Chinu Modi

Chinu Modi (Gujarati: ચિનુ મોદી ), (30 September 1939 – 19 March 2017), also known by his pen name Irshad (Gujarati: ઈર્શાદ), was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short story writer and critic from Gujarat, India. Educated in languages, he taught at various institutions and established himself as a poet and author. He was a recipient of several awards including Sahitya Akademi Award, Vali Gujarati Award and Narsinh Mehta Award.[1]

Chinu Modi
At Ahmedabad, 1999
Native name
ચિનુ ચંદુલાલ મોદી
BornChinu Chandulal Modi
(1939-09-30)30 September 1939
Vijapur, Gujarat
Died19 March 2017(2017-03-19) (aged 77)
Ahmedabad
Pen nameIrshad
Occupationpoet, novelist, short story writer, critic
LanguageGujarati, Urdu
NationalityIndian
Education
  • Master of Arts
  • Ph.D
Alma mater
Periodpostmodern Gujarati literature
Literary movement
  • Hotel poets group
  • 'Re' Math
Notable works
Notable awardsUshanas Prize
1982-1983
Narsinh Mehta Award
2008
Vali Gujarati Gazal Award
2010
Sahitya Akademi Award
2013
Signature

Life

Early life
Young Chinu Modi

Modi was born in Vijapur on 30 September 1939 to Chandulal and Shashikantaben. His family belonged to Kadi.[2] He completed his primary education in Vijapur and secondary education from Sheth Hasanali High School in Dholka near Ahmedabad. He completed his matriculation in 1954.[3][4]

He completed a B.A. in Gujarati and History in 1958 from St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, an LL.B. in 1960 from Sir L.A. Shah Law College in Ahmedabad, and an M.A. in Gujarati and Hindi subjects in 1961 from Gujarat University. He earned a Ph.D. in 1968 from Gujarat Vidyapith for his research Gujarati Bhashama Khandakavya (narrative poetry in Gujarati language). His guide for Ph.D. was Mohanbhai Shankharbhai Patel.[3][4]

Career
At Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 1995

He joined H. A. Arts College in Ahmedabad and worked from 1961 to 1963. He taught at colleges in Talod and Kapadvanj later. In 1965, he joined Swaminarayan Arts College in Ahmedabad and taught until 1975. He served as a scriptwriter at Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad from 1975 to 1977. In 1977–1978, he worked with Mansa College and Sabarmati Arts College. He joined L. D. Arts College in 1978 as a part-time professor. In 1994, he joined School of Languages, Gujarat University as a Reader and retired in 2001. He had also served as Dean-in-charge of Department of Journalism, M. S. University, Baroda from 1992 to 1994. He worked as a freelancer in field of advertising for few years.[3][4]

He was a chairman of Kriti Film Cooperative Society from 1979 to his death. He was awarded Writer Fellowship from Department of Culture, New Delhi in 1979.[4]

Death

He suffered from acute breathlessness. After a heart attack on 16 March 2017, he was admitted to HGC hospital located at Mithakhali, Ahmedabad as he was suffering from multiple organ failure.[5] On 19 March 2017, he returned to his home at Paldi, Ahmedabad where he died in the evening.[6] His body was donated to NHL Medical College as per his wish.[7]

Works

“Aapna Sambandh Na Itihasno Aa Saar Chhe,
Pani Ni Samjan Nathi Ne Vahan No Aakar Chhe.”

(This the conclusion derived from the history of our relationship,
That its shape is of boat and we have no clue about the water).

Chinu Modi[8]

Modi was a pioneering poet and also an acclaimed playwright, critic, fiction writer and translator. His works are translated into English, Hindi and other Indian languages and his plays are staged several times.[9]

He had written both metrical and non-metrical form of poetry. His main contribution was in ghazal poetry. Along with ghazals, he had written in various genres; geet, sonnet, free verse and Khandakavya (long narrative poem).[4]

He started writing poetry in 1955.[4] Vyatan (1963) was his small and first poetry collection. His other poetry collections which consist of metrical and nonmetrical poems are Urnanabh (1974), Shapit Vanma (1976), Deshvato (1978), Kshano Na Mahelma, Darpan Ni Galima (1975), Irshadgadh (1979), Afawa (1991), Inayat (1996) and Nakashanagar (2001), Vi-nayak (1996), Ae (1999), Saiyar (2000), Shwetsamudro (2001), Gatibhas (2012), Agha Pachha Shwas (2007) and Khara Zaran. Bahuk (1982), based on Nalakhyan of Mahabharata, is a long narrative poem written by him. Kalakhyan (2003) is also long narrative poem composed in the Akhyana-style.[4][10] His all muktak poetry, a subgenre of ghazal poetry, was published as A-mrut Muktako in 2016.[11]

Modi is noted in Gujarati literature for his experimental plays. Dayal Na Pankhi (1967) is his first collection of one-act plays composed in a verse form and absurd style, followed by Callbell (1973), Hukam Malik (1984), Jalaka (1985), Ashwamedh (1986), Raja Midas (1992). Jalaka centred around the Jalaka, a character from the Ramanbhai Nilkanth's Raino Parvat while Ashwamedh deals with extreme lust of woman and her sexual interaction with Horse.[1] His other plays are Navalsha Heerji (1995), Khalifano Vesh Yani Aurangzeb (1993), Naishadhray (1996), Shukdan (2000), Memory Lane (2008), Matsyavedh (2006), Dholido (2008), Buddhidhan (2008), Natyavali (2014).[4][12] His Shukdan is a Gujarati adaptation of Edmond Rostand's French tragi-comedy Cyrano de Bergerac and it is directed by Chintan Pandya.[13]

Modi debuted in novel with Shaila Majmudar (1966; an autobiographical novel), followed by Bhaav-Abhaav (1969), Bhavchakra (1975), Leela Naag (1971), Hang Over (1985), and Pahela Varsad No Chhanto (1987), Kalo Angrej (1992), Manas Howani Mane Cheed (1996), Pichho (2004), Lisoto (2000), Daheshat (2004), Chukado (2004), Padchhayana Manas (2008), Nindrachar (2008).[1][4]

Dabi Muththi Jamani Muththi (1986) and Chhalang (1997) are his collections of short stories.[1][4]

Mara Samkalin Kavio (1973) and its expanded edition Be Dayaka: Char Kavio (1974) are a criticism of poetry of Manilal Desai, Ravji Patel, Labhshankar Thakar and Manhar Modi. His thesis Khandkavya-Swaroop ane Vikas (1974), Krishnalal Shridharani (1979) and Madhyakalin Gujarati Kavitanu Mulyankan (2008) are his other works. He edited Chandravadan Mehta's selected poetry in Chadho Re Shikhar Raja Ramna (1975). He also edited ghazal collections, Gami Te Gazal (1976) and Gujarati Pratinidhi Gazalo (1996). He had translated Vasantavilas, a medieval Gujarati fagu.[1][4] He co-edited Madhya Yugin Urmikavyo (1998), a compilation of medieval Gujarati poems, with Chimanlal Trivedi.[14]

Jalsa Avtar (2014) is his memoir.[12]

He started Hotel Poetry Club, also known as, Hotel Poets Group, where he used to encourage young friends to read, write and to critique.[15]

Awards
at Sahitya Akademi Award ceremony with Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, New Delhi, 2013

Modi won the Ushnas Prize (1982–1983) for his book Bahuk. He received the Kalapi Award in 2000, the Narsinh Mehta Award in 2008 and the Vali Gujarati Award in 2010. He was awarded the Teansmedia Award in 2004. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Gujarati writers in 2013 for his gazal collection Khara Zaran.[4][16][17]

Personal life
Poet Chinu Modi with his wife Hansa

He married Hansa on 21 June 1958 who predeceased him on 2 March 1989. They had a daughter, Nimisha Bhatt, and two sons, Ingit Modi and Utpal Modi.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Modi Chinu Chandulal". Gujarati Sahitya Kosh (Encyclopedia of Gujarati Literature). 2. Ahmedabad: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. 1990.
  2. "Ahmedabad's art fraternity under one roof to celebrate Chinu Modi's 75th b'day". DNA News. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  3. "Chinu Modi" (in Gujarati). Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  4. Brahmabhatt, Prasad (2010). અર્વાચીન ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યનો ઈતિહાસ - આધુનિક અને અનુઆધુનિક યુગ (History of Modern Gujarati Literature – Modern and Postmodern Era) (in Gujarati). Ahmedabad: Parshwa Publication. pp. 95–98. ISBN 978-93-5108-247-7.
  5. "Noted Gujarati poet Chinu Modi critical". The Times of India. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  6. "PM Narendra Modi mourns death of Gujarati language poet Chinu Modi". The Financial Express. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  7. "Renown Gujarati poet Chinu Modi passes away". DeshGujarat News from Gujarat. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  8. "આપણાં સંબંધના ઇતિહાસનો આ સાર છે - ચિનુ મોદી". ગુજરાતી લિટરેચર (in Gujarati). Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  9. "Eminent Gujarati poet Chinu Modi chosen for Sahitya Akademi award". NetIndian. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  10. Trivedi, Dr. Ramesh M. (2015). Arvachin Gujarati Sahityano Itihas (History of Modern Gujarati Literature). Ahmedabad: Adarsh Prakashan. p. 351. ISBN 978-93-82593-88-1.
  11. "ચિનુ મોદીના 'અ-મૃત મુક્તકો'નું લોકાર્પણ". Navgujarat Samay (in Gujarati). 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  12. "'Memory lane' brought the light of other days around". DNA News Syndication. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  13. "Theatre: "Shukdan" by Chinu Modi, Directed by Chintan Pandya". Alliance Française Ahmedabad. 23 March 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  14. D. S. Rao (1 January 2004). Five Decades: The National Academy of Letters, India : a Short History of Sahitya Akademi. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 50. ISBN 978-81-260-2060-7. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  15. "Poet Chinu Modi passes away". The Times of India. 29 July 1973. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  16. "Gujarati poet Chinu Modi gets Sahitya Akademi Award". The Times of India. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  17. "Chinu Modi to get Sahitya Akademi award". DeshGujarat. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.