Pune: Renowned writer-director Sumitra Bhave passed away on Monday. The 78-year-old producer breathed her last in Pune.

Bhave, a social - work teacher and a social scientist-researcher turned to filmmaking in 1985. Born on January 12, 1943, she completed her education from Pune’s Fergusson College and received a master's degree in Political and Science Sociology from Pune University.

Before joining the film industry, she also worked for various organisations after receiving master's degree in Political Science and Sociology and a Diploma in Rural Welfare from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai Mumbai.

Vastupurush, Devrai, Samhita, Baadha, Nital, Ek Cup Chya, Gho Mala Asla Hava, Astu, Kasav are some of her noted directorial work. She was felicitated by numerous international and national award. Of her multiple films, DOGHI won 11 national awards including 4 individual awards to Sumitra Bhave for story, screenplay, dialogues and art direction.

Her last directorial work Dithee is yet to be released. Apart from this, she also worked as a Marathi language newsreader with All India Radio.Bhave, along with her co-director Sunil Sukthankar, is regarded as one of the people who changed the background of Marathi film industry. The duo worked together for number of movies. Besides being a filmmaker, she was also a social activist.