Satish Alekar is the author of Marathi plays, most notably Mahanivran and Begum Barve. Until 2009, he was Professor and Head of the Centre for Performing Arts (Lalit Kala Kendra) at University of Pune. He is one of the founder members of Theatre Academy, Pune. He has received the Padmashree, and the National Award for Playwriting from Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, among others. He has scripted and acted Marathi and Hindi films and TV serials. Many of his plays have been translated, produced and published in several Indian regional languages. He is currently a member of the academic council, NSD, Delhi. For his efforts to promote theatre development and studying the performing arts, Satish has received grants from the Ford Foundation and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and was also a Fullbright professor. A collection of his plays can be found in Collected Plays of Satish Alekar (OUP). Usually he directs his own plays.