Bashir Momin Kavathekar

Momin Kavathekar died on 12 November 2021 in Pune after a long illustrious career spanning five decades.

Momin Kavathekar completed his education from a Marathi Medium school. Due to non-availability of the higher secondary school in the village, all the students from the Kavathe had to walk to a village ‘Loni-Dhamani’ located 10 km away. Due to health issues, he gave up the school after completing the 8th standard and started helping his family in the business.

Momin Kavathekar (बशीर कमरुद्दीन मोमीन / लोकशाहीर मोमीन कवठेकर) was born on 1-March-1948 at Kavathe, a small village in drought prone western Maharashtra; to a Muslim weaver family. Addition of Kavathekar to the surname and adopting it as part of pen name indicates the proud association of family with the village where the ancestors has lived for centuries. Due to patronage by Maratha Empire since late 18th century, the village had been thriving in the crafts and performing arts; and became home to many artist associated with ‘Jagaran Gondhal’, ‘Bharud’, ‘Tamasha’ [all local folk arts]. As a kid, Momin Kavathekar has grown up watching these artist perform at village functions, during their rehearsals prior to the stage- shows and hence, his interest grew gradually.

Bashir Kamruddin Momin (1 March 1947 – 12 November 2021), popularly known by his pen name, Momin Kavathekar, also known as 'Lokshahir B. K. Momin Kavathekar', was a popular Marathi language poet, writer who promoted sanitation, literacy, and social reforms through his literatures. His work involved creating mass awareness against the dowry, female foeticide, alcohol addiction, blind following of superstitions. Many of his devotional songs (bhaktigit / aarati) adore the Hindu God & Goddess. He was closely associated with Maharashtra's traditional form of theatre Tamasha for almost 50 years, supporting the various Tamasha troupes by providing them with folk songs like 'Lavani', 'Gan Gavalan', 'Bhedic' and short plays called 'Vaga-Natya'. For his contribution to the field of folk art, literature and culture, he was awarded the 'Vithabai Narayangavkar Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar' by Government of Maharashtra in 2018.