Laxman Maruti Gaikwad (born 23 July 1952, Dhanegaon, Latur District, Maharashtra) is a famous Marathi novelist known for his best work The Branded, a translation of his autobiographical novel Uchalaya (also known as Ucalaya). This novel not only gave him international recognition but he was also awarded the Maharashtra Gourav Puraskar, and the Sahitya Akademi award for this novel. Considered a masterpiece in Marathi literature, his novel for the first time brings to the world of literature the trials and tribulations of his tribe, Uchalya, literally the pilferers, a term coined by the British who classified the tribe as a criminal tribe. This book also brings in the problems faced by the Dalits in India. At present he is residing in Mumbai.[citation needed]
Other notable novels written by him include Dubang, Chini Mathachi Divas, Samaj Sahitya Ani Swathantra, Wadar Vedna, Vakila Pardhi, Utav and A Swathantra Konasat.[1]