Shahir Amar Shaikh

Shahir Amar Shaikh, one of the foremost Indian folk singers, poets and playwrights known mainly for his work in Marathi literature and lavani music was born in 1916 in maharashtra and died in 1969. He used to be vocal against injustices against the oppressed people and communities. He was known to work on social issues, including sex casteism, economic exploitation and oppression and the working class scope. Shaikh's upbringing was humble, but he was greatly affected by the political violence during his time. It was the Bhakti and Sufi traditions of India that influenced his creativity. An accomplished singer and poet, he was known for his efforts in bringing the folk art form of Lavani back to life but with elements of social change. The songs he rendered were full of beautiful tunes but had strong messages as lyrics, which made him popular among the common folk.

Not only was Shaikh active in the domain of folk songs, but he was also a significant number of plays. The majority of his plays were based on the concept of violence in society, and this was the reason for such high attendance at the performances. The works ‘Garibancha Dev (The God of the Poor)’ show his intentions to portray the voice of the working-class Indian people. Shaikh also had political connections as members of progressive movements and took part in cultural activities aimed at educating and mobilizing society. His collaboration with activists and writers from the leftist and Ambedkarite movements made him more visible as a strong voice as a cultural activist. His efforts were officially recognized when he was decorated by the Government of India with one of the consequential recognitions the Padma Shri.