- Shrinivas Vinayak Varunjikar
Poet, Journalist, Translator, Local Guide Level 9
The historic city of Pune has been known as the Oxford of the East; Pensioner’s Paradise, The IT Capital of Maharashtra, The Automobile Hub of Maharashtra and it has been known as the Cultural Capital of Marathi Sanskruti. Pune is also known as a city dedicated to various research institutes along with many Defence Establishments there. It is also Publisher’s Capital when it comes to Marathi Books. Not only this, the city is known for Social Reforms. Many social reformers like Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Lokmany Tilak, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Maharshi Shinde and many more hailed from Pune.
Pune also has a tradition of woman empowerment and the first Indian doctor Anadibai Joshi also hailed from Pune. There is huge list of such women social reformers.
Recently Pune Municipal Corporation created a small but permanent exhibit of selected women social informers under the newly constructed fly over which is named after late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpeyee, near Nal Stop on Karve Road. Many placards of women of substance have been installed along with images of their social or literary works.
The names include classical singer Hirābai Barodekar, socialogist Irawati Karve, feminist author Malati Vishram Bedekar, Kathak Dance exponent Rohini Bhate, film producer-director Sai Parānjpye, poet and lyricist Shanta Shelke, Gandian Social Reformer Shobhana Ranade and feminist Vidya Val
Hirābai Barodekar
Hirābai Barodekar (1905 – 1989) was an Indian Hindustāni classical music singer, of Kirana gharana. Hirabai Badodekar was known for her Khyal Gayaki, the basic classical vocal performance. She received many awards and honours during her career.
Irawati Karve
Irawati Karve (15 December 1905 – 11 August 1970) was a pioneering Indian sociologist, anthropologist, educationist and writer from Maharashtra. Irawati Karve hailing from distinguished Karve Family left her impression in social work.
Malati Vishram Bedekar
Malati Vishram Bedekar (18 March 1905 – 7 May 2001) was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra. She wrote bold novels under her pen name Vibhavari Shirurkar. Her maternal name was Balutai Khare. So inher life, it is said that she lived three lives in her single life.
Rohini Bhate
Rohini Bhate (14 November 1924 – 10 October 2008) was among the senior most Kathak dance exponents in India. Rohini Bhate experiemented Kathak Dance form and made it popular with respect to changing times. She received many awards including Sangeet Natak Academy Award.
Sai Parānjpye
Sai Parānjpye (born 19 March 1938) is an Indian movie director and screenwriter. Sai directed award-winning movies like Sparsh, Katha, Chasme Buddoor and Disha.She was also associated with Doordarshan and Marathi Drama industry along with some short films and documentaries.
Shanta Shelke
Shanta Janardan Shelke (12 October 1922 – 6 June 2002) was a Marathi poet and lyricist in the Marathi language. A sensational poet whose many of the songs have been recorded by the Mangeshkars, Shanta Shelke also worked as a good Translator. She was president of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held at Alandi, Pune.
Shobhana Ranade
Shobhana Ranade (born 26 October 1924) is an Indian social worker and Gandhian follower who was known for her services towards her cause of destitute women and children. She received Padma Bhushan Award for her social work and many more followed it.
Vidya Bal
Vidya Bal (12 January 1937 – 30 January 2020) was a Marathi feminist writer/editor from Pune. Vidya Bal worked for woman empowerment and fought for desrted women. She also founded a magazine called Milun Saryajani.
