Gopal Nilkanth Dandekar

Gopal Nilkanth Dandekar
Born8 July 1916
Paratwada, Amravati district, Maharashtra, India
Died1 June 1998 (aged 81)
Maharashtra, India
Pen nameAppa Dandekar
Occupation
  • writer
  • novelist
  • biographer
LanguageMarathi
NationalityIndian
Genre
  • Fiction
  • Historical novels
  • Biographies
  • Travelogues
Notable worksSmaran Gatha
Shitu
Pavanakathacha Dhondi
Jait Re Jait
Notable awardsSahitya Akademi Award (1976)
Honorary D.Litt. from Pune University (1992)
SpouseNeera Dandekar

Gopal Nilkanth Dandekar aka Appa Dandekar (8 July 1916 – 1 June 1998) was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India.

Dandekar was born in Paratwada in Amravati district.

He grew up in Vidarbha but ran away from his home in Nagpur at age thirteen in response to Mahatma Gandhi's call to young people for joining his movement for India's attainment of freedom from the British Raj. After spending a few years in extreme poverty, he found some stability with a few patrons. Later he joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and worked as a volunteer in Gadge Maharaj's social service movement. He traveled extensively.