Atmaram Ravaji Deshpande

Atmaram Raoji Deshpande
Born	September 11, 1901 Murtijapur, Akola district, Berar Province
Died	1982 (aged 80–81)
Pen name	Kavi Anil
Occupation	Marathi Poet
Language	Marathi
Literary movement	free style -Muktachhand (मुक्तछंद) - poetry to Marathi literature
Notable awards	Sahitya Akademi Award, 1977 Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 1979
Spouse	Kusumavati Deshpande, Marathi Writer

Atmaram Raoji Deshpande (Marathi: आत्माराम रावजी देशपांडे) (1901–1982) was a Marathi poet from Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. He wrote poems under the pen name Anil (अनिल). He was born on 11 September 1901 at Murtijapur in Akola district of Central India. He was married to Kusum Jayawant in 1929 who took the name Kusumavati Deshpande, was also a Marathi writer.^[1]

Deshpande introduced free style --Muktachhand (मुक्तछंद)-- poetry to Marathi literature. He also introduced in Marathi Dashapadi (दशपदी), a new genre of sonnets comprising ten lines. His collection of poems with the same name Dashapadi (दशपदी) received a Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977. He was elected for Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 1979.

He presided over Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (मराठी साहित्य सम्मेलन) at Malvan in 1958.

Deshpande won several international honors. He was a member of the committee of literacy experts of UNESCO. He was leader of Indian delegation of literary experts to USSR. He was awarded UNESCO fellowship for studying social education schemes in various countries.^[2]

A collection of letters between Deshpande and his wife was published under the title Kusumanil (कुसुमानिल) in 1976.^[2]

Works

The following are the titles of collections of Deshpande's poems:

• Phulwat (फुलवात) (1932)
• Bhagnamoorti (भग्नमूर्ति) (1940)
• Nirwasit Chini Mulas (निर्वासित चिनी मुलास) (1943)
• Perte Vha (पेर्ते व्हा)(1947)
• Sangati (सांगाती) (1961)
• Dashapadi (दशपदी) (1976)

References

1. "Kusumanil Website". Retrieved 29 January 2010.
2. Amaresh Datta. Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. p. 177.