Dada Saheb Apte (1905 – 1985), also known as Shivram Shankar Apte or S S Apte, was a journalist and votary of Hindu dharma. He is popularly known as the founder of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). He was a leading social figure and had many firsts to his credit. In 1948, he founded Hindustan Samachar, a Hindi news agency; he also got the first teleprinter in Devanagari script manufactured by the Government of India.
It was mainly due to the untiring efforts of Dada Saheb that,
on the occasion of the World Hindu Conference at Prayag, held in 1966, the
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) was set up. After founding VHP, Apte traveled
overseas extensively and established contacts with the Hindu fraternity in
every nook and corner of the world. He wrote about the life and religious
patterns of these Hindus in ‘Hindu Mission and Destination’.
Shivram Shankar Apte (his proper name) was born in 1905 in
Baroda in a family connected with the founder of the Anandashram Sanskrit
Series. He specialized in Vedanta and Dharmashastra; he also acquired a law
degree. He practiced at the Bombay High Court till 1944 CE.
Dada Saheb has also written under the pen-name ‘Kaushik’. He
wrote in English, Hindi and Marathi. He translated ‘Armed Struggle For Freedom
(Ninety Years Of War Of Indian Independence 1857 To Subhash)’ by Balshastri
Hardas from Marathi in English, and ‘The Vedic Astronomy and Mythology’ by A J
Karandikar. Among his important articles mention may be made of ‘Sri
Parasuramesvara, Purusharsha 48 (numbers 6-7), June – July 1972 pp 279-281; and
‘Dharmakshetreani Dharmapurusha’ 0148, Ekata 20, Sravana Saka 1889, pp.5-8.
Mahamandalesvar Swami Gangeshvaranand Maharaj invited Shri
Apte to carry out his holy mission of installing the Vedas (Samhitas) in
different parts of the world during the years 1974-76.
Dada Saheb Apte completely withdrew from all social and
public activities and lived in total seclusion in his Kaushik ashram, in Pune,
in the last years of his life. He passed away on October 10, 1985.