Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar

Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar
Born	(1872-08-24)24 August 1872 Miraj, Maharashtra, India
Died	14 October 1947(1947-10-14) (aged 75) Pune, India
Other names	Tatyasaheb Kelkar
Movement	Indian Independence Movement

Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar (N. C. Kelkar), popularly known as Sahityasamrat Tatyasaheb Kelkar (24 August 1872 – 14 October 1947), was a lawyer from Miraj as well as a dramatist, novelist, short story writer, poet, biographer, critic, historian, writer on philosophical and political themes. He was also a literary and political figure in Maharashtra, India, and also both editor and trustee of the newspaper Kesari.

He was associated with Shikshana Prasarak Mandali Pune, education society in Pune established in 1904. He was closely associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the Indian independence movement.

After the death of Tilak in 1920, he became one of the foremost leaders of the Tilakites in the Congress. He was member of the Viceroy’s Council during 1924–1929. He was president of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha twice at Jabalpur in 1928 and Delhi at 1932.

Early life

Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar was born on 24 August 1872 in the town of Modnimb near Miraj Maharashtra. After finishing his high school education at age 16, he sequentially attended Rajaram College in Kolhapur, and Fergusson College and Deccan College in Pune to receive his bachelor's degree at age 19. Three years later, in 1894, he received his law degree.

In 1896, Kelkar joined the staff of English daily Maratha, which Lokmanya Tilak had cofounded a few years earlier. The next year, he assumed the editorship of Maratha, and served in that capacity until 1908. He also wrote articles in Marathi daily Kesari (केसरी), which also had been cofounded by Tilak. He assumed the editorship of Kesari in 1910, and served eminently in that capacity until 1932.

Kelkar was a member of Pune municipal council for 25 years. During six of those years, he was the mayor.

Round table conference

In 1932, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Kelkar served as a member of the third round table conference which was held in London with the British government to discuss India's independence.

Five years later, at age 65, he retired from public life, devoting his time thereafter entirely to literary pursuits until his death on 14 October 1947. (India had received its independence from the British Raj two months earlier.) On the night of his death, he had peacefully gone to bed after composing a few hours earlier two poems on "death".

Poems

This is a poem that he wrote on the night before his death.

I am beginning to see Death, but it cannot scare me;
I always knew that I would meet it someday.
He who enters the forest with a bow and arrow is not scared of the tiger,
But welcomes it with a smile.

When I was born, the Pancha Mahabhoota combined to form my body.
That is a debt that I have to repay.
With their aid, I have constantly lived happily and that is enough for me;
In the end, to return to each whatever I have borrowed,
What can be better than that?

Literary accomplishments

Kelkar wrote literary criticism, poetry, plays, history, novels, essays, and a detailed biography of Lokmanya Tilak. He wrote a scholarly book titled हास्यविनोदमीमांसा. Because of his literary achievements, some Marathi literary associations conferred on him in 1932 the title Sahitya Samrat (साहित्यसम्राट). He presided over Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Badoda in 1921.

Play

• Sarojini (1901)
• Tohi mich ani hahi nich alias Mavardevachi jidgoli (1898)
• Chandragupta (1913)
• Totayache band (1913)
• Krishnarjuna yaddha (1915)
• Sant Bhanudas (1919)
• Pattichi nivad , Jangal main mangal (incomplete)

Novels

• Andharved (1928)
• Navalpurcha santhanik (1934),
• Balidan (1937)
• Kokancha por (1942)
• Kavala ani Dhapi, Jagachi rit (1943)

Short stories

• Moujeche char prahar (1931)
• Kusha vishi ani itar goshti (1950)

Poetry

• Kavyopahar (1927)
• Padyaguchha (1936)
• Gatagoshti : Autobiographical writing (1939)
• Patravyvahar : supplementary to Gatagoshti (1941)

Biographies

• Garibaldi : in Marathi (1902), this book ran for five editions, and the last edition was published in 1944.
• Life and times of Lokamanya Tilak (in English)
• Maza janmabharcha ek udyag, Lokamanya Tilak yanche charitra Purvardha (1923)
• Landmarks of Lokmanya’s life (in English) (1924)
• Lokamanya Tilakanche punyasmaran (1927)
• Lokamanya Tilak yanche charitra Uttarardha Vol. II (1928)
• Lokamanya Tilak yanche charitra Uttarardha Vol. III (1928)
• Ayarlandche rastravir Vol I and II with P V Gadgil (1930)

History

• Ayarlandcha itihas (1909)
• Marathe va Ingrej (1918)
• Itihas vihar (1926)
• French rajyakranti (1937)

Court cases

• Tilak trial (in English, 1908)
• Contempt of court Case (3rd edition 1924)
• Kesarivaril Khatla (1924)

Philosophy

• Bharatiya tatvajnan : Keshavsut (1934)
• Gavaran Gita (1944)
• Sudharana, sukha va sadachar (1945)
• Jnaneshvari Sarvasva (1946)

Political writing

• Case of Indian Home Rule (1917)
• Tirangi Navamatwad (a book on Marxism/communism)

See also

• Responsive Cooperation Party