Vitthal Umap (15 July 1931 – 27 November 2010) was an Indian folk singer, shahir and social worker from

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

state. Umap was an

Ambedkarite Ambedkarism is called as the teaching, ideology or philosophy of B.R. Ambedkar, an Indian econonist, polymath, barrister, social reformer, human-rights advocate, and the architect of Indian Constitution. Ambedkarism includes the principles of Nava ...

and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

. To illustrate

B. R. Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served a ...

's philosophy to the people, he wrote the song-books "Mazi Vani Bhimacharani" and "Mazi Aai Bhimai". He died while performing at a function in

Deekshabhoomi Deekshabhoomi is a sacred monument of Navayana Buddhism located at Nagpur city in Maharashtra state of India, where Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, embraced Buddhism with approximately of his followers mainly scheduled caste peoples on Ashoka Vijaya ...

Nagpur Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...

on 27 November 2010. Umap, a follower of

BR Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly of India, Constit ...

, collapsed while he was onstage at Nagpur’s famous Dikshabhoomi. He was rushed to a private nursing home where he was declared dead. Born in a

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

chawl A chawl is a type of residential building found in western India, similar to a tenement. Typically low quality housing, chawls are generally associated with poverty. The first chawls were constructed in the early 1700s, as housing for industri ...

in 1931, Umap struggled for recognition of the neglected folk genres of

. He had toured extensively all over the state to keep alive the folk traditions. Umap had won the first prize at the International Folk Music and Art Festival at

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. His roles in

Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (born 14 December 1934) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. He has received ...

’s TV series ''

Bharat Ek Khoj ''Bharat Ek Khoj'' () is a 53-episode Indian historical drama based on the book ''The Discovery of India'' (1946) by Jawaharlal Nehru that covers a 5,000-year history of India from its beginnings to independence from the British in 1947. The dr ...

'' and

Jabbar Patel Dr. Jabbar Patel (born 23 June 1942, Pandharpur) is a former paediatrician and a Marathi-language theatre and film director of India. His production of the play Vijay Tendulkar's play Ghashiram Kotwal, in 1973 is considered a classic in Mode ...

’s film '' Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar'' won him further laurels. He was nominated for the best actor's award for his performance in a Marathi film ''

Tingya ''Tingya'' is a 2008 Marathi-language movie. It is the directorial début of Mangesh Hadawale. The movie is based on a life of a rural boy and his love and friendship with his bull. It concentrates on the hardships faced by the farmers in the st ...

'' two years ago. He composed music for several films, serials and dramas. He was also a part of popular stage shows Khandobacha Lagin, Gadhwacha Lagna, Jambhool Akhyan and Me Marathi. After years of wait, Umap was recently given a house under the artistes’ quota. At a cultural programme three months ago, a frustrated Umap declared that he was fed up with making innumerable requests to the government. "I don’t think I will get a house in my lifetime," he had said. Then chief minister

Ashok Chavan Ashokrao Shankarrao Chavan (born 28 October 1958) is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. He is one of the most influential leaders of Indian National Congress in Maharashtra. He has served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra state from 8 D ...

had earlier sanctioned plush houses to many artistes — several of them lower in stature than Umap. Then deputy chief minister

Chhagan Bhujbal Chhagan Bhujbal (born 15 October 1947) is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. Currently he is Member of 14th Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra from Yeola Assembly. He also served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 18 October ...

, who was present at the show, vowed that he would get the singer a flat and fulfilled his promise within a fortnight.

Awards

*Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar : Delhi Govt. 2010 *MATA Purskar for Best actor for Jam bhul Akhyan. *Republican Party of India on the occasion of Dr.Baba saheb Centenary year awarded "Kalawant Puraskar". *From akhil bahartiya magazine "ladath Puraskar"1995-96. *Maharastra sashan sanskritik puraskar1996. *Shri Sarswati Jondhale Smruti 2000 Lok Vangmay Puraskar.

References

External links

*http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/article/04Cmg0q25f9JQ *http://theindustrymeasure.com/2010/11/27/marathi-folk-artist-vitthal-umap-collapes-dies/ *http://www.indianexpress.com/news/lahuji-vastad-award-for-singer-umap/599649/ *http://vitthalumap.com/# {{DEFAULTSORT:Umap, Shahir Vitthal Indian male folk singers 1931 births 2010 deaths Singers from Mumbai 20th-century Indian singers 20th-century Indian male singers 20th-century Buddhists 21st-century Buddhists Social workers from Maharashtra Converts to Buddhism from Hinduism Indian Buddhists