Veteran Gujarati poet, litterateur Niranjan Bhagat passes away

February 01, 2018
Ahmedabad Gujarat

Ahmdabad: Veteran Gujarati litterateur and poet Niranjan Bhagat passed away today at the age of 91. Bhagat had suffered brain stroke during Gujarati Sahitya Parishad’s meeting to discuss boycott of Gujarati Sahitya Academy events. He was later taken to nearby HCG hospital.

Born on 18 May 1926 in Ahmedabad, Bhagat saheb left study during 1942 Quit India agitation. Later he he had college education in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. He worked as professor of English in various arts colleges of Ahmedabad and later joined Sandesh newspaper as editor of literature section. He was also editor of ‘Granth’ monthly and ‘Sahitya’ trimonthly magazine.

He was awarded Kumar gold medal, Narmad medal, Ranjitram medal, Pramchan gold medal, Sahitya academy award, Sachidanand sanman, Narsih Mehta award and many other awards.

1926 Born 18 May at Ahmedabad
1943 First Poem ‘Sonalu’ Composed
1944 First Poem ‘Jagruti ‘ Published in ‘Kumar’
1946 Read English Literature for B.A. Degree at Elphinstone College, Mumbai for two years.
1949 First collection of poems ‘Chhandolaya’ Published in ‘Kumar’ during the year
1950 Second collection of poems ‘Kinnari’ published.
Obtained an M.A. in English Literature, University of Bombay
Appointed Lecturer in English, L.D. Arts College, Ahmedabad.
1953 Joined G.L.S. Arts College, Ahmedabad
1954 Third collection poems ‘Alpaviram’ published
1956 Joined B.D. Arts College, Ahmedabad.
Edited ‘Sahitya Sadhana’ – a weekly literary column in a local daily for two years.
1957 Fourth collection of poems ‘Chhandolaya’ (Selected poems from previous collections with addition of ‘Pravaldveep’, a group of sixteen poems on Mumbai) published.
Awarded ‘Narmad Suvarna Chandrak’
1958 Fifth collection of poems ‘ 33 Kavyo’ published Rejoind G.L.S. Arts College, Ahmedabad
1961 Translated ‘Chitrangada’ from Bengali into Gujarati.
1963 Translated ‘Svapanavasavadattam’ from Sanakrit into English
1969 Awarded ‘Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak’
1972 Critical essay ‘Adhunik Kavita’ published
1974 Sixth collection of poems ‘Chhandolaya’ (Collected) published
1975 Joined St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
Critical Essay ‘Yantravignan ane Mntrakavita’ published
1976 President, Sahitya Section, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad at Porbandar.
1977 Edited ‘Granth’, a monthly magazine of reviews for one year.
1978 Member, General Council, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi for five years
Edited ‘Sahitya’ a literaty quarterly for two years.
1980 Translated ‘The Book of Job’ from the Bible into Gujarati
1982 First visited England, France, Italy, Greece
Critical essay ‘Mira’ published
1985 Invited to U.S.A. by Gujarati Sahitya Akademi of North America for poetry reading and lectures in several cities across the country.
1986 Retired from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
1992 Translated 8 poems of St.John of the cross from Spanish into Gujarati
1994 Honoured as ‘Murdhanya Sahityakar’ by Gujarat Sahitya Akademi
1997 Critical essays ‘Svadhyaylok’ in eight volumes published
Elected President, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
1998 Awarded ‘Premanand Suvarna Chandrak’
1999 Awarded ‘Puraskar’ for ‘Svadhyaylok-volumes 5 and 6’ by Gujarat Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi
2000 Honoured with ‘Sachchidanand Sanman’ by Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
2001 Awarded ‘Narsinh Mehta Award’
2004 Critical essays ‘Sahityacharya’ published
2007 Seventh Collection of Poetry ‘Punashcha’ published

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