Pralhad Keshav Atre
Pralhad Keshav Atre (13 August 1898 – 13 June 1969), popularly known as Āchārya Atre, was a prominent Marathi writer, poet, educationist, founder–editor of Maratha (a Marathi language newspaper), and above all a noted orator.
Also recorded as Āchārya Atre · Prahlād Keshav Atre · Prahlad Keshav Atre
Pralhad Keshav Atre

Anonymous Unknown author · Filmindia (1941) · Public domain
- Born
- 1898.
- Died
- 1969.
- Nationality
- British Raj, Dominion of India and India.
- Occupation
- poet, journalist, politician, autobiographer, screenwriter, playwright, film producer, film director, director and writer.
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Documentary summary
Pralhad Keshav Atre (13 August 1898 – 13 June 1969), popularly known as Āchārya Atre, was a prominent Marathi writer, poet, educationist, founder–editor of Maratha (a Marathi language newspaper), and above all a noted orator.
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Note VALÉORINE
Pralhad Keshav Atre (1898–1969) was an autobiographer, director and film director, among other activities, a national of the British Raj and the Dominion of India. The autobiographer was born in Saswad and died in Mumbai. Pralhad Keshav Atre was educated at Fergusson College. Languages used include Marathi.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Early life
Early life
Atre was born on 13 August 1898 in a Marathi Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin family of Kodit Khurd, a village near Saswad in Pune district. His father was a clerk and also a secretary of Saswad Municipality for a brief period and his uncle was teacher at MES Waghire High School Saswad. He completed his primary and High School education from MES Waghire High School, Saswad. He matriculated from Fergusson college in 1919. He completed Bachelor of Arts from University of Pune. After graduation Atre took up a career as a school teacher. Atre did his T. D. (teacher's diploma) from the University of London in 1928. Before returning to India he studied Experimental Psychology under Cyril Burt and taught at Harrow.
Film and theatre career
Film and theatre career
His Marathi film, Shyamchi Aai won the 1954 National Film Award for Best Feature Film. Atre wrote seven plays; some of them had a humorous theme while others, a serious one. All of them received high public acclaim. His comedy-play, Moruchi Mavshi was later adapted into Hindi film, Aunty No. 1 (1998), starring Govinda and Raveena Tandon. His movie Mahatma Phule (1955) received the President's Silver Medal.
Writing and Publishing
Writing and Publishing
Atre was the founder–editor of four Marathi newspapers. Two of them had a short life. But the other two, Maratha and (Weekly) Navayug, ran for many years with a large circulation. Below are some of his works. Poetry collections: 1.Akrava Avtar (अकरावा अवतार) (1920) 2.Zenduchi Fule (झेंडूची फुले) (1925) 3.Geetganga (गीतगंगा) (1935) 4.Panchagavya (पंचगव्य) (1958) Novels: 1.Maharashtra Mohra (महाराष्ट्र मोहरा) (1914) 2.Mohityancha Shaap (मोहित्यांचा शाप) (1921) 3.Changuna (चांगुणा) (1954) Autobiographical works: 1.Mi Kasa Jhalo (मी कसा झालो) 2.Karheche Pani (कर्हेचे पाणी)
Political
Political
Member of Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti during 1956–60. He was arrested in 1956 under the Preventive Detention Act for his agitation. Member of Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha from Dadar constituency (18) 1962
Novels, Biographies, and Essays
Novels, Biographies, and Essays
Gharābāher (1934) Bhramāchā Bhopalā (1935) Udyāchā Sansār (1936) Lagnāchi Bedi (1936) Moruchi Māwashi (1947) a Marathi comedy play To Mi Navhech (1962) Chāngunā (1954) Battāshi Wa Itar Kathā (1954) Mahātmā Jyotibā Phule (1958) Suryāsta (1964) (On the life of Jawaharlal Nehru) Samādhiwaril Ashru (1956) Kelyāne Deshātan (1961) Krantikarkanche kulpurush Savarkar (1983) Atre Uwāch (1937) Lalit Wāngmaya (1944) Hashā Āni Tālyā (1958) Dalitanche Baba (Remembering Dr. Ambedkar) Mi Kasā Jhālo (1953)
Movies
Movies
Brahmachari (1938) Vasantsena (Marathi and Hindi 1942) Shyāmchi Aai (1953) Premveer (Script writer) Dharmveer (Script writer) Brandichi Bātali (Script writer) Paayaachi Daasi (Hindi: Charanon Ki Daasi). Producer. Mahātmā Phule (1954) Parinde (Hindi, Director under name of Principal Atre) (1945)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1969
Pralhad Keshav Atre died at Mumbai.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Pralhad Keshav Atre”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q55690: Pralhad Keshav Atre
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
authority file
Honors
Honors
President of 38th Natya Sammelan at Belgaon (1955) President of 10th Maharashatra Patrakar Sammelan (1950) President of Regional Sahitya Sammelan at Baroda, Indore and Gwalior In his honor there is an Acharya atre bhavan in Saswad
Awards
Awards
National Film Awards (India) 1st National Film Awards (1953) – President's gold medal for the All India Best Feature Film – Shyamchi Aai 2nd National Film Awards (1954) – President's silver medal for Best Feature Film in Marathi – Mahatma Phule

Painting of Acharya Atre
Pratishkhedekar
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press. The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 95. 31. 1974.
- 2.Jaquir Iqbal. Encyclopedic dictionary of Marathi literature. Global Vision Publishing House. 37–38. October 2009. 9788182202214.
- 3.Routledge. Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. 47. 10 July 2014. 9781135943189.
- 4.Awards IMDb
- 5.Directorate of Film Festivals. 1st National Film Awards.
- 6.Directorate of Film Festivals. 2nd National Film Awards.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedauthority file
Partially resolvedreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q55690: Pralhad Keshav AtreWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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