Author Vishwas Patil Elected President of 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan

Pune, 14th September 2025: Acclaimed author Vishwas Patil has been unanimously elected president of the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. The Sammelan is scheduled to take place in Satara from January 1 to 4, 2026.

The event is being organized by the Shahupuri branch of the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad and the Mavala Foundation, according to an announcement by the President of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, Prof. Milind Joshi.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Sahitya Mahamandal held on Sunday at the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad in Pune, chaired by Prof. Joshi. The meeting was attended by Vice-President Gurayya Swami, Secretary Sunitraje Pawar, Treasurer Vinod Kulkarni, and representatives from various literary bodies, including Dr. Dada Gore and Ramchandra Kalunkhe of the Marathwada Sahitya Parishad; Prof. Usha Tambe and Prakash Page of the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh; Pradeep Date and Vilas Manekar of the Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh; Dr. Vidya Deodhar of the Marathi Sahitya Parishad, Telangana; Kapoor Wasnik of the Chhattisgarh Marathi Sahitya Sangh; Purushottam Sapre of the Madhya Pradesh Marathi Sahitya Sangh; Sanjay Bachhav of the Marathi Vangmay Parishad, Baroda; and Ramesh Vanskar of the Gomantak Sahitya Sevak Mandal. The previously elected Sahitya Sammelan Adhyakshya Dr. Tara Bhawalkar, could not attend due to health reasons.

Prof. Joshi stated that Vishwas Patil’s name was a top recommendation from all component, inclusive, and affiliate organizations of the federation. As the Sammelan is being hosted by the Shahupuri branch of the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, the Pune-based parent body did not propose any names for the presidency. Patil’s selection was a unanimous decision, based on his significant contributions to enriching Marathi literature. Prof. Joshi added that there was no need for a vote, and even the president of the federation did not have to cast a ballot.

The meeting also approved the program schedule and outline that the steering committee had finalized with the organizers on Saturday.

Sammelan Highlights

The four-day Sammelan will be held at the Shahunagar Stadium in Satara from January 1 to 4, 2026.

The grand procession of books (Granth Dindi) will take place on the eve of the inauguration. On the same day, the book exhibition, the poets’ gathering (Kavi Katta), and the children’s “Anand Melava” will be inaugurated. The main Sammelan inauguration will be held on the following morning.

The book exhibition will be open to the public for all four days.

Discussions and seminars will be prioritized over long speeches to allow for deeper exploration of topics.

The program will include a special poets’ meet for invited poets, discussions on contemporary and popular books, interviews with renowned authors, and conversations with prominent novelists.

For the first time, all former presidents of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, authors who have received the Saraswati Samman award, selected Sahitya Akademi award winners, and former presidents of the Sahitya Mahamandal will be invited.

Fourth Sammelan in Satara

This will be the fourth time the literary Sammelan is held in Satara. In 1878 under the guidance of Lokhitwadi and Justice Ranade, Granthkar Sammelan was started. The third Sammelan, was held in Satara in 1905, presided over by Raghunath Pandurang Karandikar. The 44th sammelan was held in 1962 under the presidency of N. V. Gadgil, and the 66th in 1993 under the presidency of Vidyadhar Gokhale.

Venue : Shahunagar Stadium

The planned venue, Chhatrapati Shahunagar Stadium, is the same location where the 66th sammelan was held in 1993. The stadium spans 14 acres and will house the main stage, other smaller venues, the book exhibition, the poets’ and ghazal poets’ gathering, and dining facilities. Three additional halls are available for smaller events. The stadium has a seating gallery with a capacity of 25,000. Located in the heart of the city and within walking distance of the Satara bus stand, the venue offers convenience for literary enthusiasts from both Satara and other regions. The eight-acre police parade ground behind the stadium will be used for parking.