Tarak Janubhai Mehta (26 December 1929 – 1 March 2017) was an Indian columnist,
humourist, writer and playwright who is best known for the column ''Duniya Ne Undha Chasma'', and was a well-known figure in Gujarati theatre.
His humorous weekly column first appeared in ''
Chitralekha'' in March 1971 and looked at contemporary issues from a different perspective. He published 80 books in his whole career.
In 2008,
SAB TV
Sony SAB is an Indian Hindi-language general entertainment pay television
Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription busi ...
(now Sony SAB) – a popular entertainment channel in India – started the sitcom ''
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
''Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah'' (), often abbreviated as ''TMKOC'', is an Indian sitcom and Indian comedy based on the weekly column ''Duniya Ne Undha Chasma'' by Tarak Mehta for the magazine '' Chitralekha''. Produced by Asit Kumarr Modi ...
'' based on his column, which soon became the flagship show of the channel. Actor
Shailesh Lodha
Shailesh Lodha (born 8 November 1969) is an Indian poet, actor and writer. He is best known for portraying Taarak Mehta in the longest running Hindi sitcom ''Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah''.
Personal life
Lodha was born in Jodhpur in a Marwa ...
portrayed Mehta in the show until 2022 when he left the show and currently,
Sachin Shroff
Sachin Shroff (born 17 December) is an Indian television and film actor. He played Gyan in ''Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai'' and Arjun in ''Naaginn – Waadon Ki Agniparikshaa''. Other appearances include ''Sinndoor Tere Naam Ka'', ''Saat Phere – ...
portrays Mehta.
Personal life
Tarak Mehta belonged to the
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...
Nagar Brahman community. He moved to
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 ...
, Gujarat, with his second wife, Indu, of over 30 years. His first wife, Ila who later married Manohar Doshi (died 2006), also lived in the same apartment building. He had a daughter from his first marriage, Eshani, who lives in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, and has two grandchildren, Kushaan and Shailee.
[
Mehta died at the age of 87 years on 1 March 2017 after a prolonged illness.]medical research
Medical research (or biomedical research), also known as health research, refers to the process of using scientific methods with the aim to produce knowledge about human diseases, the prevention and treatment of illness, and the promotion of ...
.
Awards
Mehta was awarded the Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.Gujarat Sahitya Akademi
The Gujarat Sahitya Akademi () or Gujarat Sahitya Academy, established in 1981, is a government institution dedicated to the development of the languages spoken in Gujarat, India and their literature. Gujarati, an official language of Gujarat, i ...
awarded him Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar
The Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar ( Gujarati: સાહિત્ય ગૌરવ પુરસ્કાર), also known as Sahitya Gaurav Award, is a literary honour in Gujarat, India. The award is conferred by Gujarat Sahitya Akademi and the Government ...
in 2011 and Ramanlal Nilkanth Hasya Paritoshik (posthumously) in 2017.
Bibliography
Novels
* ''Mumbai ma Mehmaan-Yajmaan Pareshan''
* ''Mehta na Monghera Mehmaan''
* ''Aa Duniya Panjarapole''
* ''Tapu Tapori''
* ''Kaise Yeh Jodi Milaye More Ram''
* ''Betaaj Batlibaaj Popatlal Taraaj''
* ''Albelun America, Vanthelun America''
* ''Salo Sundarlal''
* ''Champu-Sulu ni Jugalbandi''
* ''Kanu Kagdo Dahitharu Lai Gayo''
* ''Action Replay Part 1 & Part 2 (Autobiography)''
* ''Matka King Mandve Halo Africa''
* ''Utpatang America''
* ''Navrani Nondhpothi''
* ''Tarak Mehta no Tapudo''
* ''Tarak Mehta na Undha Chashma''
* ''2010 na Undha Chashma''
* ''Tapuda no Tarkhat''
* ''Tarak Mehta ni Toli Pardesh na Pravase''
* ''Pan Khay Popatlal Hamar''
* ''Khurshidas Makkhan Ghase''
* ''Dodh Dahya Tarak Mehta ni Diary''
* ''Lade Tenu Ghar Vase''
* ''Double Trouble''
* ''Return Ticket''
* ''Duniya ne Oondha Chashmah''
* ''Champaklal Tapuni Jugalbandhi''
* ''Ek Shaam Boss ke Naam''
* ''Hu, Boss ane Banevi''
* ''Naraji nu Rajinamu''
* ''Wah America''
* ''Tarak Mehta ni Navlikao''
Natak (Plays)
* ''Jojo Hasi na Kadhta''
* ''Dahpan ki Dadh''
* ''Bandhi Mutthi Lakhni''
* ''Ae to emaj Chale''
* ''Ek Murakhne Evi Tev''
* ''Tarak Mehta ni TV Natikao''
* ''Tarak Mehta na Ekankio''
* ''Tarak Mehta na Prahaaso''
* ''Aath Ekankio''
References
External links
*
Tarak Mehta full information
Interview of Tarak Mehta on SpeakBindas by Devang Vibhakar
Interview by Prabodh Desai - An excellent source of information with many details about his work
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehta, Taarak
1929 births
2017 deaths
Indian columnists
Gujarati-language writers
Indian humorists
Writers from Ahmedabad
20th-century Indian translators
Translators to Gujarati
Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
Journalists from Gujarat
20th-century Indian journalists
Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature and education