16 Facts About Prabodhankar Thackeray

Prabodhankar Thackeray campaigned against superstitions, untouchability, child marriage and dowry.

Prabodhankar Thackeray was one of the key leaders of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti which successfully campaigned for the linguistic state of Maharashtra.

Prabodhankar Thackeray was the father of Bal Thackeray, who founded the Shiv Sena, a pro-Marathi leader.

Prabodhankar Thackeray is the paternal grandfather of former Shiv Sena chief and Chief minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.

Prabodhankar Thackeray is often described as a social activist or social reformer for his rejection of the caste system, and especially of Brahmin supremacy.

Prabodhankar Thackeray wrote a text outlining the identity of the CKP caste, and its contributions to the Maratha empire.

Prabodhankar Thackeray was not much concerned about the ritual caste status, but sought to prove that many non-Brahmin communities had played a major role in the history of the Maratha empire.

Prabodhankar Thackeray wrote that the CKPs "provided the cement" for Shivaji's swaraj "with their blood", and supported him even before the Kshatriyas of Rajput origin joined him.

Prabodhankar Thackeray replied to him in the Marathi book Kodandache Tanatkar.

Prabodhankar Thackeray was supported in his defence by another writer Keshav Trimbak Gupte who replied to Rajwade in his sanskrit and Marathi book Rajwadyanchi Gagabhatti in which he produced verbatim the letters written by the Shankaracharya in 1830 formally endorsing the CKPs Kshatriya status by referring to them as Chandraseniya Kshatriyas and letters from Banares Brahmins and Pune Brahmins ratified by Bajirao II himself in 1796 that gave them privilege over the Vedas.

Keshav Prabodhankar Thackeray played an important role in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement aimed at establishing the linguistic state of Maharashtra.

Prabodhankar Thackeray joined the movement in 1951, demanding the inclusion of the Dang district in Maharashtra instead of neighbouring Gujarat state.

Prabodhankar Thackeray was one of the founding members of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, which campaigned for the formation of Maharashtra and the inclusion of Belgaum and Mumbai in it.

Prabodhankar Thackeray started a fortnightly magazine named Prabodhan, which is the origin of his pen name Prabodhankar.

Keshav Prabodhankar Thackeray's wife was Ramabai Prabodhankar Thackeray, who died around 1943.

Fadnavis said "Prabodhankar Thackeray Ji fought against all the odds when the society was in the grip of illiteracy, untouchability, superstitions, and created an atmosphere of public opinion against these social evils".