On September 13 Dandekar had a brain haemorrhage and then an attack of paralysis, following which he had lost consciousness for quite some time, his family sources said.

An avid trekker, Dandekar was bedridden for eight months. Dandekar who was also suffering from pneumonia, felt uneasy late last midnight. Attempts by his doctors - Dr Sanjay Dole and Dr Mukund Shahade - to treat him for nearly four hours did not yield results and the end came at 8.19 am today.

Dandekar has to his credit 33 novels and nine dramas among other books. Among them Shitu, Padaghavli, Pavnakathcha Dhondi Mrinmayi, Mogara Phulala, Das Dongari Rahto and Amhi Bhagirathache Putra and Jait Re Jait have won an acclaim.

His autobiography Smarangatha won him Sahitya Akademi Award in 1976. In 1981, Dandekar presided over the 55th Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Akola. In 1990, he was presented with Maharashtra Gaurav Award and Jijamata Award. He was also conferred an honorary D.Litt by Pune University in 1992.

Many eminent personalities in the field of Marathi literature paid their tributes to Dandekar at his residence.