Sai Mahabhakta Shri.Sundarrao Dinanath Navalkar was born in the year 1878 in Mumbai. He belonged to Maha Bhakta Pathare Prabhu community. Due to poor health, he could not complete his College education. However, in 1908 he studied agriculture in England and became the first Hindi member of the Royal Agricultural Society. He was a member of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation twice and was also the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Bombay Provincial Congress. Besides being Honorary Teacher and Honorary Treasurer of the Students' Literary and Scientific Society, he was also a member of the Managing Council of the Sampatti Association. He was also having his own social service organization.

In 1910, he was fortunate to have darshan of Shirdi Sai Baba through a great Sai devotee Shri Nana Saheb Chandorkar and served Shri Sai Baba till His Maha Samadhi in 1918.  A few years after Shri Saibaba Sansthan came into existence, he became the honorary treasurer of Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan after the term of Shri.Chitnis and Shri Baba Saheb Tarkhad.  He was also the editor of Shri Sai Leela monthly magazine published by Shri Saibaba Sansthan. He regularly visited Shirdi till his last breath. He also used to participate in every annual meeting of  Sansthan.

After staying in close proximity of Shri Saibaba, Shri.Sundarrao Dinanath Navalkar passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on a Thursday, i.e., on 13th October 1960 at 8:56 am.

The photograph of this great Mahabhakta is displayed in the Sabha Mantap of Samadhi Mandir by Sansthan.

Shri.Navalkar's son, Dr. Bholanath Navalkar, M.Sc, PhD, FBS,  and all the other members of his family are ardent devotees of Shri Sai Baba even to this day.

(Source: Shri Sai Leela Magazine, Year 1960, 11th Issue published by Shri Saibaba Sansthan. Translated from Marathi to English by Saiamrithadhara)