Since Raja Dhale's demise last Tuesday, JV Pawar has been ceaselessly writing tributes, marking their five-decade-long friendship and activism. "None of my articles, however, begins with Dhale or his work. They have a mention of social reformer Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the first few lines itself, and how he left a lasting impact on the two of us. And Dhale would definitely appreciate me doing this," explains Pawar, who believes he and Dhale have always been loyal followers of Ambedkar's Buddhist movement. "I follow this norm in every column I write for newspapers and magazines. The subject may be someone else, but Ambedkar's ideologies need to reach everyone through my writing. And thus, bringing his name up right in the beginning is significant," the 76-year-old writer and poet clarifies, as he begins to tell us about his and Dhale's relentless struggle to achieve equal rights for Dalits in Maharashtra.

Pawar was born in Pilavali, a remote village in Ratnagiri's Chiplun district. His date of birth, however, was never recorded by his uneducated parents. "But my birthdate was needed to enrol me in school. All my mother could recollect was that I was born on a rainy day. So, my schoolteacher estimated the date to be July 15, 1944." Pawar moved to Mumbai to pursue Class V education. Hailing from an impoverished family, he always knew he had to study harder than the rest to secure a better future. What he didn't know was that a 'counter' revolution, helmed by Ambedkar, was unfolding in the country.