Vinesh Antani is Gujarati novelist, short story writer and essayist from
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the 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 fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, India.
Life
Vinesh Dinkarrai Antani was born on 27 June 1946 at Navavas near
Mandvi
Mandvi is a Beach town with municipality in the Kutch district in the States and territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao (king) of the Cutch State. The old city was enc ...
(in
Kutch district, Gujarat) India. His father was primary school teacher and his mother was interested in literature. He completed his secondary school from
Nakhatrana
Nakhatrana () is a panchayat village and headquarters for a taluka in the middle of Kutch, Gujarat, in India.
Nakhatrana got its name from a very famous tale when Paliwal Bramhins from Pali migrated to Kutch, the then ruler gifted greenest p ...
and SSC in 1962. He completed Bachelor of Arts in Gujarati-Hindi from
Bhuj
Bhuj () is a Municipality and District Headquarters of Kutch District in the state of Gujarat, India.
Etymology
According to legend, Kutch was ruled by the Nāga chieftains in the past. Sagai, a queen of Sheshapattana, who was married to Kin ...
in 1967 and Master of Arts in Gujarati-Sanskrit in 1969. He taught Gujarati at Commerce College of Bhuj for five years. In 1975, he joined
Akashvani as a Programme Director and voluntarily retired as Station Director. Later he edited Gujarati edition of ''
India Today
''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' launched a new onl ...
'' magazine.
Works
He has written several novels including ''Nagarvasi'' (નગરવાસી, 1974), ''Ekantdvip'' (એકાંતદ્વીપ, 1975), ''Palashvan'' (પલાશવન, 1979), ''Priyajan'' (પ્રિયજન, 1980), ''Asopalav (Ane Chotha Male Piplo)'' (આસોપાલવ (અને ચોથા માળે પીપળો), 1980), ''Anurav'' (અનુરવ, 1983), ''Biju Koi Nathi'' (બીજું કોઈ નથી, 1983), ''Soorajni Par Dariyo'' (સુરજની પાર દરિયો, 1984), ''Jivanlal Kathamala'' (જીવણલાલ કથામાળા, 1986), ''Fans'' (ફાંસ, 1987), ''Kaflo'' (કાફલો, 1988), ''Sarpadansh'' (સર્પદંશ, 1989), ''Nirvansh'' (નર્વંશ, 1990), ''Patalgadh'' (પાતાળગઢ, 1992), ''Luptanadi'' (લુપ્તનદી, 1993), ''Anhi Sudhinu Akash'' (અહીં સુધીનું આકાશ), ''Sarovar'', ''Dhundhabhari Khin'' (ધૂન્ધભરી ખીણ, 1996), ''Dhaad'' (ધાડ, 2003), ''Antargat'' (અંતર્ગત, 2002), ''Sarovar (ane Farm House)'' (સરોવર (અને ફાર્મ હાઉસ)) and ''Ame Ajanya'' (અમેં અજાણ્યાં, 2006), ''Bije Kyank'' (બીજે ક્યાંક), ''Jindgi Aakhi'' (જિંદગી આખી), ''Ketan Ane Sulabhani Premkatha'' (કેતન અને સુલભાની પ્રેમકથા).
His ''Dhundhabhari Khin'' described people living amid political disturbances in Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
. His novels are translated in Hindi as ''Nagarvasi'', ''Kafila'' and ''Dhundhbhari Vadi'' and in Odia
Odia, also spelled Oriya or Odiya, may refer to:
* Odia people in Odisha, India
* Odia language, an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family
* Odia alphabet, a writing system used for the Odia languag ...
as ''Dhumrabha Upatyaka''.
Antani has started his career with short stories. ''Holarav'' (1983), ''Ranzanavu'' (1989), ''Ahin Koi Rahetun Nathi'', ''Pachha Valvu'' and ''Tane Khabar Nathi, Niru'' (2008) are his collections of short stories. ''Potpotano Varsad'' (1992), ''Tya Maru Ghar Hatu'' (2004), ''Atmani Nadina Kanthe'' and ''Dhumadani Jem'' are his collections of essays. His essays under ''Doobaki'' series include ''Doobki'', ''Marjeeva'', ''Koik Smit'', ''Sugandh ane Smriti'', ''Saat Secondnu Ajavalu'', ''Soneri Bund''. He edited ''Gujarati Navalikachayan: 1994-95'' (on short stories), ''2005 ni Shreshth Vaartao'' (Best Stories of 2005) and ''Gamvato'' (Essays of Manilal H. Patel
Manilal Haridas Patel (born 9 November 1949) is a Gujarati poet, essayist, novelist, and literary critic from Gujarat, India. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the 2007 Dhanji Kanji Gandhi Suvarna Chandrak literary medal for his ...
).
He translated Hindi author Nirmal Verma
Nirmal Verma (3 April 192925 October 2005) was a Hindi writer, novelist, activist and translator. He is credited as being one of the pioneers of the ''Nai Kahani'' (New Story) literary movement of Hindi literature, wherein his first collection ...
's works as ''Ek Chinthru Sukh'' (1997) and ''Kagado ane Chhutkaro''. He also translated Erich Segal
Erich Wolf Segal (June 16, 1937January 17, 2010) was an American author, screenwriter, educator, and classicist who wrote the bestselling novel '' Love Story'' (1970) and its hit film adaptation.
Early life and education
Born and raised in a ...
's '' Love Story'' in Gujarati.
He has written radio plays, ''Leela Vansno Tahuko'' and ''Malipa''. He translated Hindi playwright Mani Madhukar's play as ''Andhrei Nagari'' in Gujarati. His absurd play ''Himmatlal Himmatlal'' is also performed for audience.
Awards
He was awarded Dhanji Kanji Gandhi Suvarna Chandrak
Dhanji Kanji Gandhi Suvarna Chandrak also known as Dhanji Kanji Gandhi Gold Medal, is a literary honour in Gujarat, India given by Gujarat Sahitya Sabha. Established in 1983, the award is conferred annually on the most outstanding literate for his ...
(1993) and K. M. Munshi Suvarna Chandrak. His works have received prizes of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
Gujarati Sahitya Parishad () is a literary organisation for the promotion of Gujarati literature located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It was founded by Ranjitram Mehta with the aim of creating literature appealing to all classes of society an ...
and Gujarat Sahitya Akademi. He received Sahitya Akademi Award
The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...
for Gujarati writers in 2000 for his work ''Dhundhabhari Khin''.
References
External links
Vinesh Antani on Google Books
Interview in Gujarati on WebGurjari
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antani, Vinesh
1946 births
Living people
Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Gujarati
People from Mandvi
20th-century Indian novelists
20th-century Indian translators
20th-century Indian short story writers
20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights
Writers from Gujarat
Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Prize for Translation