The Shakespeare Memorial at British town of Stratford upon Avon has received an unusual gift from Maharashtra - three books presented by octogenarian Marathi poet Mangesh Padgaonkar.

The books will form part of the Memorial's public collection. After Rabindranath Tagore, the next Indian poet to find a pride of place in the Memorial is Padgaonkar.

Padgaonkar, who was on a wheelchair, travelled from London to Stratford upon Avon, specially to gift the Marathi translation of 'The Tempest', 'Romeo & Juliet' and 'Julius Ceasar', his spokesman said last night.