Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Tuesday he will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, to noted Marathi artist and social reformer Annabhau Sathe. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party chief, who visited Sathe's commemoration at Wategaon in the Sangli area of Maharashtra earlier in the day, said the Telangana government will write to the Centre on the issue.
He asked the Maharashtra government to likewise keep in touch with the Centre to accord the most elevated distinction to Sathe, who was born on August 1, 1920, and died on July 18, 1969. Rao, more commonly referred to as KCR paid his respects at the Sathe memorial in Wategaon, the legendary poet's birthplace.
Who was Annabhau Sathe?
The "founder of Dalit literature" is Annabhau Sathe, also known as Tukaram Bhaurao Sathe. His works center around strong judgment and a ruthless attack on caste and class differences, influenced by Ambedkar's philosophy. He was born into poverty and caste discrimination in Maharashtra, where he belonged to the Dalit community. Before working in a mill, he worked a variety of jobs and was drawn to Communist ideology.
Sathe has written 35 novels, 10 folk plays, 24 short stories, 10 ballads, a play, and a travelogue. Many more of his works have never been published. The predominance of Brahminical craftsmanship neglected Dalit workmanship and culture. American author Eleanor Zelliot noticed that low-standing works of art were delivered yet remained mysterious and dismissed.
Sathe devoted himself to promoting the communist party and co-founded the "Red Flag Performing Troupe" in 1944. His writings emphasised the struggles of factory workers and the disparities in Mumbai, fostering class consciousness among workers.
Sathe's writing, which focused on daily realities, caste/class struggles, and social interactions, was shaped by his personal experiences. A mix of communism and Ambedkarism, he commended Lenin and Ambedkar in his works. Additionally, he defied oppression by rechristening Tamasha Loknatya.
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