Santosh S. Athawale: Hero of Struggle, Leadership, and Social Revolution
Santosh S. Athawale is known in Maharashtra’s social and political sphere as an aggressive and fearless leader. His story is about a boy from an extremely poor, landless agricultural laborer family who took up the mission of seeking justice for the poor and deprived sections of society through the power of journalism and organizational work. His life journey is an epic of struggle, sacrifice, and relentless efforts to secure the right to live with dignity for the weaker sections.
🚩 Early Life and the Start of Journalism
Santosh Athawale was born on December 1, 1975, in Nave Danawad village in Shirol taluka, Kolhapur district. His parents were landless laborers, so his childhood was spent in extreme poverty.
- Education: He completed his B. Com. from S. K. Patil College, Kurundwad.
- Struggle as a Landless Family: Having no land, he experienced the hardships of poverty and social inequality from an early age.
- Passion for Journalism: While studying, he developed an interest in journalism. Since 1997, he worked as a local correspondent for major newspapers like ‘Dainik Pratidhvani’, ‘Dainik Lokmat’, and ‘Dainik Kesari’.
- Independent Journalism: He also edited ‘Saptahik Dharmnirpeksha’ and ‘Saptahik Buddhabhushan’, and raised people’s issues independently through ‘Sangharshnayak Media’ digital media and YouTube channel.
Realizing that writing alone has limitations in bringing about change, he decided to actively participate in social and political work for people’s rights.
🛠️ The Trifecta of Work: Three Key Organizations
To establish social justice and curb corruption and caste atrocities in government schemes, Santosh Athawale founded three key organizations. These are the cornerstones of his work:
| Organization | Main Objective and Work |
|—|—|
| 1. Panther Army Swaraj Kranti Sena (Panther Army) | To lead an aggressive fight against caste atrocities, corruption, and injustice. Its main work is solving the problems of the Dalit, exploited, and deprived communities and securing social justice for them. E.g., organizing ‘Land Rights Council’. |
| 2. Bhumiheen Bharat Samiti (BBS) | To make landless agricultural labor families landowners. By implementing land reform laws, it works to secure ownership deeds for housing and cultivation for poor families. Provides legal aid to the poor. |
| 3. Anuyayi Pratishthan | To promote Buddhist Dhamma based on the principles of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. It establishes Dhamma centers (Viharas) and assists poor landless families with skill development training to achieve ‘Samyak Ajeevika’ (Right Livelihood or a life of dignity). |
⚔️ Key Struggles and Valour
Some incidents in Athawale’s career testify to his fearless leadership: - Valour during the Dattawad Riot (1997): When a major communal riot broke out after the desecration of Ramai Ambedkar’s statue, he, without fearing for his life, pushed back the attack with the help of activists. This saved the lives and protected the honor of the Dattawad Buddhist community women.
- Major Struggle for Landless Farmers (Since 2013): He led a major protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai demanding, “The landless agricultural laborer must become a landowner.” He strongly criticized corruption in government schemes and the non-utilization of reserved funds.
- Struggle for Illegal Liquor Ban: He spearheaded a massive movement against the illegal production and sale of illicit liquor. Distressed by this issue, he made the unprecedented demand to the government for ‘Ichha Maran’ (Euthanasia). This demand ultimately forced the government to impose a permanent ban on that liquor production.
☸️ Initiation into and Propagation of Buddhist Dhamma
Along with social struggles, Santosh Athawale leaned towards Buddhist philosophy. He received the Buddhist Shramanera initiation from Bhante Subhadra Bodhi on behalf of the ‘Bhartiya Bauddh Mahasabha’. After completing the Shramanera camp, he dedicated his life to the propagation of Buddhist philosophy (knowledge, morality, and dedication) and humanist principles. This Dhamma-inspired morality gave a new direction to his social work.
🏆 Honors and Conclusion
Recognizing his significant social work, Santosh Athawale has been honored with awards such as Samajbhushan, Samajratna, Adarsh Patrakar (Ideal Journalist), and Adarsh Sampadak (Ideal Editor).
Conclusion:
Santosh S. Athawale is not just a social worker or a journalist; he is a symbol of struggle, valor, and leadership. Rising from a very poor family, he dedicated his entire life to securing dignity and justice for the deprived sections. His Panther Army and Bhumiheen Bharat Samiti continue to inspire a great fight against injustice, corruption, and caste discrimination across Maharashtra. He is, truly, a Hero of Social Revolution.
