E-Paper
Vishwas Patil elected president of 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prof. Milind Joshi, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal
Acclaimed author Vishwas Patil has been unanimously elected president of the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, which will be held at Satara from January 1to 4, 2026. The announcement was made following a meeting of the Sahitya Mahamandal at the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad in Pune today.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prof. Milind Joshi, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal. Prof. Joshi said “Patil’s name emerged as the top recommendation from constituent, affiliate and inclusive organisations of the federation. Because the Shahupuri branch of the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad is the host, the Pune-based parent body did not propose any candidate; Patil’s selection was therefore unanimous and no formal ballot was required”
The Mahamandal meeting, chaired by Prof. Milind Joshi and attended by office-bearers and representatives of literary bodies from across the country, unanimously ratified Vishwas Patil’s presidency and approved the programme outline. Notable attendees included members from Marathwada, Mumbai, Vidarbha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Baroda, and Goa, while former president Tara Bhawalkar could not attend due to ill health.
Vishwas Patil, acclaimed author and newly elected president of Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, told Hindustan Times “Being chosen to preside over the Sammelan in Satara is both an honour and an emotional moment for me. Satara is not only a historic city but also a land that has nurtured some of my guiding inspirations. The contributions of literary stalwarts like N. H. Apte and Annabhau Sathe make this occasion deeply meaningful. My early years in Panchgani, where I devoured hundreds of books in the local library, sparked my love for literature. Today, I feel it is my duty to carry forward that intellectual tradition. Maharashtra must also revive the library movement started by Yashwantrao Chavan not just with one model ‘village of books,’ but by ensuring every taluka has at least one such village. Only then can we truly nurture a vibrant reading culture and guide the state toward cultural and intellectual progress.”
Organisers say the 99th Sammelan will prioritise substantive discussions and seminars over lengthy speeches to enable deeper exploration of literary topics. The four-day programme includes a mix of formal sessions, literary conversations and events aimed at readers of all ages. Key elements of the schedule approved by the committee include: A grand procession of books (Granth Dindi) on the eve of the inauguration, followed that evening by the opening of the book exhibition, a poets’ gathering (Kavi Katta) and a children’s “Anand Melava.”
The main Sammelan inauguration the next morning. A book exhibition open to the public throughout all four days. A special poets’ meet for invited poets, panels and discussions on contemporary and popular books, interviews with renowned authors, and conversations with leading novelists.
For the first time, invitations will be extended to all former presidents of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, Saraswati Samman recipients, selected Sahitya Akademi awardees and former presidents of the Sahitya Mahamandal an effort organisers say aims to broaden representation and honour the tradition’s luminaries.
This will be the fourth time Satara plays host to the Sammelan. The literary tradition in the city dates back to 1878 when a Granthkar Sammelan was initiated under the guidance of Lokhitwadi and Justice Ranade, a Sammelan presided over by Raghunath Pandurang Karandikar took place in 1905. Satara previously hosted the 44th Sammelan in 1962 under N. V. Gadgil and the 66th in 1993 under Vidyadhar Gokhale.
With Vishwas Patil at the helm and a programme geared toward conversations, debate and wide public participation, organisers expect the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan to be a major cultural event that showcases contemporary Marathi writing while honouring the movement’s long history.
