Ganesh Rango Bhide

Ganesh Rango Bhide (6 June 1909 – 8 June 1981) was an Indian encyclopaedist.

Early life Ganesh Rango Bhide was born in Ashta, Sangli, he spent the majority of his life residing in Kolhapur. He completed his education up to the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Bachelor of Education (B.E.) levels.

Career Following his matriculation, Bhide worked at the Prabhat Film Company. While employed there, he studied books on weaving and culinary arts, as well as a household encyclopedia, which led him to realize the necessity of similar literature in the Marathi language. Motivated by this idea, he compiled a list of approximately 35 subjects within two days. On 20 April 1931, the Vyavaharik Dnyankosh Mandal (Practical Encyclopedia Committee) was established under the chairmanship of M. T. Patwardhan. This committee was incorporated as a limited company on 20 March 1933, and the inaugural volume of the encyclopedia was published in 1935. Around 1932, Bhide also established Cinemasrushti, which was the first Marathi periodical dedicated to motion pictures.