Narhari Dwarkadas Parikh was a

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

, independence activist and social reformer from

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

, India. Influenced by

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

, he was associated with Gandhian institutes throughout his life. He wrote

biographies A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...

, edited works by associates and translated some works. His writing also reflected Gandhian influence.

Biography

Parikh was born on 17 October 1891 in

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 ...

. His family belonged to Kathlal (now in Kheda district). He studied in Ahmedabad and

matriculated Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term ''matriculation'' is seldom used now ...

in 1906. He completed his

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in History and Economics in 1911 and LL.B. in 1913. He started practicing law with his friend Mahadev Desai in 1914. In 1916, he left his practice and joined

in social reform movements and later the

Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events in South Asia with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British colonial rule. It lasted until 1947, when the Indian Independence Act 1947 was passed. The first nationalistic ...

. He campaigned against

untouchability Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...

, alcoholism and illiteracy. He also worked for freedom for women, sanitation, health care and schools run by Indians. He was associated with Rashtriya Shala (National School) run by Satyagraha Ashram in 1917. He joined Gujarat Vidyapith in 1920. He also managed Harijan Ashram from 1935. He served as the president of Basic Education Board in 1937. He was also principal of Gramsevak Vidyalaya in 1940. He was secretary of Gandhi for some years. He had also served as the Chairman of Navajivan Trust. He had stroke of paralysis in 1947 but survived. He died on 15 July 1957 at Swaraj Ashram in Bardoli following paralysis and cardiac arrest. After death of Gandhi, his ashes were kept at his Haveli in

before being immersed in

Sabarmati River The Sabarmati River is one of the major west-flowing rivers in India. It originates in the Aravalli Range of the Udaipur District of Rajasthan and meets the Gulf of Khambhat of the Arabian Sea after travelling in a south-westerly direction acr ...

Works

Parikh wrote some biographies of his associates; ''Mahadevbhainu Purvacharit'' (1950) of Mahadev Desai, ''Sardar Vallabhbhai'' Part 1-2 (1950, 1952) of

Vallabhbhai Patel Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (; ''Vallabhbhāī Jhāverbhāī Paṭel''; 31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950), commonly known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was an Indian independence activist and statesman who served as the first Deputy Prime ...

and ''Shreyarthini Sadhana'' (1953) of Kishorlal Mashruwala. ''Manav Arthshastra'' (1945) is his work on human economics. His writings on education, politics and Gandhian thought include ''Samyavad and Sarvoday'' (1934), ''Vardha Kelvanino Prayog'' (1939), ''Yantrani Maryada'' (1940). ''Atlu To Janjo'' (1922), ''Karandiyo'' (1928) and ''Kanyane Patro'' (1937, with Mahadev Desai) include his thoughts on education. ''Kautumbik Arthashastra'' (1926), ''Bardolina Kheduto'' (1927) and ''Sarvoday Samajni Zankhi'' discuss contemporary social issues. He edited ''Namdar Gokhlena Bhashano'' (1918), ''Govindgaman'' (1923, with Ramnarayan V. Pathak), ''Navalgranthavali'' (1937), ''Mahadevbhaini Diary'' Part 1–7 (1948–50), ''Sardar Vallabhbhaina Bhashano'' (1949), ''Di. Ba. Ambalal Sakarlalna Bhashano'' (1949), ''Gandhijinu Geetashikshan'' (1956). He co-translated some works of

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

with Mahadev Desai such as ''Chitrangada'' (1916), ''Viday Abhishap'' (1920), ''Prachin Sahitya'' (1922). He also translated some works of

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy Tolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; ,Throughout Tolstoy's whole life, his name was written as using Reforms of Russian orthography#The post-revolution re ...

; ''Jate Majuri Karnaraone'' (1924) and ''Tyare Karishu Shu?'' (1925–26, with Rang Avadhoot).

Personal life

Parikh married Maniben and they had a daughter Vanmala and a son Mohan (born 24 August 1922). Vanmala Parikh wrote biography of

Kasturba Gandhi Kasturba Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturba Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist who was involved in the Indian independence movement during British Raj, British India. She was married to Mohandas ...

, ''Amara Ba'' (1945), with Sushila Nayyar.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parikh, Narhari Indian independence activists from Gujarat Gandhians Indian social reformers 1891 births 1957 deaths Gujarati-language writers 20th-century Indian biographers 20th-century Indian translators Indian editors Writers from Ahmedabad Translators of Rabindranath Tagore

Biography

Works

Personal life

See also

References