Veteran scribe, Marathi litterateur Arun Sadhu dead; PM condoles

Veteran journalist and a left-of-centre liberal Marathi writer Arun Sadhu passed away here on Monday after prolonged illness.

He was 76 and is survived by his wife Aruna, a renowned social worker, and daughters Shefali and Suvarna, a relative told IANS.

Suffering from heart disease since long, he was rushed to the Sion Hospital on Sunday afternoon in a critical condition and admitted to the ICU there.

Sadhu, who was put on ventilator, was ailing with a muscular heart condition, cardiomyopathy, and breathed his last around 4.45 a.m. on Monday.

As per his last wish, there were no funeral services and his body was taken in a procession and donated to the Nair Hospital this evening.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief on the demise of noted writer and journalist Arun Sadhu. He extends deepest condolences to his family and admirers," the PMO tweeted.

Born on June 17, 1941, in Paratwada, Amravati district of eastern Maharashtra, Sadhu acquired his B.Sc. degree from Nagpur University in 1961.

In a media career spanning 45 years, he started as a freelancer in 1962 and later worked with The Times of India, The Indian Express, The Statesman and Kesari before taking over as editor of The Free Press Journal (1987-1989), besides writing for or heading several other Marathi publications.

For six years, he was also Professor and Head of Department of Journalism at University of Pune till 2001, and earlier visited the US, France and Afghanistan to participate in media-literary events.

Sadhu strode the world of both journalism and literature with flair and wrote in Marathi, English and Hindi on news stories, edits, articles, short stories and novels, folk writings, translations of renowned literary works and various issues of international importance.

He shot to prominence with his first Marathi novel, "Mumbai Dinank" (Mumbai Dateline - 1973) and later his political blockbuster book, "Simhasan" (The Throne - 1977) which was adapted into an acclaimed Marathi film by Jabbar Patel with scripting by Vijay Tendulkar.

The film -- viewing the struggle for the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister from the eyes of a journalist and discussing the mafia-politician nexus in the 1970s -- is often listed among the best Marathi films in its genre and had achieved peaks of popularity after its release in 1979.

Later came Sadhu's musical play "Padgham" (Drumbeats - 1985), which was adapted and directed into a grand stage presentation by Jabbar Patel's Theatre Akademi.

In 2000, he co-scripted the film "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar" along with Sooni Taraporevala and Daya Pawar.

Through his writings encompassing a wide range of topics -- crime, politics, the lives and struggles of ordinary mortals in complex societies, revolutions, caste systems, human relations vis-a-vis technology and the like -- Sadhu explored in a humane manner the rich-poor, rural-urban and caste divides.

Over the years, he was conferred several honours, including the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Rachana Award (2009), Kaumi Ekta Foundation Award, New Delhi, Kolkata, and N.C. Kelkar Award, Acharya Atre Award, and Padmashri Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Award for Lifetime Achievements in Literature, all Maharashtra.

In a prestigious honour, Sadhu was elected President of the 80th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Nagpur, 2007.

Among his other major works include novels: Maharashtra; Kakasaheb Gadgil; Fidel, Che Ani Kranti; Ani Dragon Jaga Jhalya; Dragon Jaga Jhalyawar; Mukhawta; Shodhyatra; Sfot; Bahishkrit; Trishanku and Tisri Kranti.

His short stories comprise: Manoos Udto Tyaachi Gosht; Mukti; Mantrajagar; and Ziprya, among other collections.

Union Minister Suresh Prabhu, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Education Minister Vinod Tawde, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, state Congress President Ashok Chavan, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, NCP leaders Praful Patel, Nawab Malik, Jitendra Awhad, and members of the top literary and media fraternity recalled his services to journalism and literature, and mourned his demise.

A large number of people from various walks of life paid homage to Sadhu at his Bandra residence in the afternoon before his body was donated to a government hospital, said a relative.

--IANS

qn/him/dg