Shivkumar Joshi (16 November 1916 – 4 July 1988) was a

Gujarati language Gujarati ( ; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian state of Gujarat and spoken predominantly by the Gujarati people. Gujarati is descended from Old Western Rājasthāni, Old Gujarati (). In India, it is one of the 22 Languages with ...

author from India. He was also stage actor and director. Born in Ahmedabad and lived in Calcutta, he was involved in literary activities. He wrote large number of plays, novels and short stories.

Life

Shivkumar was born on 16 November 1916 at

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 ...

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

scholar Girijashankar Joshi. He acted in plays at early age of seven or eight when he was introduced in ''Natmandal'', a stage troupe of Jaishankar Sundari. He completed his primary and secondary education from Ahmedabad and passed

matriculation 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 no ...

in 1933. He completed BA in

from Gujarat College, Ahmedabad in 1937. He participated in

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 ...

during his college days and was imprisoned for short period. He ran garment shop in partnership in Ahmedabad and

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 ...

from 1937 to 1958. He started his own garment shop in

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

in 1958 and started participating in social, cultural, literature and stage activities. He was photographer and painter also. He died on 4 July 1988. His son Ruchir Joshi is also an author. He has 3 children from his first wife :Lt Mrs Sunanda Joshi. 1st born: Lt Mr Pranav Joshi, 2nd Born: Mrs Vandana Bhatt & 3rd Born: Mr Shyamal Joshi.

Works

Plays

He wrote, directed and also acted in plays. ''Pankh Vinana Pareva ane Bija Natako'' (1952) was his first collection of

one-act play A one-act play is a play that has only one act, as distinct from plays that occur over several acts. One-act plays may consist of one or more scenes. The 20-40 minute play has emerged as a popular subgenre of the one-act play, especially in writi ...

s. His other collections of one-act plays are ''Anant Sadhna'' (1955), ''Sonani Hansadi Roopani Hansadi'' (1959), ''Neelanchal'' (1962), ''Neerad Chhaya'' (1966) and ''Ganga Vahe Chhe Aapni'' (1977). His plays mostly depict a conflict of the characters associated with urban life. They are social and introvert. His ''Be Takhta'' was an experimental play and he wrote a number of

radio play Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatised, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...

s. ''Sumangala'' (1955) was his first full-length play. His other full-length plays are ''Andhara Ulecho'' (1955), ''Angarbhasma'' (1956), ''Sandhyadipika'' (1957), ''Durvankar'' (1957), ''Ghata Dhiri Dhiri Aai'' (1959), ''Ekne Takore'' (1960), ''Suvarnarekha'' (1961), ''Shataranj'' (1962), ''Kritivaas'' (1965), ''Saaputara''(1966), ''Sandhikaal'' (1967), ''Beejal'' (1969), ''Ajramar'' (1970), ''Kahat Kabira'' (1971), ''Kaka Sagarika'' (1973), ''Banshayya'', ''Nakula'' and ''Triparna'' (1973), ''Lakshmanrekha'', ''Neel Aakash'', ''Leeli Dhara'' and ''Dwiparna'' (1976), ''Amar-Amar Mar'' (1982), ''Mashankarni Aisi Taisi'' (1982). He adapted Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's ''Biraj Bou'' and '' Devdas'' into plays.

Novels

He had written more than twenty five novels. His novels are derived from present times or sociopolitical incidents of recent past in which he intervened love stories. ''Kanchukibandh'' (1954) was his first novel. ''Aabh Ruve Eni Navalakhdhare'' (1964) is a long novel while ''Kamal Kanan Colony'' is a

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...

. His other novels are ''Anang Raag'' (1958), ''Shravani'' (1961) ''S. S. Roopnarayan'' (1966), ''Diyo Abhayna Daan'' (1967), ''Sonal Chhay'' (1967), ''Kef Kasumbal'' (1967), ''Rajat Rekh'' (1967), ''Ek Kan Re Apo'' (1968), ''Nathi Hu Narayani'' (1969), ''Ayananshu'' (1970), ''Asim Padchhaya'' (1971), ''Lachhman Ur Maila'' (1972), ''Vasantnu E Van'' (1973), ''Chirag'' (1975), ''Marichika'' (1975), ''Popat Amba Keri Daal'' (1976), ''Aa Avadhpuri! Aa Ram!!'' (1978), ''Udi Udi Jaav Pareva'' (1979), ''Priya Ramya Vibhavari'' (1980), ''Ganga Bahai, Nahi Rain'' (1981), ''Kalhansi'' (1983) and ''Kesude Kaman Gholya'' (1984).

Short stories

He wrote large number of short stories. His short story collections include ''Rajanigandha'' (1955), ''Trishul'' (1957), ''Rahasyanagari'' (1959), ''Raat Andhari'' (1962), ''Abhisar'' (1965), ''Kanakkatoro'' (1969) ''Komal Gandhar'' (1970), ''Kajal Kotadi'' (1973), ''Navpad'' (1976), ''Chhalchaal'' (1977), ''Shanti Paravar'' (1978) and ''Sakal Tirath'' (1980).

Other works

''Jovi'ti Kotaro ne.... Jovi'ti Kandara'' and ''Pagala Padi Gaya Chhe'' (1982) are his travelogues. His experience with stage and memoir of theatre is written in ''Maarag Aa Pan Chhe Shoorano'' (1980). He translated four works from

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

into Gujarati which include

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 ...

's '' Jogajog'', Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's '' Adarsha Hindu Hotel'', Gajendra Kumar Mitra's ''Kalakatar Kachhei'' as ''Kalkattani Saav Samipe'' and Vijay Bhattacharya's ''Navu Dhaan''.

Awards

He received Kumar Chandrak in 1952, Narmad Suvarna Chandrak in 1959 and

Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak, also known as the Ranjitram Gold Medal, was founded by Gujarat Sahitya Sabha and is considered the highest literary award in Gujarati literature. The award is named after renowned Gujarati writer Ranjitram Mehta. It is a ...

in 1970. He was also awarded former

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IAST: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recogni ...

for Plays for ''Suvarnarekha''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joshi, Shivkumar 1916 births 1988 deaths Novelists from Gujarat Gujarati-language writers Indian male novelists Indian male stage actors 20th-century Indian novelists Indian male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Recipients of the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak Male actors from Gujarat Dramatists and playwrights from Gujarat 20th-century Indian male writers