Renowned ornithologist, wildlife researcher, and Marathi writer Maruti Chitampalli died on Wednesday evening at his residence in Solapur. He was 93. Chitampalli, a Padma Shri awardee and former president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, had been unwell for several days. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Solapur. His condition worsened on Wednesday morning, and he passed away later in the evening.
Fondly known as ‘Aranya Rishi’ for his deep connection with forests and wildlife, Chitampalli was born on November 5, 1932, in Solapur. In 1958, he completed a course at the Forest College in Coimbatore and joined Maharashtra’s Forest department and served as a forest officer for 36 years. During his career, he travelled more than five lakh kilometers across India for environmental research and documentation.
Chitampalli was fluent in 13 languages and closely worked with tribal communities to gather ecological data. He documented his fieldwork in hundreds of handwritten diaries over three decades. These diaries became the basis of his scientific works such as Pakshikosha (Encyclopedia of Birds), Pashukosha (Encyclopedia of Animals), and Matsyakosha (Encyclopedia of Fish).
Chitampalli wrote over 25 books on wildlife and conservation. His writing blended scientific detail with literary flair and played a key role in introducing environmental awareness to Marathi-speaking readers.