Recommend poet Annabahu Sathe for Bharat Ratna: Patil to CM

Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil on Saturday said the state government should recommend social reformer and folk poet Annabhau Sathe for a posthumous 'Bharat Ratna', the country's highest civilian award.

Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil on Saturday said the state government should recommend social reformer and folk poet Annabhau Sathe for a posthumous 'Bharat Ratna', the country's highest civilian award. In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the NCP state unit chief said a recommendation for the award should be sent to the Centre and this will be a true homage to Sathe on his birth centenary on August 1.

Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe went on to become a poet, novelist and playwright of excellence, despite having no formal schooling, Patil said. The state water resources minister visited Sathe's home at Wategaon in Walwa taluka of Sangli district to pay tribute to the poet on his birth centenary on Saturday.