Annabhau Sathe

Annabhau Sathe (1 August 1920 - 28 July 1969) was a well-known social reformer and Indian writer who was born in the Dalit community of Mangs, which is mostly based in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The community is No 46 in the list of scheduled caste (SC) communities living in the state.

Despite the fact that poverty prevented him from obtaining formal education, Annabhau Sathe wrote a number of poems, novels and dramas during his lifetime in the local Marathi language. He wrote 14 novels, Fakira being the most popular. They have been translated into many Indian and non-Indian languages, many of which have been adapted for films. Sathe wrote directly from his experiences in life and his novels celebrate the fighting spirit in their characters who work against all odds in life.

Sathe worked among the poor. He organised stage performances of the Shahiri and Powade, local narrative arts which were very popular in rural Maharashtra, to generate social awareness. He used the medium of stage to great effect during the "Samyukta Maharashtra Movement" when the "Tamasha" (an ethnic dance act chiefly performed by women) was banned by then chief minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Morarji Desai. Sathe was attracted to communism and had visited the erstwhile USSR.