प्रल्हाद केशव अत्रे

Pralhad Keshav Atre (1898–1969), universally known as Acharya Atre, was one of modern Maharashtra's most influential public figures — playwright, poet, humorist, educationist, journalist and orator, whose restless energy also flowed into cinema. Born in Kodit village near Saswad in Pune district, he worked as a teacher and produced pioneering Marathi school textbooks before conquering the stage with comedies such as Sashtang Namaskar and Moruchi Mavshi, and later the celebrated To Mi Navhech. In the late 1930s he became one of filmdom's most prized writers, scripting Master Vinayak's Huns Pictures successes like Brahmachari (1938) and Brandichi Batli (1939). For the 1940 bilingual Ardhangi / Ghar Ki Rani he wrote the story and songs — including 'Sajan Bin Sawan Soona' and 'Phool Si Meri Khilti Jawani' — with the Hindi versions of his lyrics rendered by Pt. Indra. He later produced and directed films himself: Shyamchi Aai (1953), his adaptation of Sane Guruji's classic, won the very first President's Gold Medal for Best Feature Film at the National Film Awards, and Mahatma Phule (1954) received the President's Silver Medal. Founder-editor of the newspaper Maratha and a fiery leader of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, Atre died in Mumbai in June 1969, leaving a footprint across Marathi letters, journalism, politics and film.