Leela Gandhi – The Cultural Pride of Pune: Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol Recommends Her Name for Padma Award

Pune | June 20, 2025 –
Veteran actress and classical dancer Leela Gandhi, a celebrated figure in Marathi cinema and theatre, was honoured with the prestigious Bal Gandharva Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar (Lifetime Achievement Award) at a grand event held at Pune’s historic Bal Gandharva Rangmandir. The award was presented by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, who pledged to recommend her name for the Padma Award through the state government to the Centre.

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“Leela Gandhi is Pune’s Cultural Jewel,” Says Minister Mohol

While conferring the award, Minister Mohol praised Leela Gandhi as a cultural gem of Pune and a towering figure in Indian arts. He remarked,
“Honouring Leela Gandhi is like honouring the cultural heritage of our entire city. Her contribution to theatre and cinema has been exceptional. We have all watched her journey since the era of black and white films. In recognition of her artistic legacy, I will recommend her name for the Padma Award.”

The felicitation took place during the 17th foundation day celebration of Bal Gandharva Rangmandir, hosted by the Bal Gandharva Parivar.

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Eminent Personalities Graced the Occasion

The event saw the presence of many prominent personalities from cultural, political, and administrative fields, including:

• MLA Ulhasdada Pawar
• Veteran actor and President of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Parishad Prashant Damle
• Dr. Sanjay Chordia
• Siddharth Shah of Chandukaka Jewellers
• Additional Commissioner of Pune Omprakash Divte
• President of Baramati Natya Parishad Kiran Gujar
• Bal Gandharva’s granddaughter-in-law Anuradha Rajhans
• Government officer Rajesh Kamthe
• President of Bal Gandharva Parivar Meghraj Raje Bhosale

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A Fitting Tribute to an Artistic Legend

MLA Ulhas Pawar reflected on the origins of Bal Gandharva Rangmandir, noting its foundation was inspired by legendary artist P. L. Deshpande, who envisioned a space dedicated to quality theatre without political interference. He called Leela Gandhi’s selection for the award a “truly deserving and apt choice.”

Actor Prashant Damle voiced concerns about the ongoing trend of constructing theatre spaces without consulting the theatre community. He emphasized that well-planned and equipped auditoriums like Bal Gandharva Rangmandir in Pune, Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane, and Vishnudas Bhave Natyagriha in Navi Mumbai should serve as models for new theatre projects. He added that the state government has now prepared a structured roadmap for upgrading theatres across Maharashtra over the next two and a half years, which brings hope for systematic improvement.

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Leela Gandhi: A Journey of Devotion to the Arts

In her acceptance speech, Leela Gandhi shared emotional insights into her seven-decade-long career.
“I began performing at the age of nine and have worked in several Hindi and Marathi films since then. I popularized Lavani in a respectable, graceful way, encouraging women from traditional households to embrace this vibrant art form. This path led me to become the first woman to choreograph for Hindi cinema,” she said with pride.
She concluded with the heartfelt wish that her contributions to Indian arts be recognized with a Padma Award.

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Other Honourees at the Event

In addition to Leela Gandhi, the Bal Gandharva Gaurav Puraskar was awarded to notable personalities including:

• Photographer Akshay Paranjape
• Journalist Kalyani Phadke-Kelkar
• Theatre producer-journalist Ashok Ghavate
• Theatre scholar and author Jayram Potdar
• Renowned classical singer Asha Khadilkar

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A Well-Curated Cultural Evening

• The welcome address was delivered by Meghraj Raje Bhosale.
• The citations were read by actress Prajakta Gaikwad.
• The event was hosted by veteran compere Shobha Kulkarni, and the vote of thanks was presented by Chitrasen Bhavar.