Who was Balaram Dhurandhar and what was his professional and family background?

Balaram Dhurandhar was a distinguished devotee of Sai Baba, born in Mumbai in 1878 into a well-known family of the Alankar Pathare Prabhu caste. Chapter 51 describes him as being highly accomplished in secular life; he was well-versed in Western education and held the title of Advocate. He was also a renowned scholar with expertise in philosophy. In his family, his father was a devotee of Rama, while Balaram's personal refuge was Vithala, showing a deep, personal inclination towards the spiritual path from a young age.