Kusumagraj alias Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar was born on 27 February 1912 in a Deshastha Brahmin family in Nashik as Gajanan Ranganath Shirwadkar. He pursued his primary education in Pimpalgaon and attained high school education at the New English School of Nashik, which is now called J.S. Rungtha High School of Nashik. He passed matriculation from Mumbai University. While Shirwadkar was at the H. P. T. Arts College in Nashik, his poems were published in the ‘Ratnakar’ magazine.
In the year 1932, at the age of 20 years, Shirwadkar participated in Satyagraha to support the demand for allowing the entry of the untouchables into the Kalaram Temple at Nashik. This Satyagraha was led by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.
In 1933, Shirwadkar established the ‘Dhruv Mandal’ and started writing in a newspaper called ‘Navaa Manu‘. In the same year, his first collection of poems, ‘Jeevan Lahari‘, was published. Shirwadkar joined Godavari Cinetone Ltd. In 1944, he married Manorama (Gangubai Sonawani). However, Kusumagraj's main claim to fame was as a poet and writer. In 1954, he adapted Shakespeare's Macbeth as ‘Rajmukut’, and 'The Royal Crown' to Marathi. It starred Nanasaheb Phatak and Durga Khote (Lady Macbeth). He also adapted Othello in 1960. Furthermore, he worked as a lyricist in the Marathi cinema. There are many awards and recognition for poet Kusumagraj such as
- 1960 - President of Mumbai Marathi Granth Sangrahalay annual function
- 1960 - State Govt. for Marathi Mati
- 1962 - State Govt. for Swagat
- 1964 - President of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, Margao, Goa
- 1965 - Ram Ganesh Gadkari Award 1965 by All India Nātya Parishad
- 1966 - State Govt. for the play Yayati ani Devyani
- 1967 - State Govt. for the play Vij mhanali Dhartila
- 1970 - President of Marathi Natya Sammelan, Kolhapur
- 1971 - State Govt. for the play Natsamrat
His writings include: Vishakha (1942), Himaresha (1964), Chhandomayi (1982), Jeewanalahari (1933), Jaicha Kunja (1936), Samidha (1947), Kana (1952), Marathi Mati (1960), Wadalwel (1969), Rasyatra (1969), Muktayan (1985), and Shrawan (1985).
His plays include: Yayāti Āni Dewayāni, Weeja Mhanāli Dharateelā, Natsamrāt, Doorche Diwe, Dusarā Peshwā, Waijayanti, Kounteya, Rājmukut, Āmche Nāw Bāburāo,and Widushak.
Kusumagraj passed away on 10 March 1999.
Source: Assistant Director, Department of Archaeology, Dist. Nasik