Varsha Adalja | |
---|---|
Born |
Mumbai, Bombay Presidency, British India |
April 10, 1940
Occupation | Novelist Playwright Negotiator |
Language | Gujarati |
Nationality | Indian |
Notable works | Ansar |
Notable awards |
Sahitya Academy Award (1995)
Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak (2005) |
Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak (2005)
Varsha Mahendra Adalja, (Gujarati: વર્ષા અડાલજા) is a Gujarati feminist novelist, playwright and negotiator who won the 1995 Sahitya Akademi Award for Gujarati language for her novel Ansar. She is also a dramatist, writing for stage plays, screenplays, and radio.
She was born on 10 April 1940 in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Gunvantrai Acharya, Gujarati novelist, and Nilaben. Her family belonged to Jamnagar. She completed B.A. in Gujarati and Sanskrit from Mumbai University in 1960. Later she completed M.A. in Sociology in 1962. She studied drama at National School of Drama, Delhi under scholarship. She worked as a spokesperson of Akashvani, Mumbai from 1961 to 1964. She married Mahendra Adalja in 1965. She started writing in 1966. Her sister Ila Arab Mehta is also novelist.
Varsha Adalja started her literary career as an editor of Sudha, a women's weekly from 1973–1976, and later with Gujarati Femina, another women's magazine from 1989–90. She hold an executive office with Gujarati Sahitya Parishad since 1978. She has explored lepers’ colonies, prison life and has worked among adivasis.
She has penned 40 books including 22 novels and seven volumes of short stories.Shravan Tara Saravada (1968) and Timirna Padchhaya (1969) are her initial novels, followed by Ek Palni Parakh (1969). Panch ne ek Panch (1969), Avajno Akar (1975), Chhevatnu Chhevat (1976), Pachha Farata (1991) and Pagala (1983) are her suspense novels. Neelima Mrutyu Pami Chhe (1977) is social as well as suspense novel. Atash (1976) is a novel on violence in Vietnam. Her Bandivan (1986) is about corruption in jails. Her other novels are Ganth Chuutyani Vela (1980), Mrityudand (1996), Matinu Ghar (1991), Shag Re Shakoru (2004), Paratham Pagalu Mandiyu (2008) and Pagalu Mandu Hu Avkashma (2005). Her other novellas are Mare Pan Ek Ghar Hoy (1971), Retpankhi (1974) and Khari Padelo Tahuko (1983). Khari Padelo Tahuko also includes another novella Ek Karagar in its book.Ansar (1992) is her most celebrated novel on lepers.