Kaajal Oza Vaidya is an author, screenwriter, radio personality and journalist from

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...

, India. She initially worked as a journalist and actress. She has written more than 56 books including novels, short stories and essays. She has written stories, dialogues and scripts of

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

s and films. She writes columns in several publications and hosts a radio show.

Life

Kaajal was born on 29 September 1966 in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

, India. She graduated with a degree in English and Sanskrit from

Gujarat University The Gujarat University is a public state university located at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The university is an affiliating university at the under-graduate level and a teaching university at the post graduate level. It is accredited A+ by NAAC ...

in 1986. She completed her post-graduate certificate in advertising management from Saint Xavier's College in Mumbai.

Career

She debuted in writing with a short story collection, ''Sambandh.. To Akash'' in 2005 was followed by a collection of poetry, ''Sheshyatra''. Her popularity grew when her first novel ''Yog Viyog'' was serialized in '' Chitralekha'' weekly. She worked on plays during her earlier career. She teaches

creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes beyond the boundaries of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on craft and technique, such as narrative structure, character ...

as a Visiting Faculty in the Master of Developmental Communication Department of

. She worked as a journalist with '' Sandesh'', ''Gujarat Daily,'' ''Loksatta-Jansatta'', ''

The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932 by P. Varadarajulu Naidu. It is headquartered in Noida, owned by the ''Indian Express Group''. It was later taken over by Ramnath Goenka. In 1999, eight y ...

'', ''Abhiyan'' magazine and ''Samkalin'', '' Sambhaav''. She writes columns in ''

Divya Bhaskar ''Divya Bhaskar'' () is a Gujarati newspaper in Gujarat, India, owned by D B Corp Ltd. It is one of the highest circulation Gujarati dailies. With the most local editions in Gujarat, it is published from Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, J ...

'', ''Gujarat Mitra'', '' Kutchmitra'', ''Janmabhhomi Pravasi'' and ''Culcutta Halchal''. She regularly gives speeches on different subjects across Gujarat and beyond. She hosts the radio show ''Kaajal@9'' on 94.3 My FM Ahmedabad.

Works

Literary works

Kaajal has written more than 86 books. She published several novels: ''Yog Viyog'' (Part 1 – 2 - 3, 2007), ''Krishnayan'' (2010), ''Sannata Nu Sarnamu'' (2011), Purna Apurna, Chahera PAchhalno Chahero (2013), Purvardh (2014), Symphony of Silence (2014), Rag Vairag (2018), ''Draupadi'', ''Shukra – Mangal'', ''Satya – Asatya'', ''Dariyo Ek Taras No'', ''Lilu Sagpan Lohi Nu'', ''Pot Potani Pankhar ''(Part 1 & 2), ''Tara Vina na Shaher Ma'', ''Ek Saanj Na Sarname'', ''Parijat Nu Parodh'', ''Chhal'' (Part 1 -2), ''Maun Raag'', ''Madhyabindu''. ''Sheshyatra'' is her poetry collection. Her short story collections are ''Heartbreak Pachhini Savar'', ''Kaajal Oza Vaidya Ni Vartao'', ''Sambandh.. To Aakash''. She published several collections of essays and articles: ''Mari Mummy Mara Pappa..'', ''Sangath Ekbijano'', ''Marji Ekbijani'', ''Shradhdhha Ekbijani'', ''Satya Ekbijanu'', ''Sukh Ekbijanu'', ''Samjan Ek Bijani'', ''Saath Ek Bijano'', ''Sneh Ek Bijano'', ''Mausam Ek Bijani'', ''I Love You'', ''Ek Bijane Gamta Rahiye'' (2009), ''Get Well Soon'', ''Man — Minus Thi Plus'', ''Searchlight, Tujse Hoti Bhi To, Kya Hoti Shikayat Mujhko?''. Her books published in letter format include ''Tane, Jindagi...;'' ''Vhali Astha'' (2008); ''Priya Naman''. ''Guru Brahma'', ''Doctor, Tame Pan!'', ''Chung Ching'', ''Savka'', ''Perfect Husband'', ''Silver Jubilee'' and ''Vaat Ek Raat Ni'' are her plays. She edited coffee table books; ''Smit'' (Smile), ''Aansu'' (Tear), ''Prarthna'' (Prayer), ''Chumban'' (Kiss) and ''Prem'' (Love). Her audio books include ''Tran Pedhi Ni Kavita'', ''Prempatro'', ''Tara Chaherani Lagolag''. She translated Gary Chapman's '' The Five Love Languages'' as ''Premni Panch Bhasha'' and

Shobha De Shobha De (''née'' Rajadhyaksha, formerly Kilachand; born 7 January 1948) is an Indian novelist and columnist. She is best known for her depiction of socialites and sex in her works of fiction, for which she has been referred to as the "Jackie ...

's ''Spouse'' as ''Jeevansathi'' in Gujarati.

Screen works

She wrote story, script and dialogues of several productions. She wrote some plays for Hum Production. She wrote story, screenplay and dialogues of three Gujarati telefilms; ''Antarna Ujas'', ''Sukhno Arth'', ''Hu Ja Bhagyavidhata''. She wrote story for several TV

s. Her ''Ek Daalna Pankhi'' (2001) which was aired on

DD Girnar DD-Girnar previously known as DD-10 GUJARATI is the Gujarati language channel of India's national broadcaster, Doordarshan. It is broadcast out of studios at Doordarshan Kendra (Center) in Ahmedabad in Gujarat State. History Doordarshan Kendr ...

, and completed 1600 episodes while ''Moti Ba'' aired on ETV Gujarati completed 500 episodes. Her other weekly soaps in Gujarati were ''Saat Taali'', ''Ek Moti Eklavyanu''. In Hindi, she wrote story of ''Apne Paraye'' aired on B4U and ''Mahasati Savitri'' aired on SAB TV. She wrote the screenplay of Gujarati films like ''Dikri To Parki Thapan Kehvay'' and '' Saptapadii'' (2013); and Hindi films like ''Ghat'' and ''Diwanagi''. Her novel ''Yog Viyog'' was being adapted as TV series ''Vasundhara'' starring

Jaya Bachchan Jaya Bachchan (''née'' Bhaduri; born 9 April 1948) is an Indian actress and politician. She is regarded as one of the greatest actresses of Hindi cinema. She is serving as member of the parliament in the Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party ...

but production was delayed later. She acted in 2024 Gujarati horror comedy film ''Karkhanu''.

Personal life

She lives in

. She is a daughter of Digant Oza and is married to photographer Sanjay Vaidya since 22 June 1993. They have a son, Tathaagat.

Recognition

She was recognized on International Women's Day in 2015.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oza Vaidya, Kaajal 1966 births Living people 20th-century Indian women writers 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Gujarat University alumni Academic staff of Gujarat University Gujarati-language writers Indian radio presenters Indian women journalists Indian women novelists Indian women screenwriters Writers from Ahmedabad Indian women columnists Indian columnists 20th-century Indian journalists Journalists from Gujarat Women writers from Gujarat Indian women radio presenters 20th-century Indian novelists Indian newspaper journalists 21st-century Indian women writers 21st-century Indian novelists Novelists from Gujarat Screenwriters from Gujarat