Justice Chapalgaonkar, pillar of intellectual literature

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: “The death of veteran Justice Narendra Chapalgaonkar who was a pillar of intellectual literature will leave a void in the field of Marathi intellectual literature,” said dignitaries from the literary field.

Justice Chapalgaonkar who was a multifaceted personality in various fields such as social work, politics and law passed away at around 4.30 am, on Saturday, at the age of 87.

The last rites were performed on him at the Pratapnagar crematorium this evening. Dignitaries from the literary, legal, political and social fields participated in his funeral process.

Justice Chapalgaonkar had been ill for the past few days. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment.

When the news of his death spread, his well-wishers and friends from the literary and the judiciary, visited his residence and paid their last respects. Justice Chapalgaonkar used to express his views with great firmness, was fluent in Marathi, English and Urdu.

He wrote extensively in Marathi and English. His literature gave a different direction to the intellectual literature of Marathwada.

Justice Chapalgaonkar inherited his intellectual heritage from his father and Hyderabad freedom movement leader adv Purushottam Chapalgaonkar.

Justice Chapalgaonkar was influenced by the thoughts and literature of Tarkatirtha Laxmanshastri Joshi, socialist leaders S M Joshi and G P Pradhan, renowned critic V L Kulkarni and veteran editor late Anant Bhalerao. He was born in Beed on 14 July 1938.

On the completion of his degree in Law and Marathi, he initially worked as a lecturer of Marathi at Dayanand College, Latur and later, he joined M P Law College of the city. After 28 years of law practice, he was a judge at the High Court from 19 January 1990 to 1999.

He wrote about personalities like Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Namdar Gokhale, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Anant Bhalerao. Since he spent his childhood in Hyderabad, he also wrote a book called 'Kahani Hyderabad Ladhyachi' about the Hyderabad freedom struggle.

There has been a big conflict between the legislatures and the judiciary in the country during the last few years.

On this, he wrote a book titled ‘Vidhimandal Ani Nyaysanstha- Sangharshache Sahajeevan in 2008, expressing his concern about the future conflict.

He was of the opinion that the Marathi language would be richer only if it was used more and more in daily life and transactions.

He was also the chairman of the Marathi Language Advisory Committee, for this purpose.

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Showed profoundness & intellectual commitment

The Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (ABMSS) was organised in Wardha in February 2023. Vidrohi Sahitya Sammelan (VSS) was also organised at the same time. There was a strong criticism of organising ABMSS in VSS.

Justice Chapalgaonkar who was ABMSS president at that time, along with Dr Abhay Bang visited the VSS venue and introduced his profoundness and intellectual commitment.

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Honours and awards

--President of the 96th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan organised in Wardha

--President of the Marathwada Sahitya Sammelan

--Lifetime Achievement Award from the Marathwada Sahitya Parishad

--Yashwantrao Chavan State Literary Award

--Akhil Bhartiya Sahitya Mahamandal’s Ram Shewalkar Memorial Award

--Maharashtra Foundation’s Dilip Chitre Memorial Award

-- Rajhans’ Shri G Majgaonkar Memorial Award for intellectual writing

--President of Nashik-based Kusumagraj Pratishthan

--'Aurangabad Bhushan' award from the Rotary Club.