Pune, Dec. 8 -- Veteran socialist leader and prominent activist Dr. Baba Adhav, a towering figure in Maharashtra's labour and social justice movements, passed away in Pune on Monday evening at the age of 95. He was undergoing treatment at Poona Hospital.

Adhav, revered across the state for his decades-long work for the deprived, unorganised and marginalised communities, dedicated his life to securing rights and dignity for hamals, rickshaw drivers, construction workers, labourers and other informal-sector groups. He was instrumental in creating major worker-led initiatives, including the Hamal Panchayat, and championed transformative campaigns such as 'One Village - One Water Source'.

Deeply influenced by Shiv, Phule, Shahu, and Ambedka...