Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande (8 November 1919 – 12 June 2000), popularly known by his initials पु. ल. ("Pu. La.") or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Maharashtrian and Marathi writer and humorist from Maharashtra. He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, music composer, harmonium player, singer, and orator. He was often referred to as "Maharashtrache Laadke Vyaktimatva" (roughly translated as "Maharashtra's beloved personality").

Biographie

Early life
Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande was born on 8 November 1919 in Gaodevi area (Krupal Hemraj Chawl) in Mumbai to Lakshman and Lakshmibai Deshpande. The family used to stay at Kenway house (opposite Robert Money School), Proctor road, Grant road in the 1960s. Most of the observation he wrote in his Ganagot (1966) like B Merwan- Irani restaurant, Lamington road (Dr Dadasaheb Bhadakamkar marg) Ganeshotsav & their Indian classical singing programs, Hirabai Badodekar's stay. His family then moved to Vile Parle and Pu La Deshpande settled in Pune for educational and work purposes.


Education
Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande studied at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya. He received his college education at Fergusson College in Pune and Willingdon College in Sangli. He also took lessons in playing harmonium from Dattopant Rajopadhye of Bhaskar Sangitalaya.


Personal life
His first wife (the former Ms. Divadkar from a family in Karjat) died soon after the wedding in early 1940s. On 12 June 1946, Deshpande married his second wife Sunita Thakur, an accomplished writer herself, in Ratnagiri. Sunita-bai outlived him. He died on the 54th anniversary of their wedding ceremony.


Professional life
Both P L Deshpande and his wife served as teachers in Orient High School, Mumbai. He also worked for some years as a college professor in Belgaum, Karnataka before embarking on a career in writing, acting, directing and composing film music.

He also worked for newly founded Doordarshan, the state owned Indian TV. He was the first person to interview the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Indian television. He was deputed to the BBC in UK for a year-long training. After which he spent some time in France and in West Germany. It was this specific period and stays in these countries that his later travelogue "Apoorvai" was to be based upon. His other travelogue "Poorvarang" is based upon his journeys in South East Asian countries.


Accomplishments
Pu La Deshpande was proficient Hindustani classical musician. He went on to gain fame as author, screenplay writer, actor, director, music director and singer. During his lifetime he also participated in several philanthropist activities.


Death
Deshpande died in Pune on 12 June 2000 as a result of an affliction of Parkinson's disease. He was aged 80. A large public park on Sinhgad road in his adopted home town Pune was named after him in commemoration.