Mohammad Valibhai Mankad (13 February 1928 – 5 November 2022) was an Indian Gujarati language novelist, story writer, columnist, translator and children's author.

Biography

Mohammad Valibhai Mankad was born on 13 February 1928 at

Paliyad Pali(y)ad is a town and former 7 guns salute princely state on Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, western India. History The minor princely state in Jhalawar prant A prant is a historical district in India, and a native British Raj age ter ...

village of

Bhavnagar district Bhavnagar District is a Districts of India, district of southeastern Gujarat, India, on the Saurashtra (region), Saurashtra peninsula. It is also known as Gohilwar as a major portion of Bhavnagar district was ruled by Gahlot, Gohil Rajputs. The a ...

, Gujarat, India. He studied for a B. A. and worked as a teacher in highschool at Botad. Later he settled at Surendranagar and took freelance writing. He served as the first chairman of Gujarat Sahitya Akademi from 1982 to 1984. He was a member of Gujarat Public Service Commission from 1984 to 1990. He was also a member of Senate of Gujarat University. He died at Gandhinagar on 5 November 2022, at the age of 94.

Works

Mankad wrote column titled ''Kaleidoscope'' in '' Gujarat Samachar'' for several years. Mankad wrote twenty novels including ''Kayar'' (1956), ''Dhummas'' (1965), ''Ajanya Be Jan'' (1968), ''Grahanratri'', ''Morpichchhna Rang'', ''Vanchita'', ''Manorama'', ''Velana Vadhhu Tan'', ''Matini Chadar'', ''Heerni Ganth'', ''Ek Pag Umbar Bahar'', ''Raatvaaso'', ''Khel'', ''Dantkatha'', ''Mandarvriksh Niche'', two parts of ''Bandha Nagar'' (1986, 1987), ''Zankhana'' (1987), ''Anuttar'' (1988), ''Ashwa Dod'' (1993). His novel ''Velana Vadhhu Tan'' deals with the mental agony of a boy who incidentally finds letters written by his deceased mother to her lover, and who discovers that he is an illegitimate child. It focuses on unconscious and subconscious mind of protagonist. His novel ''Dhummas'' is based on

existential philosophy Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and value ...

. Influenced by psychoanalysis of

Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts in ...

and

Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philo ...

, he has employed various techniques in his novels, normally found in stream of consciousness novels. His short stories collections are ''Matini Murtio'' (1952), ''Man na Marod'' (1961), ''Vat Vat Ma'' (1966), ''Tap'' (1974), ''Zankalna Moti'' and two parts of ''Mohammad Mankad ni Vartao'' (1988). ''Aajni Kshan'', four parts of ''Kaleidoscope'', ''Sukh Etle'' (1984), two parts of ''Aapne Manaso'' and ''Ujaas'' (1990) are his collections of essays. ''Champukathao'' is two part children's stories. Mankad translated ''Mahanagar''. He also authored a book on theoretical understanding of time: The other time. The book provides an account of the time felt by the living beings. A theory presented by him, which gets recognition gradually through the years.

Awards

Mankad was awarded

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 ...

for 2007. He received Gujarati Sahitya Parishad award in 1967 and 1992. He also received Gujarat Government Award in 1969, 1971 and 1973. In 2019, Gujarat Sahitya Akademi awarded him the Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar for the year 2018.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mankad, Mohammad 1928 births 2022 deaths Novelists from Gujarat Indian male novelists Gujarati-language writers People from Bhavnagar district Indian Muslims Gujarati people 20th-century Indian novelists 20th-century Indian short story writers 20th-century Indian essayists Indian male short story writers Indian male essayists Recipients of the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak 20th-century Indian male writers

Biography

Works

Awards

See also

References