Mangesh Keshav Padgaoankar (10 March 1929 – 30 December 2015) was a legendary Marathi poet from Maharashtra, India.

[5] The break from romantic poetry occurred in the collection "Salaam", which includes the poem of the book title that skewers the corrupt societal power structure around him.

[6] He was also a member of a Marathi literary group, “Murgi club”, loosely fashioned after the Algonquin Round Table.

In addition to Padgaonkar, it included Vinda Karandikar, Vasant Bapat, Gangadhar Gadgil, Sadanand Rege and Shri Pu Bhagwat.

He also translated works of Kabir and Surdas in Marathi along with Shakesphere's plays The Tempest, Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet.

[6] In 1983–84, he also penned University of Pune's theme song "Punyamayee De Amha Akshar Vardaan".

[11][12] On Mangesh Padgaonkar's first death anniversary, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (India) paid an iconic tribute by organizing a lyrical event.