Jabbar Patel named for top Maharashtra varsity award
Kolhapur (Maharashtra) Renowned film-maker Jabbar Patel has been named for the prestigious 'Principal R.K. Kanbarkar Award' instituted by Shivaji University, Kolhapur, an official said here on Tuesday.
The award, named in memory of the late Principal Kanbarkar, carries a cash prize of Rs 150,000, a citation, a memento and a certificate, said Vice Chancellor Devanand Shinde.
Addressing mediapersons here, Shinde said the award would be presented to Patel, 75, at a special function on April 13 at the university.
Born in Pandharpur, Solapur district, on June 23, 1942, Patel became a qualified doctor but decided to pursue a career in theatre and films, starting with experimental plays, writing and directing them right from college days.
He is credited with taking Marathi theatre and films to a different level with creations like the "Ghashiram Kotwal", an adaptation on Vijay Tendulkar's similarly titled play, which attracted record audiences through the years and is ranked as a classic in Modern Indian Theatre.
Later, he directed-produced several acclaimed films like "Samna", "Jait Re Jait", "Sinhasan", "Umbartha", "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar", "Ek Hota Vidushak", "Yashwantrao Chavan - Bakhar Eka Vadalachi", "Mukta", "Musafir" and many others.
He also took part in many dramatic competitions and came in contact with top actors and founded the experimental group, 'Theatre Academy', besides acting in several plays himself.
Patel is also credited with making several documentaries and short-biographicals on various eminent personalities.
The late Kanbarkar, who served as the Vice Chancellor of SUK from 1980-1983, was a prominent social and academic figure in this erstwhile royal city of the Chhatrapati rulers of what is now Maharashtra.
After his demise in 2015, his wife Shalini Kanbarkar created an endowment of Rs 2.50 million to the SUK to set up the award which would be presented to eminent personalities from different walks of life or organisations.
The first recipient was eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao in 2016, followed by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in 2017 and Patel for this year.
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Jharkhand Education Minister Ramdas Soren passes away at 62
Ranchi, Aug 15 (PTI): Jharkhand Education Minister Ramdas Soren died on Friday, JMM national spokesperson Kunal Sarangi said.
He was 62.
Soren was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Delhi, where he was admitted on August 2.
"State Education Minister Ramdas Soren, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi, is no more," Sarangi told PTI.
Soren's condition was critical and he was on life support, Sarangi said.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader was airlifted to the hospital in the national capital from Jamshedpur after he fell in the bathroom of his residence on August 2.
A multidisciplinary team of senior specialists was closely monitoring his condition and providing intensive medical care.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled his death.
Hemant Soren, in a post on X, wrote, "Ramdas Da (brother) should not have left us like this. Last greetings to Dada..."
Ramdas Soren, born in Ghorabandha village in East Singhbhum district on January 1, 1963, began his political journey as the gram pradhan of the Ghorabanda panchayat, eventually rising to become one of the most influential ministers in the Hemant Soren-led cabinet.
He won the Ghatshila assembly seat for the third time in 2024 by defeating BJP's Babulal Soren, son of former chief minister Champai Soren.
ऐसे छोड़ कर नहीं जाना था रामदास दा...
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) August 15, 2025
अंतिम जोहार दादा... pic.twitter.com/5cKZkpIe9Z
