PUNE: Physician, author, and de-addiction activist Anil Awachat passed away early on Thursday at his home in Pune. He was 77.
He was the founder-director of Muktangan Rehabilitation Centre here.
His family and associates said that Awachat had been ill after a fall and subsequent surgery earlier in January and was discharged to be cared for at home at Patrakar Nagar, off Senapati Bapat Road.
Awachat is survived by his daughters Mukta Puntambekar and Yashoda Wakankar. Awachat's wife Anita, also a physician, passed away in 1997, after battling cancer.
Anil and Anita were co-founders of Muktangan, which also received support from various sections of the civil society, including the Marathi cultural icon PL Deshpande, who donated funds to establish the centre in 1986. He also donated a set of books for Muktangan's library.
Mukta is the current director of Muktangan, which has continued to work in the field of de-addiction across age-groups and types, including alcohol and drugs, as well as other newer forms of addiction.
First started as a section at the mental hospital in Yerwada, it later developed its own facilities nearby, and now has male and female wards and experts to help patients navigate through their addictions.
Muktangan's website also has resources for those who may wish to seek help for themselves or someone they know, including definitions of addiction, its effects, and addressing misconceptions and social stigma attached to people diagnosed with addiction.
Besides his contributions to literature and journalism, Awachat was also known for his rationalist and socialist leanings, and frequently lent support to organisations such as the Hamal Panchayat, as well as movements such as the Naamantar agitation and the welfare of bidi workers, among others.
He was also known for his support towards the anti-superstition movement in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, founded by late Narendra Dabholkar, paid tribute to Awachat on social media on Thursday, acknowledging his support for the organisation.
Tributes also poured in from political leaders, including state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
"Dr Awachat was a multi-faceted personality. He had forthright views on sensitive topics in society. He also participated in social welfare movements, and Muktangan has helped thousands of people to get rid of their addictions," Pawar tweeted.
