Bhogilal Gandhi

Indian writer and freedom fighter

scholar
poet
critic
translator
freedom fighter

LanguageGujaratiNationalityIndianAlma materGujarat Vidyapith

Bhogilal Chunilal Gandhi (26 January 1911 – 10 June 2001) was an Indian scholar, poet, critic, translator, and independence activist from Gujarat, India. He edited Vishvamanav, a Gujarati-language literary-socio-political journal. He wrote biographies of several writers and political figures including Leo Tolstoy, Joseph Stalin, C. Rajagopalachari, Subhas Chandra Bose, Romain Rolland, Durgaram Mehta, and Narmad. He translated many works into Gujarati from English and Bengali languages. In his early years, he came under the influence of Communism, and became an active member of Communist Party of India.

Biography

Bhogilal Gandhi was born on 26 January 1911 in Modasa, a town in Gujarat, India.^[1] He passed his matriculation exam in 1926 from Bharuch. He graduated from Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad.^[2]^[3]

He came under influence of Communism in his early life, and became an active member of Communist Party of India, along with his wife Subhadra Gandhi.^[1] He was arrested several times between 1928 and 1951 due to his involvement in political activities.^[2] He died on 10 June 2001 in Vadodara, Gujarat.^[4]

Works

Gandhi's pen name was Upvasi.^[1] Sadhana, a collection of his poems, was published in 1943 with the preface by Umashankar Joshi. The poems of Sadhana are divided into three sections namely Pranaya (love), Jhankhana (longing), and Sadhana (meditation). He published his literary criticism and book reviews in Mitakshar (In Brief; 1970).^[2] He published two short story collections, Parajit Prem (1957) and Lata (1967).^[4]

Gandhi translated several works from English and Bengali languages.^[3] He translated Maxim Gorky's Mother into Gujarati.^[1]

He wrote biographies of Leo Tolstoy as Leo Tolstoy : Jivansangram, Joseph Stalin as Yugpurush Stalin, C. Rajagopalachari as Rajagopalachari, Subhas Chandra Bose as Shubhashchandra, Romain Rolland as Mahamanav Romain Rolland, Durgaram Mehta as Aadya Sudharak Mahetaji Durgaram, and Narmad as Narmad: Navyug no Prahari.^[3]

A memorial volume for Gandhi, Bhogilal Gandhi Janmashatabdi Grantha, was published on his birth centenary in 2011, edited by Prakash N. Shah, Raman Soni, and Rajendra Patel.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Dutt, K.C. (1999). Who's Who of Indian Writers, 1999: A-M. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 369. ISBN 978-81-260-0873-5. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Datta, Amaresh, ed. (1988). "Gandhi, Bhogilal Chunilal". Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 1345. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Shah, Prakash N. (August 2017). "ભોગીલાલ ચુનીલાલ ગાંધી 'ઉપવાસી'". In Dave, Ramesh R. (ed.). Gujarātī Sāhityano Itihāsa Gāndhīyugīna-anugāndhīyugīna Gadyasarjako : 1985thī 1935 ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યનો ઇતિહાસ (૧૮૯૫થી ૧૯૩૫) : ગાંધીયુગીન-અનુગાંધીયુગીન ગદ્યસર્જકો [History of Gujarati Literature (1895 to 1935) : Prose Writers of Gandhian Era and Post-Gandhan Era] (in Gujarati). Vol. 6 (3rd ed.). Ahmedabad: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. pp. 445–455. OCLC 52268627.
^ ^a ^b Shah, Prakash N. (January 2010). "ગાંધી, ભોગીલાલ ચુનીલાલ 'ઉપવાસી'". Gujarati Vishwakosh (in Gujarati). Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
^ "ભોગીલાલ ગાંધી જન્મ શતાબ્દી ગ્રંથ : પુસ્તક પરિચય". Opinion Magazine (in Gujarati). 13 January 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.