indian Society runs much deeper… from women’s education and sports to taking on Indira Gandhi’s might during the emergency she has done it all. What most people don’t know is that she was Half-Maratha! Her mother Maharani Indiradevi of Cooch Behar (seen wearing a Nauwari Saree in the background portrait in the photo above) was the Gaekwad Princess from Baroda.

3M with MGD @ Jaipur Polo Grounds in 2003

3M had the pleasure of interacting with this gracious lady in the year 2003 during an event called ‘Ad Asia’. On the same table as MGD was Lara Dutta, the reigning Miss World... but the queue for meeting the former was 3 times in length as compared to the one for the later!

May her soul rest in peace!

.

Gangubai Hangal passes away

Closely following Shantaram Nandgaonkar and Nilu Phule, the Marathi World lost another eminent artist… Gangubai Hangal, the doyen of Kirana Gharana.

3M Trivia – at the age of 12, Gangubai sang at the 1924 Indian National Congress session in Belgaum with Gandhiji and Pandit Nehru as audience!

The Quintessential Marathi Villain is no more!

Neelkanth Krushnaji Phule… popularly known as ‘Nilu Phule’ was the epitome of evil in Marathi Cinema… almost a male version of Lalita Pawar… or so thought 3M as a kid, till he saw ‘Sinhasan’!

.Nilubhau passed away after a long fight against cancer… May his soul rest in peace!

Gajanan Watve is no more

Gajanan Watve, the father of Marathi Bhavgeet, passed away yesterday at the ripe old age of 92… now who will entertain the Marathi masses with the evergreen “Radhe Tuza Sail Ambada”?

Two time Guinness record holder Laxman Deshpande passes away

Laxman Deshpande, ex Head of Dramatics of Marathwada University, passed away yesterday. His one man show “Varhad Nighalaya Londonla” has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for completing 2971 performances across the globe. The same show got him another Guinness record for playing the most number of characters in a single play… 52 numbers including women and children!

May his soul rest in peace…

Karnataka looses key border row strategist

The force behind Karnataka’s committee on Belgaum Border Dispute was actually a Marathi Manoos – H B Datar! His passing away has severely impacted the working of the committee… So will Maharashtra’s designs succeed with a weakened ‘enemy camp’?

When the elephants fight... it's the grass that suffers!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bihar_youths_claim_MNS_killed_candidate_vandalise_Patna_station/articleshow/3623451.cms

Gangadhar Gadgil passes away

We lost Gangadhar Gadgil (85), one of the doyens of Marathi Literature on 14th Sept 2008. He enriched Marathi Culture with his short stories, novels and plays. His autobiographical work “Eka Mungiche Mahabharat” won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1996. He was professor of Economics at Sydenham College and then went on to become the founder principal of NM College.

Salute to a man who wore many hats with equal ease… Literary Giant… Academician… Economist!