Arun Balkrishna Kolatkar Biography 
Arun Balkrishna Kolatkar, shortly known as Arun Kolatkar was a poet from Maharashtra who wrote both in English as well as Marathi. His poetry had an influence on modern Marathi poets and known for its humour touch. His first book of English poetry, Jejuri, won Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 1977. This book is a collection of 31 poems. His Marathi verse collection Bhijki Vahi won a Sahitya Akademi Award in 2005. His Collected Poems in English was published in Britain by Bloodaxe Books in 2010. He was also a noted graphics designer who got training from J. J. School of Art.
Arun was born on 1 November 1932 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. His father Tatya Kolatkar was an officer in the Education department. He attended Rajaram High School in Kolhapur. He became a graduate in the year 1949. After graduation he joined the S B College of arts gulbarga of art, from where he graduated in the year 1957. In 1953, he married Darshan Chhabda and they faced opposition since Arun was only a struggling painter then. Darshan Chhabda was the sister of noted painter, Bal Chhabda. It was during his struggling period that he did the translation works of Sant Tukaram to English.
He worked as an art director and graphic designer in several advertising agencies like Lintas. By 1960’s, he became an established artist and joined Mass Communication and Marketing. He won the prestigious CAG award for advertising six times, and was admitted to the CAG Hall of Fame. During this time, he started drinking and his married life trembled. It resulted in divorce and later he married Soonu. He was a noted poet and a few of his works include - Arun Kolatkarcha Kavita, Chirimiri, Droan and Bhijki Vahi. Kusumagraj Puraskar given by the Marathwada Sahitya Parishad in 1991 and Bahinabai Puraskar given by Bahinabai Prathistan in 1995 are a couple of awards received by Arun.
Published: N/A
Updated: January 29, 2014
