Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar
Encyclopedia
Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar (Devanagari
: विष्णु सखाराम खांडेकर) (January 19, 1898 – September 2, 1976) (V. S. Sakharam Khandekar) was an eminent Marathi
writer from Maharashtra
, India
.
, Maharashtra
. His father was a munsif in Sangli principality. In his early life, he was interested in acting in dramas and staged several dramas in his school days.
of the Konkan
region in Maharashtra. He worked in that school until 1938. While working as a teacher, Khandekar produced in his spare time abundant Marathi literature in various forms. In his lifetime, he wrote sixteen novels, six plays, around 250 short stories, 50 allegorical stories, 100 essays, and over 200 critiques.
(Marathi Literary Conference) in Solapur
. In 1968, the Government of India honored him with a Padma Bhushan
award in recognition of his literary accomplishments. Two years later, he was also honored with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
of the Indian Sahitya Akademi
. Shivaji University
at Kolhapur, Maharashtra
conferred on him an honorary degree of D.Litt. In 1998, the Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor.
(1960), and a Jnanpith Award
(1974).
Khandekar's other novels are as follows:
Khandekar wrote the dialogue and screenplay for the Marathi movie Lagna Pahāwe Karoon (1940).
Devanagari
Devanagari |deva]]" and "nāgarī" ), also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
: विष्णु सखाराम खांडेकर) (January 19, 1898 – September 2, 1976) (V. S. Sakharam Khandekar) was an eminent Marathi
Marathi people
The Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages...
writer from Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Early life
Khandekar was born in SangliSangli
Sangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. His father was a munsif in Sangli principality. In his early life, he was interested in acting in dramas and staged several dramas in his school days.
Professional and literary life
In 1920, Khandekar started working as a school teacher in a small town, Shirode, in the present-day Sindhudurg districtSindhudurg district
Sindhudurg is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri District. The district headquarters are located at Oros . The district occupies an area of 5207 km² and has a population of 868,825 of which 9.47% were urban...
of the Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
region in Maharashtra. He worked in that school until 1938. While working as a teacher, Khandekar produced in his spare time abundant Marathi literature in various forms. In his lifetime, he wrote sixteen novels, six plays, around 250 short stories, 50 allegorical stories, 100 essays, and over 200 critiques.
Honors and awards
In 1941, Khandekar was elected as the president of the annual Marathi Sahitya SammelanMarathi Sahitya Sammelan
Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan is a conference for literary discussions by Marathi writers. Though the conference has sometimes been held in a town outside the Indian state of Maharashtra, it is typically held annually in one of the towns in Maharashtra where Marathi is the mother tongue...
(Marathi Literary Conference) in Solapur
Solapur
Solapur is a city in South Western Maharashtra, India governed by municipal corporation.Solapur is one of the four districts that form the region of Western Maharashtra . It is the fourth largest district in Maharashtra in terms of land area and seventh largest in terms of population...
. In 1968, the Government of India honored him with a Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
award in recognition of his literary accomplishments. Two years later, he was also honored with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
The Sahitya Akademi Fellowship is a literary honour in India. Awarded by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, to the "immortals of literature," and limited to twenty one individuals at any given time, it is the highest literary honour conferred by the Government of India...
of the Indian Sahitya Akademi
Sahitya Akademi
The Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
. Shivaji University
Shivaji University
Shivaji University , established in 1962, is located in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The University is named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha Empire. It was inaugurated on 18 November 1962 by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the then President of India. Yashwantrao Chavan and...
at Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
conferred on him an honorary degree of D.Litt. In 1998, the Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor.
Major works
Khandekar's novel Yayāti (ययाति) received three prestigious awards: A Maharashtra State Award (1960), a Sahitya Akademi AwardSahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honor in India which Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of outstanding works in one of the following twenty-four major Indian languagesAssamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri,...
(1960), and a Jnanpith Award
Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
(1974).
Khandekar's other novels are as follows:
- Hrudayāchi Hāk (हृदयाची हाक) (1930)
- Kānchan Mruga (कांचनमृग) (1931)
- Ulkā (उल्का) (1934)
- Don Mane (दोन मने) (1938)
- Hirwā Chāphā (हिरवा चाफ़ा) (1938)
- Don Dhruwa (दोन धृव) (1934)
- Rikāmā Dewhārā (रिकामा देव्हारा) (1939)
- Pahile Prem (पहिले प्रेम) (1940)
- Kraunchawadh (क्रौंचवध) (1942)
- Jalalelā Mohar (जळलेला मोहर) (1947)
- Pāndhare Dhag (पांढरे ढग) (1949)
- Amrutawel (अमृतवेल)
- Sukhāchā Shodh (सुखाचा शोध)
- Ashru (अश्रू))
- Soneri Swapne Bhangaleli (सोनेरी स्वप्ने भंगलेली)
Other works
The following is a partial list of Khandekar's other works:- अभिषेक
- अविनाश
- गोकर्णीची फुले
- ढगाआडचे चांदणे
- दवबिंदू
- नवी स्त्री
- प्रसाद
- मुखवटे
- रानफुले
- विकसन
- क्षितिजस्पर्श
Movies and television serials
Several movies and television serials have been made based on the works of Khandekar. The movies include:- Chhāyā...........[Marathi] (1936)
- Jwālā..............[Marathi and Hindi] (1938)
- Devatā............[Marathi] (1939)
- Amrut..............[Marathi and Hindi] (1941)
- Dharmapatni...[Marathi and Hindi] (1941)
- Pardeshi.........[Marathi]) (1953)
Khandekar wrote the dialogue and screenplay for the Marathi movie Lagna Pahāwe Karoon (1940).
Works in translation
- Yayati by V. S. Khandekar (English), Tr. by Y. P. Kulkarni. Orient Paperbacks. ISBN 8122204287.