[6] He received his early education at the Rajaram High School, Kolhapur and later completed painting, modelling and mural decoration courses from J. J.
[7] As a social reformer, he worked for up-liftment of Dalits and advocated they be allowed right to visit temple and mingling with other castes.
He joined Indian National Congress in the mid-1930s, disillusioned by pro-British politics played by older leaders of peasants movement like Bhaskarrao Jadhav, with whom Madhavrao had started agricultural co-operative societies in Kolhapur and adjoining regions.
[11] He was one of the front-runner leaders from Dhangar ( Maratha )community, who jointly formed Peasants and Workers Party in year 1947 with other former congressman such as Keshavrao Jedhe of Pune, Shankarrao More of Pune, Kakasaheb Wagh of Nasik, Nana Patil of Satara, Tulsidas Jadhav of Solapur, Dajiba Desai of Belgaum, P K Bhapkar and Datta Deshmukh of Ahmadnagar, Vithalrao Hande and others.
[12] He is author of about 30-35 books some of which are Kalāvihāra (1966), Bahujanasamājāce śilpakāra (1966), Jīvana saṅgrāma; agara, siṃhāvalokana (1970), Sahavāsāntūna (1970), Bhāī Mādhavarāvajī, nivaḍaka lekhasaṅgraha (1998).