Dr Anil Awachat...a great personality

About Dr. Anil Awachat

"Awachat should win all the awards that are given for Marathi literature. If literature means understanding people, he has achieved this marvelously."

A noted author and critic, M. V. Dhond, has voiced the feeling of thousands of readers when he said this. Surely, there will be hardly any other writer in Marathi literature, whose writings encompass a wide range of issues in Indian Society: the struggle for survival and exploitation on different levels. A medical doctor by profession, he has spent his life reaching out to people, rather than enjoying the luxuries of medical practice.

Born in 1944, Dr. Awachat completed his education with a degree of M.B.B.S., from University of Pune. Even in his college days, he participated in various activists movements, which proved to be the foundation of his literary career. His first work as a writer saw the light in 1969, with the publication of his book "Purniya" Since then, he has written about variety of social issues, with the publication of 18 books till today. He has been honoured with many awards on state and nation level. His books were declared "The Best Book of the Year" by the Govt. of Maharashtra for three years. He has selected for the participation in International writer's programme at Iowa, USA, where his writings won the intimation recognition. It is not only Dr. Awachat's writings which reveal his unique vision, but his social work has also been a 'model' in itself. He is the Director of 'Muktangan De-addiction Center at Pune.' He and his wife developed a unique model of de-addiction therapy, which is adopted internationally by a no. of de-addiction centres all over the world.

Though a receipient of many awards, Awachat never aspired to be a journalist in the limelight. A man who dared say 'no' to the commercial practices in journalism, he always kept his commitment towards the people who were victims of poverty, injustice and corruption. He has written about labourers, untouchables, nomads, sex workers, tribals. All his writings are real-to-life accounts of the struggle for survival which he saw around him. Awachat wrote with a vision of compassionate observer; his writings always revealed the 'human' context of the social problems he wrote about. He goes to the root of the problems with a thoroughly 'scientific approach at the same time without losing the 'human' side of the problem. he has also written the success stories of people fighting against so many odds, devoting their life for a social cause to make the world around them a better place.

Awachat's writings have an 'inspiring' quality, for they reveal the brighter side of all social struggles. That's why, they prove to be inspiring even for the young generation.

A man of manifold talent, Awachat is a writer and an artist at the same time. his paintings, sculptures, wood carvings and photography reveal a man, who can see beauty in those things which people overlook as 'ordinary'. The same sense of beauty runs through his writings.
What Awachat's writings impart the readers is this 'vision': to freed oneself from all the preoccupations, and conventions, and to look for one's inner voice. That's why, his writings or his art have never taken the 'preaching' tone; they just invite the readers to refresh his sensibilities to understand the life around him!

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