Pune, July 19 -- Veteran socialist-Gandhian activist, writer, founder of the youth movement Yuvak Kranti Dal (Yukrand) and former MLA from Ahmednagar (now Ahilyanagar), Dr Kumar Saptarshi died here on Saturday evening following a prolonged illness. Dr Saptarshi, 84, breathed his last at a private hospital. His last rites will be performed on Monday, said his younger brother Pravin Saptarshi. "I was with him since the Yuvak Kranti Dal was established back in 1967....He was always fearless in leading movements and believed that Satyagraha was a powerful weapon," Pravin said. Dr Saptarshi's close associate, Anwar Rajan, said that he was not keeping well due to old age for some time. "He passed away while being taken to a hospital for treatment on Saturday," Rajan said. He is survived by wife Urmila and son Kabir. His last rites would be performed on Monday in Pune city after Kabir returns from London. His mortal remains will be kept at Gandhi Bhavan from 10 am to 12 noon on Monday for the public to pay their respects. Dr Saptarshi was a prominent figure in Maharashtra's socio-political landscape for over five decades. Born on August 21, 1941, he completed his Bachelor of Science from SP College and obtained his MBBS degree from the BJ Medical College in Pune. He later pursued legal studies and dedicated his life to social work. He founded the Yuvak Kranti Dal in November 1967. "Yukrand" worked on issues concerning students, farmers, social justice and democratic rights. He was also associated with socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan. In 1967, Dr Saptarshi ran a relief centre for drought-affected people at Rajouli village in Bihar's Gaya district under Narayan's guidance. He also contributed to relief work for victims of the Koyna earthquake. During the Emergency, he worked underground for three months before being detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) from October 2, 1975, to January 26, 1977. Saptarshi entered electoral politics after joining the Janata Party in 1977. He was elected as a legislator from Maharashtra's Ahmednagar city (Ahmednagar) in 1978. He was close to the former prime minister Chandrashekhar and had participated in the Bharat Yatra that the latter had organised in 1984. He also established the Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan Vidyalaya in 1984, which later expanded into a higher education institution. Dr Saptarshi authored several books, including "Sankalp", "Yatri" and "Days at Yerwada University". Since 1992, he has edited and published the Marathi monthly "Satyagrahi Vichardhara". He participated in several social movements and was arrested around 35 times during various agitations. He was also associated with the Maharashtra Gandhi Memorial Fund and continued to work for promoting Gandhian thought and democratic values till the end. Saptarshi was felicitated with various awards, including Maharashtra Foundation award, Bihar Asmita award and Ranjeet Desai award. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis condoled Dr Saptarshi's death, saying the state has lost a selfless leader of the social transformation movement. Condoling his death, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar described the veteran activist as a visionary leader who dedicated his entire life to social change. Maharashtra dy CM Sunetra Pawar and Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also paid tributes to Saptarshi....