https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Keshav_MeshramKeshav Meshram - Revision history2026-07-30T20:58:01ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Keshav_Meshram&diff=149156&oldid=previmported>Fylindfotberserk at 17:56, 28 November 20202020-11-28T17:56:15Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Marathi poet, critic and writer}}<br />
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{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Keshav Tanaji Meshram <br />
| image = <!-- just the name, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [[brackets]] --> <br />
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1937|11|24}} <br />
| birth_place = [[Akola]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age |df=yes|2007|12|03|1937|11|24}} <br />
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| nationality = <br />
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'''Keshav Tanaji Meshram''' (24 November 1937 – 3 December 2007) was a [[Marathi people|Marathi]] poet, critic, novelist, and short-story writer from [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]. He wrote about 40 books.<br />
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==Early life==<br />
Meshram was born in a poor ''dalit'' family in [[Akola city|Akola]] on 24 November 1937. He spent his teens and early adulthood working as a railway wagon loader, a construction worker, and an oil mill worker. While struggling to make a living, he continued his education. After graduation from college, he joined Western Railways as a clerk, but later secured the position of a Marathi lecturer at ''Maharshi Dayanand College'' in [[Parel]] area of [[Mumbai]].<ref name="Merinews">{{cite web |title=Keshav Meshram, great dalit poet and novelist, passes away in Mumbai |url=http://www.merinews.com/article/keshav-meshram-great-dalit-poet-and-novelist-passes-away-in-mumbai/128286.shtml |website=[[Merinews]] |accessdate=22 February 2019}}</ref><br />
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==Conversion to Buddhism==<br />
Meshram was one among the six lakh Dalits who embraced Buddhism in the historic 1956 conversion rally held by Babasaheb Ambedkar.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Annuncio |first1=Charubala |last2=Anand |first2=S. |last3=Mukerjee |first3=Sutapa |last4=Wadhwa |first4=Soma |title=Choosing Their Religion |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/choosing-their-religion/217912 |accessdate=22 February 2019 |work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |date=18 November 2002}}</ref><br />
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==Literary works==<br />
Meshram's collection of poems ''Utkhanan'' established him as an important poet. His most popular novel ''Hakikat ani Jatayu'' portrayed the anguish of a brilliant ''dalit'' youth, Abhiman, who was sidelined because of his low social status. Abhimaan fought against superstitions. He unsuccessfully tried to save a "possessed" girl from being molested and beaten up. His "interference" with the rituals of a ''tantrik'' priest brought him disaster. The girl died and the police framed him at just the time he had received his appointment letter for a job.<br />
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Meshram's autobiography ''Hakikat'' shows the development of a sensitive mind in an adverse world. His other literary works deal with the plight of ''dalits'', but he always exercised restraint in attacking the privileged classes for the plight.<ref name="Merinews"/><br />
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"ज्वाला कल्लोळ" is the title of one of Meshram's works.<br />
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==Marathi Sahitya Sammelan==<br />
Meshram presided over the Akhil Bharatiya [[Marathi Sahitya Sammelan]] held at [[Nashik]] in 2005.<br />
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In his presidential speech, he criticized the contemporary literary folks for confining their world only to elites without awareness of the lives of millions of poor people in India. At the same time, he also criticized the extremist trend in contemporary ''dalit'' literature, which sharply attacked the privileged classes and then called itself "revolutionary."<br />
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In his speech, Meshram suggested that the state government create a literary academy to translate great literary works from other languages into Marathi, and vice versa.<ref name="Merinews"/><br />
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==Death==<br />
Meshram died of lung cancer on 3 December 2007.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meshram, Keshav}}<br />
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]<br />
[[Category:1937 births]]<br />
[[Category:2007 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]]<br />
[[Category:People from Akola]]<br />
[[Category:Presidents of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan]]<br />
[[Category:Converts to Buddhism from Hinduism]]</div>imported>Fylindfotberserk