Noted stage set designer Bapu Limaye died of protracted illness at Kalyan, his family sources said.
The yesteryear artiste was 86.
Limaye was active till recently and recollected his olden days when designing the set was a specialized field.
He leaves behind his wife and two daughters–both married–family sources said.
His funeral in the noon was largely attended by people from all walks of life including those from social and cultural fields.
Limaye started acting, directing, costume and set designing for plays in 1948. In 1956, when theatre came under the Director of Cultural Affairs, Marathi theatre got a boost and many small groups from all over Maharashtra participated in drama festivals.
However, they were not well-equipped with any proper knowledge of set designing as there was not a single book written on the art of designing sets. Limaye was the first person who decided to pen a book in Marathi on designing sets and his first book titled Gosht Nepathyachi was published in 1992.
He spent 60 years of his life designing sets for all the groups. He has also designed the set of the famous Marathi play Gidhade written by Vijay Tendulkar and directed by Shree Ram Lagoo in 1977.
Limaye received many prestigious awards like Jivan Gaurav Puruskar by Natya Gaurav Pratshtan, Pune, and Natya Seva Puruskar twice for set and lights by Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, Mumbai.
