संत साहित्य आणि महाराष्ट्राच्या लोकव्यवहाराचे अभ्यासक
समकालीन घटनांचे जागरूक भाष्यकार
घुमान येथील ८८व्या अखिल भारतीय मराठी साहित्य संमेलनाचे अध्यक्ष
‘तुकाराम दर्शन’ या ग्रंथासाठी साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार
एम.ए. (तत्त्वज्ञान), एम.ए. (प्राचीन भारतीय संस्कृती आणि इतिहास),
पीएच.डी. (द गीता : अ थिअरी ऑफ ह्युमन ॲक्शन) – सर्वोत्कृष्ट प्रबंधासाठी गुरुदेव दामले पुरस्कार
विद्यापीठीय अनुदान मंडळाकडून मिळालेल्या ‘करिअर अवॉर्ड’अंतर्गत
‘कृष्ण : द मॅन अँड हिज मिशन’ या विषयावर पोस्ट-डॉक्टोरल संशोधन
पुणे विद्यापीठात तत्त्वज्ञान विभाग, विविध अभ्यासने आणि संशोधन केंद्रांचे
विभागप्रमुख आणि संचालक म्हणून कार्य
महाराष्ट्र शासनाच्या विद्यापीठ पातळीवरील उत्कृष्ट शिक्षक पुरस्काराने सन्मानित
महाराष्ट्राच्या सांस्कृतिक इतिहासाचे विविध पैलू उलगडून दाखवणारे
‘तुकाराम दर्शन’, ‘लोकमान्य ते महात्मा’, ‘गर्जा महाराष्ट्र’ आणि ‘महाराष्ट्राची लोकयात्रा’
हे ग्रंथ लिहून इतिहासलेखनाचा एक वेगळा बाज सिद्ध केला.
तसेच ‘त्रयोदशी’, ‘मंथन’, ‘प्रसादाची वाणी’, ‘निवडक सकल संत सार्थ गाथा’,
‘लोकमान्य टिळक चरित्र’, ‘ताटीचे अभंग : एक विवेचन’, ‘ज्ञानबा तुकाराम’,
‘या सम हाः योगेश्वर कृष्णाचे वैचारिक चरित्र’,
‘विद्रोहाचे व्याकरण : महात्मा जोतीबा फुले यांचे संपादित साहित्य’,
‘महात्मा जोतीबा फुले यांचे वैचारिक चरित्र’ आदी ग्रंथ प्रकाशित
ग्रंथलेखनासाठी साहित्य अकादमीसह मानाचे विविध पुरस्कार
‘उजळल्या दिशा’ आणि ‘शिवचरित्र’ या नाटकांमधून महाराष्ट्राच्या राजकारणाचा
कलात्मक पातळीवरून आविष्कार
संतसाहित्य व सामाजिक विषयांशी संबंधित अनेक ग्रंथांचे आणि
नियतकालिकांचे संपादन
व्याख्याने, परिसंवाद, चर्चासत्रे यांच्या निमित्ताने सर्वत्र संचार
साहित्य अकादमी, साहित्य संस्कृती मंडळ, भाषा सल्लागार समिती अशा
अनेक शासकीय व अशासकीय संस्थांचे पदाधिकारी;
विविध साहित्यिक-सांस्कृतिक संघटनांशी दीर्घ काळचे विविधस्तरीय संबंध
वारकरी साहित्य परिषदेचे संस्थापक
पहिल्या अखिल भारतीय मराठी संत साहित्य संमेलनाचे अध्यक्ष (२०१२)
भाषा सल्लागार समितीचे अध्यक्ष
साहित्य संस्कृती मंडळाचे अध्यक्ष
A scholar of saint literature and the social traditions of Maharashtra, and a keen commentator on contemporary events.
He served as the president of the 88th All India Marathi Literary Conference held in Ghumman.
He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for the book Tukaram Darshan.
He holds an M.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in Ancient Indian Culture and History, and a Ph.D. titled The Gita: A Theory of Human Action, for which he received the Gurudev Damle Award for the best thesis.
Under the Career Award granted by the University Grants Commission, he conducted post-doctoral research on Krishna: The Man and His Mission.
At Pune University, he served as Head and Director of the Department of Philosophy as well as various study and research centers.
He was honored with the Maharashtra Government’s Best University Teacher Award.
Through books such as Tukaram Darshan, Lokmanya te Mahatma, Garja Maharashtra, and Maharashtrachi Lokyatra, he presented new perspectives on the cultural history of Maharashtra.
He has also published works including Trayodashi, Manthan, Prasadachi Vani, Nivadak Sakal Sant Sarth Gatha, Lokmanya Tilak Charitra, Tatiche Abhang: Ek Vivechan, Dnyanba Tukaram, Ya Sam Ha: The Intellectual Biography of Yogeshwar Krishna, Vidrohache Vyakaran: Edited Writings of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and The Intellectual Biography of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.
His writing has received several prestigious awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Through plays such as Ujallya Disha and Shivcharitra, he artistically portrayed aspects of Maharashtra’s political life.
He has edited many books and journals related to saint literature and social subjects.
He has traveled widely to deliver lectures, participate in seminars, and conduct discussions.
He has held positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions such as the Sahitya Akademi, Sahitya Sanskruti Mandal, and the Language Advisory Committee.
He has maintained long-standing associations with various literary and cultural organizations.
He is the founder of the Varkari Sahitya Parishad.
He served as the president of the first All India Marathi Saint Literature Conference (2012).
He has also served as the chairman of the Language Advisory Committee and the Sahitya Sanskruti Mandal.