Shriram Lagoo

Shreeram Lagoo

He was a very vocal and active figure in furthering progressive and rational social causes. In 1999, he and social activist G. P. Pradhan undertook a fast in support of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. Lagoo was also qualified as an ENT Surgeon.

Early life

Shreeram Lagoo was born in Satara district, Maharashtra to Balakrishna Chintaman Lagoo and Satyabhama Lagoo, and was the eldest of four children. He attended Bhave High School, Fergusson College and B. J. Medical College, India and completed his MBBS and MS qualifications.

Career Lagoo started acting in plays during his college years. Gaining further interest in theatre, he created a group "Progressive Dramatic Association", with like-minded senior friends like Bhalba Kelkar. Meanwhile, he received a degree in ENT Surgery from University of Mumbai in the early fifties and practised in Pune for six years before going to Canada and England for additional training.

He practised medicine and surgery in Pune, India and Tabora, Tanzania in the sixties, but his theatre activity through Progressive Dramatic Association in Pune and "Rangaayan" in Mumbai continued when he was in India. In 1969, at the age of 42, he became a full-time actor. on Marathi stage, debuting in the play Ithe Oshalala Mrityu (; ), written by Vasant Kanetkar.

His wife, Deepa Lagoo, is also a noted theatre, TV, and film actress. He had two sons and a daughter. Lagoo had instituted the prestigious Tanveer Samman, an award given to stalwarts in Indian theatre, in the memory of his bereaved son, Tanveer Lagoo. 2007, Punyabhushan Puraskar 2010, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship

Religious beliefs Shriram was a known non-religious rationalist. Once after being conferred with an award called Punyabhushan (Pride of Pune) on behalf of the organization called Tridal, he was interviewed by Sudhir Gadgil. In the interview, when asked about Jabbar Patel's play, wherein Lagoo had to stand before Lord Vitthal, "Did you stand there as a devotee or only as per the demand of the script?" Lagoo replied "I stood there as if I was standing in front of a stone idol that is known as Panduranga".

He wrote an article titled "Time to Retire God", which provoked hot discussions in the print media and other public platforms in India.

He was actively associated with the anti-superstition movement in Maharashtra. He was a close friend of Narendra Dabholkar and used to deliver lectures for some programs of the ANS, an organisation Dabholkar founded. In 1991, Lagoo and Dabholkar were attacked with sticks by a mob in Sangli.

Illness and death Lagoo suffered from Parkinsons in the latter part of his life.

To honour his memory, the Maharashtra Culture Centre established an experimental theatre auditorium, Shreeram Lagoo Rang-Avkash, in Pune in 2024. The theatre was inaugurated by Naseeruddin Shah and Mohan Agashe.