Gurdial Singh

2021-05-04T08:07:27Z

49.156.64.26:

{{For|the schoolmaster and mountaineer|Gurdial Singh (mountaineer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gurdial Singh
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1933|01|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Jaitu]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|8|16|1933|1|10|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Bathinda]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India
| nationality = Indian
| known_for = ''[[Marhi Da Deeva]]'' (1964)
| occupation = {{hlist|Writer|novelist|Coach}}
}}
'''Gurdial Singh Rahi''' (''Gurdi'āl Sigh''; 10 January 1933 – 16 August 2016) was an Indian writer and novelist who wrote in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]].<ref name="ti">{{cite news | url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000318/windows/main1.htm | title=Life's own voice | date=18 March 2000 | agency=''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'' | access-date=8 April 2012 | location=Chandigarh}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=संचयन भाग 2|publisher=[[NCERT]]|isbn=81-7450-665-9|pages=45|language=hi|chapter=लेखक परिचय|chapter-url=http://ncertbooks.prashanthellina.com/class_10.Hindi.SanchayanBhag2/lekhah%20P.pdf}}</ref> He started his literary career in 1957 with a short story, "Bhaganwale."<ref name=ti/><ref name=":0" /> He became known as a novelist when he published the novel ''[[Marhi Da Deeva]]'' in 1964.<ref name="mdd">{{cite book | title=Marhi Da Deeva | publisher=Unistar books Pvt. Ltd. | author=Singh, Gurdial | author-link=Gurdial Singh | year=2005}}</ref> The novel was later adapted into the Punjabi film ''[[Marhi Da Deeva (1989 film)|Marhi Da Deeva]]'' in 1989, directed by Surinder Singh. His novel ''Anhe Ghore Da Daan'' was also made into a [[Anhe Ghore Da Daan|film of the same name]] in 2011 by director [[Gurvinder Singh]].<ref name="HTdeath"/> Singh was honoured with the [[Padma Shri]] in 1998<ref name="Padma Awards"/> and [[Jnanpith Award]] in 1999.<ref name="JP99"/><ref name=":0" />

==Life and work==
===Early life===
Gurdial Singh was born on 10 January 1933 in the village of Bhaini Fateh near [[Jaitu]]<ref name=mdd/> in [[British Punjab]].<ref name=":0" /> His father, Jagat Singh, was a carpenter, and his mother, Nihal Kaur, took care of the household.<ref name=ti/> The young Singh began working as a carpenter at the age of 12 to support his family's poor financial conditions.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=Bajinder>{{cite journal |url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/20000316/ina16001.html |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |title=From a carpenter to a writer, Singh has come a long way |author=Bajinder Pal Singh |year=2000}}</ref> By his own admission, Singh worked 16 hours a day when he took on various jobs such as making wheels for [[bullock cart]]s and [[Sheet metal#Forming processes|metal sheet forming]] for water tanks. Together, he and his father earned {{INRConvert|20}} a day from hard labour.<ref name="ti"/>

In childhood, Singh was interested in painting but gradually he applied himself to a formal education. After successfully persuading Singh's father that his son was worthy of more schooling, Madan Mohan Sharma,<ref name=":0" /> the headmaster of a middle school that Singh attended in Jaito, encouraged the young boy to stick with his studies, even though his father thought it was futile. Singh completed his Matric examination while he worked in various day time jobs. At the age of 14, he married Balwant Kaur. In 1962, he took the job of school teacher in Nandpur Kotra which paid him {{INRConvert|60}} in monthly salary. Meanwhile, Singh continued his own education, went on to receive his B.A. in English and History, and followed that up with a M.A. in 1967.<ref name="ti"/>

===Literary career===
Singh started his literary career in 1957 with a short story, "Bhaganwale", which was published in ''Panj Darya'', a magazine edited by [[Mohan Singh (poet)|Mohan Singh]].<ref name=":0" /> His later stories were published in ''Preetlari'', edited by [[Gurbaksh Singh Preetlari|Gurbaksh Singh]].<ref name=ti/> His major work, ''[[Marhi Da Deeva]]'', established his reputation as a novelist. Singh wrote four different versions of the novel over the course of four years, before he decided to publish the fourth and final one in 1964. The various characters Singh portrayed in the novel were recreations of real-life people woven into a fictitious storyline.<ref name=ti/> It was translated into English by [[Sahitya Akademi]] as ''The Last Flicker''.<ref name="HinduApr00">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/2000/04/16/stories/1316129m.htm | title=In recognition of his characters | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=16 April 2000 | access-date=17 August 2016 | author=Nayar, Rana}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Singh's other notable works included the novels ''Anhoe'' (1966), ''Addh Chanani Raat'' (1972),<ref name=":0" /> ''Anhe Ghore Da Daan'' (1976) and ''Parsa'' (1991); collections of short stories, including ''Saggi Phull'' (1962), ''Kutta Te Aadmi'' (1971), ''Begana Pind'' (1985) and ''Kareer Di Dhingri'' (1991); and autobiographies ''Neean Mattiyan'' (1999) and ''Dojee Dehi'' (2000) published in two parts.<ref name=ti/> The novels ''Addh Chanani Raat'' and ''Parsa'' have been translated into English as ''Night of the Half Moon'' (published by Macmillan) and ''Parsa'' by the [[National Book Trust]], respectively.<ref name="HinduApr00"/>

Singh's favourite works included [[Leo Tolstoy]]'s ''[[Anna Karenina]]'', [[Irving Stone]]'s ''[[Lust for Life (novel)|Lust for Life]]'', [[John Steinbeck]]'s ''[[The Grapes Of Wrath]]'', [[Phanishwar Nath 'Renu'|Phanishwar Nath Renu]]'s ''[[Maila Anchal]]'', [[Prem Chand]]'s ''[[Godaan]]'' and [[Yashpal]]'s ''Divya''.<ref name=ti/>

===Awards and honours===
Singh received various awards over the course of his life, including the [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Punjabi|Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi]] in 1975 for the novel ''Adh Chanani Raat'',<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/awards/akademi%20samman_suchi.jsp#PUNJABI | title=Akademi Awards (1955-2015) - Punjabi | work=Sahitya Akademi | access-date=17 August 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084937/http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/awards/akademi%20samman_suchi.jsp#PUNJABI | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1986,<ref name=":0" /> the Bhai Veer Singh Fiction Award in 1992, the Shiromani Sahitkar Award in 1992,<ref name=ti/> the [[Jnanpith Award]] in 1999<ref name=":0" /> and the [[Padma Shri]] in 1998.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref><ref name=ti/> He shared the Jnanpith Award with Hindi language author [[Nirmal Verma]].<ref name="JP99">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2000/03/11/stories/0211000b.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203083155/http://www.thehindu.com/2000/03/11/stories/0211000b.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2018|title=Nirmal Verma, Gurdial Singh jointly get Jnanpith Award|date=11 March 2000|access-date=17 August 2016|agency=Press Trust of India|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

===Death===
Singh suffered from a [[heart attack]] earlier in 2016 after which he was partially [[Paralysis|paralysed]]. On 13 August 2016 he fell unconscious at his home in Jaitu and was admitted into a private hospital at [[Bathinda]] where he was kept on [[Ventilator|ventilator support]]. He died on 16 August 2016, when he was taken off life support systems, after it was determined that Singh had shown no signs of recovery.<ref name="HTdeath">{{cite web|title=Much-feted Punjabi writer Gurdial Singh passes away at 83 |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/eminent-punjabi-writer-gurdial-singh-passes-away/story-zCOiKXiZmvlfMIdaoMzJUI.html | work=Hindustan Times | date=16 August 2016 | access-date=17 August 2016 }}</ref> He is survived by his wife, Balwant Kaur, a son and two daughters.<ref name="HTObit">{{cite web | url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/gurdial-singh-1924-2016-man-who-gave-punjabi-fiction-its-first-dalit-hero-from-marhi-da-deeva-to-anhe-ghore-da-daan/story-NJOaQKPol917b0ZKb1yaFK.html | title=Gurdial Singh (1924-2016): Man who gave Punjabi fiction its first Dalit hero | work=Hindustan Times | date=16 August 2016 | access-date=17 August 2016 | first=Nirupama|last= Dutt| first2= Navrajdeep | last2= Singh}}</ref>

==Works==
Singh has published various novels, short story collections, plays, children's literature and also an autobiography in two parts.<ref name=ti/>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Literary works of Gurdial Singh
! Year !! Title !! Genre !! Notes
|-
| 1960 || ''Bakalam Khud'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1962 || ''Saggi Phull'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1963 || ''Tuk Kho Laye Kawan'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1964 || ''Chan Da Boota''|| Short stories ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Marhi Da Deeva]]'' || Novel || English translation: ''The Last Flicker''<br> Adapted as film ''[[Marhi Da Deeva (1989 film)|Marhi Da Deeva]]'' (1989)
|-
| 1966 || ''Upra Ghar'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1966 || ''Anhoe'' || Novel ||Adapted as the television show ''Anhoyee'' by [[DD Punjabi]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Anhoyee Part 1|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooQB3o4zHkE|access-date=2021-01-24|website=|publisher=DD Punjabi}}</ref>
|-
| 1967 || ''Rete Di Ikk Mutthi''|| Novel ||
|-
| 1968 || ''Kuwela'' || Novel ||
|-
| 1971 || ''Kutta Te Aadmi''|| Short stories ||
|-
| 1971 || ''Likhtam Baba Khema'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1972 || ''Adh Chanini Raat'' || Novel || English translation: ''Night of the Half-Moon'' (1996)
|-
| 1974 || ''Aathan Uggan'' || Novel ||
|-
| 1976 || ''Anhe Ghore Da Daan'' || Novel || Adapted as film ''[[Anhe Ghore Da Daan]]'' (2011)
|-
| 1982 || ''Pauh Phutale Ton Pehlan'' || Novel ||
|-
| 1982 || ''Masti Bota'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1982 || ''Farida, Ratin Wadian'' || Play ||
|-
| 1982 || ''Vidayagi De Pichhon'' || Play ||
|-
| 1982 || ''Nikki Moti Gal'' || Play ||
|-
| 1984 || ''Rukhe Misse Bande'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1985 || ''Begana Pindh'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1988 || ''Chonvian Kahanian'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1988 || ''Baba Khema'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1989 || ''Gappian Da Pio'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1990 || ''Pakka Tikana'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1990 || ''Mahabharat'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1991 || ''Kareer Di Dhingri'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1992 || ''Meri Pratinidhi Rachna'' || Short stories ||
|-
| 1993 || ''Tin Kadam Dharti'' || Children's literature ||
|-
| 1993 || ''Khate Mithe Lok''|| Children's literature ||
|-
| 1999 || ''Parsa'' || Novel || English translation: ''Parsa'' (1999)
|-
| 1999 || ''Neean Mattiyan'' || Autobiography || Part 1
|-
| 2000 || ''Dojee Dehi'' || Autobiography || Part 2
|-
|} Sapno Ke - Se Din was one of his works, talking about his childhood days and is included in CBSE class 10 Hindi course B.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Jnanpith Award}}
{{SahityaAkademiFellowship}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Gurdial}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Punjabi-language writers]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Jnanpith Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:People from Faridkot district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Gurdial Singh