Pune: Renowned Historian Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale Passes Away At 78
Pune: Renowned Historian Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale Passes Away At 78
Pune, September 18, 2025: Eminent historian and celebrated Shivaji Maharaj scholar Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale passed away in Pune on Wednesday evening following a massive heart attack. He was 78. His mortal remains will be kept for public homage at the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal on Thursday morning, after which the funeral will be held at Vaikunth crematorium.
Mehendale, who remained unmarried, dedicated more than five decades to historical research. Widely regarded as an authority on Maratha history, he was best known for his detailed studies on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, medieval military strategy, and the Peshwa era.
A prolific author, his works included Shivaji: Life and Times, Shivacharitra, If Shivaji Had Not Been Born, Marathyanche Armar (The Maratha Navy), and Tipu as a Warrior. His scholarship drew upon nearly 7,000 historical sources and remains widely referenced in India and abroad.
A polyglot, Mehendale mastered Persian, Modi script, English, French, German, and several Indian languages, enabling him to access rare documents and conduct extensive archival research. His writings consistently emphasised the need to separate fact from fiction in history.
Beyond academia, he had also worked as a war correspondent during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, reporting directly from the India–Pakistan and India–Bangladesh fronts. He later pursued advanced studies in defence and strategic research, expanding his work to global military history. At the time of his death, he was finalising a five-thousand-page manuscript on the Second World War, part of an ambitious 12-volume project.
Mehendale’s lifelong association with research institutions included the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, and Deccan College. He also served as an advisor to the Indian Council of Historical Research and contributed to the state committee on Shivaji’s birth anniversary.
Historians from the city described his passing as a “big loss for Indian and Maratha history,” praising his monumental contributions to the study of Shivaji Maharaj.
Born on December 19, 1947, Mehendale developed an interest in history from a young age and formally began his research journey in 1969. Over the next five decades, he authored voluminous works, mentored researchers, and left behind a legacy that continues to shape historical discourse in India.
