Yadav was one of the early writers of Marathi Gramin Sahitya (literature pertaining to rural life in Maharashtra).
His novel "Zombi" (झोंबी) (meaning "fight against all odds") won a Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990.
The novel is an autobiographical story of a young boy, his loving mother, his life of utter poverty, and his eagerness to receive education.
Yadav was elected as the president of the 82nd Marathi Sahitya Sammelan which was held at Mahabaleshwar in March 2009.
However, he resigned from that position four days before the sammelan in response to protests primarily by members of the varkari mahamandal against some of the material in his biographical novel Santasurya Tukaram (संतसूर्य तुकाराम).