The Pune Book Festival organized by the National Book Trust is a vibrant literary event where publishers, bookstores, authors, and editors present a variety of books. Readers can explore various genres, discover new releases, and engage with writers. Sadhana Prakashan occupies a distinct spot (Stall D-18) in the festival, as it does in the curious minds of readers.

Sadhana is well-known for serious non-fiction focusing on socio-political issues, biographical works, and analytical essays on economics, politics, and social matters. We specialize in research-based reportages covering oppressed communities, transformative movements, and developmental initiatives.

Our catalog includes social travelogues, in-depth interviews, high-quality translations, and works on enriching cultural experiences like impactful cinema, theatre, and literature from India and abroad.

We subscribe to a balanced, progressive, and positive perspective, aligned with the Indian Constitution. Most of our books are compilations from Weekly Sadhana, and original or translated content matching our values is also published.

We are recognized for insightful analytical content, high production quality, and reasonable costs. All our books (191 titles) are available at a 25% discount at the festival, with a detailed catalogue available on our website: Sadhana Prakashan, and a quick-glance catalogue at the venue.

Let’s take a look at our bookshelves at the festival for a quick preview of what to look for when you arrive.

The Sane Guruji Bioscope

Sane Guruji – the prolific writer, freedom fighter, and Satyagrahi – started Weekly Sadhana on 15th August 1948 and Sadhana Prakashan is an offshoot of it. Sane Guruji’s works are a major part of our core literature. Along with older publications, some new books have been released and some republished in throughout the 125th year of his birth anniversary. And all of them are on display.

Sadhana has brought out updated editions of three books about Sane Guruji –

जीवनगाथा साने गुरुजींची by Raja Mangalwedhekar, which is the most comprehensive and faithful account of the life of Sane Guruji.

साने गुरुजी: व्यक्ती आणि विचार, a book by Chaitra Redkar (a renowned political scientist, and Associate Professor at IISER Pune)

साने गुरुजी मंदिर प्रवेश लढा – a detailed account of Guruji’s fight for allowing Dalits to enter and offer worship at the holy Viththala temple of Pandharpur, compiled by Sudha Sane-Borda, Sane guruji’s niece and an activist- writer herself.

New editions of several important books by Guruji, including his first book, नामदार गोखले चरित्र, books for the adolescent and young adult audience - सुंदर पत्रे and श्यामची पत्रे, Guruji's crucial book भारतीय संस्कृती, his Marathi translation of The Story of the Human Race, originally written by American author Henry Thomas, मानवजातीची कथा.

श्यामची आई is synonymous with Guruji’s name. To mark Guruji’s 125th birth anniversary year, we brought out an illustrated hardcover edition of श्यामची आई containing photographs from Sujay Dahake’s 2023 film Shyamchi Aai.

श्याम, धडपडणारा श्याम, श्यामचा जीवनविकास, in that order, are sequels of श्यामची आई. These novels narrate his life up to the age of 22. Sadhna Prakashan has published a set of these four novels.

Fact and Fantasy for Inspiring the Youth

In 2016, Pune's Adarsh Patil, Vikas Waalke, and Shrikrishna Shewale went on a cycling journey through Gadchiroli and Chhattisgarh’s tribal areas. They were briefly held by Naxalites, who released them after realizing they were not spies. Meanwhile, the entire country was in an uproar due to their alleged capture. National authorities got involved. Their book, तीन मुलांचे चार दिवस, captures their life-changing experiences during the four days. In 2021, the book was included in the BA syllabus, turned into an audiobook, and is now being adapted into a Marathi film. The book is an inspiring read.

In Marathi literature, fantasy novels have been rare, Sadhana has released a substantial fantasy novel titled त्रिकोणी साहस for young readers. The novel is written by Dr. Pragati Patil, a medical officer serving in the army. This is her debut book, written in an extremely engaging style. The story unfolds on a planet named श्र्वेतालीया, where a twelve-year-old boy, Sahas, and his friends get involved in various inter-planetary thrilling adventures, putting the existence of the universe in jeopardy while trying to find solutions to their problems.

पथेर पांचाली, written by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay in 1929, became a landmark in Bengali literature. In 1942, he created a children's version illustrated by 22-year-old Satyajit Ray. The novel inspired Satyajit Ray's debut film, a milestone in Indian cinema. Now, the Marathi translation by Vijay Padalkar titled मुलांसाठी पथेर पांचाली, अर्थात, आंब्याच्या कोयीची पुंगी with Ray’s original illustrations and cover is published by Sadhana.

In the past decade and a half, Dattaprasad Dabholkar presented Swami Vivekananda in a unique way to Marathi readers, He also wrote a children's book titled Vivekananda for Children, which was published by Sadhana Prakashan.

Dr. Narendra Dabholkar’s Legacy:

Dr. Narendra Dabholkar is widely recognized as the pioneer of the anti-superstition movement and the editor of Sadhana. Sadhana Prakashan has a compilation of his selected editorial pieces - समता संगर, लढे अंधश्रद्धेचे a book about his experiences in the ANS movement. प्रश्न तुमचा उत्तर डॉ. दाभोलकरांचे  – A detailed interview that delves into his thoughts and perspectives, along with the essay एक न संपणारा प्रवास. Vivekacha Awaz – A compilation of ten speeches about rationalism, secularism and scientific outlook delivered by Dr. Dabholkar.

Hamid Dalwai – the Angry Young Secularist and the Last Modernist

Muslim social psyche, Muslim politics, Hindutva politics, Hindu-Muslim relations, secularism, and modernity in the Indian context are central themes in Dalwai's writings. Sadhana has seven books written by him or about him.

जमीला जावद is his short story collection that depicts the general life of the Muslim community. इस्लामचे नवे चित्र contains the observations from his tour of East India. कानोसा मुस्लिम मनाचा features a report on his tour of North India, along with four ideological essays on Muslims in Mumbai-Maharashtra-India, and Hindu-Muslim relations. Dalwai's book ‘Muslim Politics in India’ has been translated into Marathi by the title भारतातील मुस्लिम राजकारण. राष्ट्रीय एकात्मता व भारतीय मुसलमान turned out to be the last book he wrote.

अँग्री यंग सेक्युलरिस्ट contains essays about him written by prominent figures such as Govind Talwalkar and Vijay Tendulkar, and a memoir by Hamid Dalwai's wife, Mehrunisa Dalwai ‘मी भरून पावले आहे’.

Featured Authors and Books

पक्षी उन्हाचा subtitled "In the Premises of Seven Universities," by Dr. Rajan Harshe, former Vice-Chancellor of Allahabad University, features his experiences in seven universities and his observations about the education system.

Nikhil Wagle is known as Maharashtra’s Firebrand Journalist. A collection of five power-defying interviews and three insightful speeches about politics and media by him, under the title सत्तेला अंगावर घेता येतं (Facing Power Head-On). It also includes an interview with Wagle conducted by Yuvraj Mohite and an article titled The Pre-IBN Lokmat Nikhil by Meena Karnik.

Milind Bokil, equally skilled in both fiction and non-fiction, has published over two dozen books. Among these, three significant works— गोष्ट मेंढा गावाची, कहाणी पाचगावची आणि मेळघाट शोध स्वराज्याचा —have been released by Sadhana Prakashan. These captivating books blend sociology, economics, and political science with literary charm.

Journalist, literary critic, and farmer activist Vinay Hardikar has penned chronicles of his thrilling journey in investigative journalism during his five-year tenure at Indian Express in his latest book एक्स्प्रेस पुराण. The new edition of his very first book, जनांचा प्रवाहो चालिला and व्यक्ती आणि व्याप्ती a collection of character sketches of some great personalities he met, are also great reads.

Dhananjay Sanap, a promising young agricultural researcher, explores the history of jowar cultivation, its significance in Maharashtra’s daily diet, and the current state of the crop in the region, in his book ज्वारीची कहाणी.

Parag Cholkar is a history scholar, with a special interest in Vinoba bhave’s work. His edited book महाराष्ट्रात विनोबा contains the speeches made by Vinoba Bhave during the Bhoodan movement in Maharashtra; and his authored book अवघी भूमी जगदीशाची, explores the history of the Bhoodan-Gramdhan movement. These books are invaluable resources.

The book पंचवीस वर्षांतील दलितांचे स्वातंत्र्य is a compilation of the entire special issue of Sadhna weekly, which Anil Awachat had published on 15th August 1975, along with the complete debate and discussion surrounding Raja Dhale's article Kaala Swatantrya Din featured in that issue. The 200-page book serves as a historical document of an intellectual storm.

In 1965, during the India-Pakistan war, G. P. Pradhan wrote हाजीपीर, a reportage based on his interactions with soldiers and civilians at the West Pakistan border. In 1971, during the India-Pakistan war and Bangladesh's formation, he wrote सोनार बांगला after visiting the East Pakistan border. Both books were re-released by Sadhana Prakashan for his centenary.

In 1971, Hemant Gokhale, a 22-year-old law student, wrote a ten-part series for Sadhana about refugee camps along the India-Bangladesh border. Fifty years later, as a retired Supreme Court judge, he revisited Bangladesh and wrote another ten-part series. Both were compiled into a book विप्लवी बांगला सोनार बांगला.

Sadhana has nurtured young writers. We have Sankalp Gurjar, who wrote campus experiences of a restless, thinking student in हिरवे पान and experiences in the SAARC university in सार्क विद्यापीठातील दिवस. Dr. Aishwarya Rewadkar’s experiences while working as a gynecologist with tribal communities in बीजापुर डायरी, Daniel Mascarenes’ collection of articles in मंच, Heena Kausar khan’s interviews with families having inter-faith marriages धर्मरेषा ओलांडताना, तीन तलाक आणि पाच महिला – stories of five brave women who stood up against the triple talak are glaring examples of this.

Innovative collections of article series in weekly Sadhana like political insights by Ram Guha in ‘कालपरवा’, ‘वाचता वाचता’ and ‘वैचारिक व्यासपीठे’ by Govind Talvalkar, थेट सभागृहातून – a collection of 20 powerful speeches by Indian politicians, मला प्रभावित करून गेलेला सिनेमा, मला प्रभावित करून गेलेले पुस्तक – collections of personal experiences by stalwarts, Vinod Shirsath’s editorial collection – सम्यक सकारात्मक, केशवरावांच्या मुलाखती, थर्ड अॅंगल

Works of prolific writers like G. P. Pradhan, Vasant Bapat, Atul Deulgaonkar, Lakshmikant Deshmukh, Bharat Sasne, Suresh Dwadasheewar are available at Sadhana.

These are just a few examples of what we have on offer. There are 191 great books and a select few Weekly Sadhana Issues also available at the venue. Do visit the Sadhana Prakashan Stall (D-18) to gain access to rational non-fiction books. See you there!

- Editor
Translation and recompilation: Rucha Mulay

Tags: पुणे पुस्तक महोत्सव pune book festival nbt pune bookfest Load More Tags