Ratnakar Matkari was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2003 for his contribution to theatre as a playwright.

Veteran Marathi writer and playwright Ratnakar Matkari succumbed to Covid-19 on Sunday night. He was 81.

Matkari, who was undergoing treatment at Seven Hills hospital in Mumbai, was cremated on Monday at the Bhoiwada crematorium in the presence of family members.

Considered a pioneer of the children’s drama movement in Marathi, Matkari’s works include 39 plays, 20 books on short stories, 13 novels and 16 children’s full-length plays. His first work, one-act play Wedi Manase, was presented in 1955 on All India Radio in Mumbai when he only 17 years old.

Matkari had acted in his own plays like Prem Kahani and also presented popular one-man shows like Adbhutachya Rajyat. He promoted art house theatre establishing Sootradhar, an institution which produced 12 art house plays. He was also was associated with the Narmada Bachao Andolan in the 90s.

Matkari was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2003 for his contribution to theatre as a playwright.