Dhananjay Keer

Anant Vithal,^[1] known by his alias Dhananjay Keer (1913–1984^[2]) was an Indian writer who wrote biographies of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar,^[3] Jyotiba Phule,^[4]:194 Shahu IV and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.^[2]

Keer was born in Ratnagiri on April 23, 1913. K. N. Jadhav writes that the revolutionary atmosphere in Ratnagiri in the early 1920s had a great influence on him. He migrated to Mumbai in 1938 to work with the Education Committee of the city's Municipal Corporation. He began writing in "Free Hindustan". His first biography, that of Savarkar, was first published in 1950.^[2]:159 Later he wrote biographies of Ambedkar and Tilak. Resigning from his job, he wrote biographies of Phule, Shahu and Gandhi.^[2] He was bestowed with the Padma Bhushan in 1971^[2]:159 and was conferred with an honorary doctorate by the Shivaji University in 1980.^[2]

Arvind Lavakare informs that he belonged to the "untouchable caste" and worked with Savarkar in the building of a temple in Ratnagiri.^[5]

Family

His father's name was Vithal and his mother's was Devaki; he was married to Sudha and had six children.^[6]:136

By Rajendraprasad S. Masurkar (author of Keer's biography) He was born in a lower-middle-class family which belonged to Bhandari caste. However, his biographical works include only one hero from his own caste. He studied English with striving efforts, though never admitted himself to a college for higher education. He also conducted a night school for girls in Mumbai which still survives. His autobiography and biography, both in Marathi, his mother tongue are published.

References