Govind Pansare: From a newspaper vendor to the best selling author

Govind Pansare was a politician of Communist Party of India (CPI) and a rationalist. This day (20 February) in 2015 the world lost him to two assailants’ close ranged shots. He was a veteran communist leader who fought for the rights of people involved in unorganised sectors such as farm labourers, auto-rickshaw unions, hawkers, domestic help, etc.

On Pansare’s death Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis affirmed that police were trying to apprehend attackers. Hamid Dabholkar, son of murdered activist Narendra Dabholkar, said that if police had solved Dabholkar’s case, Pansare would not have been attacked. Sharad Pawar, leader of Nationalist Congress Party, had voiced that this was an attempt to silence the people who speak against extremists.

Today, we take you chronologically through some facts of Govind Pansare’s life journey.

• Born: 24 November 1933, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
• He headed socialist Rashtra Seva Dal shakha in village
• Pansare campaigned for CPI leader PB Kadu Patil during school days
• He worked as newspaper vendor, peon and primary teacher
• During 1962 India-China war in crackdown against Communists seen as pro-China Pansare was arrested
• He is well-known for his book ‘Shivaji Kon Hota?’ which got translated into many languages, selling more than 2.5 lakh copies
• Pansare was associated with movements involving farm labourers, domestic help, auto-rickshaw unions, ie movements raising voice for people involved in unrecognized movements
• He was close associate of Narendra Dabholkar
• On 16 February 2015 Pansare, his wife Uma were returning from morning walk during which two men shot five times at them outside of their home
• On 20 February 2015: Pansare succumbed to his injuries

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