Kolhapur, Mar 22 :Renowned “Shahir” Kuntinath Karke, a songwriter for Marathi films, passes away following a cardiac arrest at his residence in Herle village in Hatkanangale tehsil of this district on Monday morning.

He was 85. Born on April 10, 1936 in a farmers family, completed his education in Swami Vivekananda Institute, where he had the company of renowned educational Bapuji Salunkhe and joined as a teacher after completed education in his institution.

Mr Karke, who has a mountainous sound, well-known for his ballads on different subjects including history, personality while also write poetry collections including Pazar, Chaitrpallavi, Kanchankum, Jaldhara and published a biography “Katha hi Mahaviracnhi”.

His famous songs were “Gangu Bazarla Hate”, “Aunda Lagin Karayache” “Bola Dajiba”, “Sakhya Sajna”, “Bayko Ali Badlun”, “Annyay”, “Pratikar”, “Sulavarchi Poli”, “Songadya” and others.

He had honoured with the state government award “Dalit-Rahul” and D Lit of DY Patil University.(UNI)