AHMEDABAD
Gujarati literature woke up to the loss of one of its most eminent contributors on Sunday following the death of Bholabhai Patel, who suffered a heart attack at around 10 in the morning.
Gujarati literature woke up to the loss of one of its most eminent contributors on Sunday following the death of Bholabhai Patel, who suffered a heart attack at around 10 in the morning.
Poet, travel writer and polyglot, Patel wore many hats with élan. But for friends and contemporaries, Patel was a humble human being with a heart of gold.
Patel, who was born on August 7, 1934 in Soja village close to Gandhinagar, was the president of the Gujarat Sahitya Parishad.
He initially worked as a primary teacher and later headed the Hindi department of the Gujarat University. Patel, who was fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese and German, was needless to say a lover of language.
But it was his travelogues that earned him wide-spread popularity across the length and breadth of Gujarat. Patel is also credited with bringing literature from other states to Gujarat, through his translation from Bengali, Assamese and Oriya languages.
"Patel was one of those who strived hard to take Gujarati literature from the classes to the masses. His efforts at translating the work written in other languages was aimed at this," said veteran journalist, Bhikesh Bhatt who had known Patel for many years.
Patel was also known for his literary travelogues in Europe and the US. "He was a nature lover and it reflected in his travelogues.
But what set him apart was his need to explore the literary roots of a place. It would be impossible to imagine Patel visiting a place that had given birth to a known author and not digging out all there was to know about it," said Bhatt.
The 78-year-old, Padma Shri awardee had also done a comparative study in Indian literature after winning a fellowship from the Visva-Bharati University. Patel a winner of the KK Birla Foundation fellowship was also awarded the Ranjit Ram Swarnim Chandra award in 1995, the highest honour in Gujarati literature.
Author of over 52 books, Patel was an expert on the works of Kalidas and Rabindranath Tagore. "Thanks to his translation work, Bholabhai put Gujarat in touch with the literary treasure from the rest of India," said chief secretary of Gujarat Sahitya Parishad, Rajendra Patel.
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and GPCC president Arjun Modhwadia expressed sorrow at the passing away of the literary veteran. Patel is survived by a wife and three children. But for his fans, the author will continue to live through his work.
Ricky Ponting wants Babar Azam to follow Virat Kohli's footsteps for THIS reason
Elon Musk's net worth surges by Rs 2193295096200 in a day after...
Meet India's richest female YouTuber, left teaching job, has Rs 43 crore net worth, now works as...
This fruit is called non-vegetarian, it is...
Meet man who was India's biggest con artist, he sold Taj Mahal, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Red Fort...
Nita Ambani reveals husband Mukesh Ambani follows a strict diet, here's what he eats
'Tu jhuti woh makkar': Influencer accuses 10-year-old of groping her; narrates ordeal in viral video
Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal name their daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal; it means...
After returning as President, what will happen to cases against Donald Trump? Know here
25-year-old turns temple thief, steals ornaments worth Rs 78 lakh for...
Why Mahindra XUV700 is perfect for road trips and off-road adventures
Mahindra Scorpio N: A legacy of toughness with a modern twist
'Capable of loving more women': Kamal Haasan's bold take on marriage and relationships goes viral
How reaction time and speed tests can give gamers a competitive edge
This is world’s most polluted city with AQI of 1165, it’s just 409 kms away from Delhi
Blow to Gautam Adani as his company's shares fell 7% due to...
Pune Porsche crash: Father of teen driver's friend surrenders before court
Geographic and political nature of drug trafficking sea routes to India
Delhi AQI Update: Air quality turns 'severe', AQI reaches...
Mukesh Ambani's SUPERHIT new plan for Jio users, offers 100 GB of free cloud storage for just Rs...
Delhi-Mumbai expressway to slash travel time to 25 minutes: Key stretch to open on...
'Modi govt is committed to building terror-free India': Union Minister Amit Shah
Chhath Puja 2024: What is the importance of bamboo basket in Chhath Puja?
SC to deliver verdict today on plea against NCLAT order transferring Jet Airways to winning bidder
Is it time for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to step down from playing Test cricket?
Chhath Puja 2024: Are banks open or closed today? Check state-wise list here
DNA TV Show: How did Donald Trump win US elections despite his several controversies?
Sunil Mittal's Airtel joins hands with Indian Army, becomes only private company to...
Shah Rukh Khan's Mannat to Amitabh Bachchan's Jalsa: 5 most expensive celebrity homes in India
IPL 2025 auction: 42-year-old England legend registers for first time, his base price is...
Stranger Things season 5 teaser reveals episode titles, release date confirmed as...
Singer Rahul Vaidya buys 3110 sq ft luxury apartment worth Rs 90000000, it is located in...
Nimrat Kaur asks Abhishek Bachchan ‘would you distract Aaradhya’, he praises Aishwarya Rai in reply
JEE Advanced 2025: Candidates now allowed to give 3 attempts, check details inside
Watch: MS Dhoni's video of playing golf with Donald Trump goes viral after US Polls
Viral: Italy's Lake Como's 'fresh air' can being sold for Rs 907, details inside
Ranji Trophy: Jalaj Saxena scripts history, becomes first cricketer to achieve massive feat
Gautam Adani congratulates Donald Trump on winning US elections, says, 'If there is one person...'
Meet Usha Chilukuri, who is set to become first Indian-origin second lady of US, she is wife of...
Delhi NCR: Traffic advisory issued in Ghaziabad ahead of Chhath Puja 2024, check routes to avoid
ICC Test Rankings: Rishabh Pant breaks into top 10; Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma suffer massive loss
NASA's Sunita Williams witnesses 16 sunrises, sunsets daily in space, here’s how
'India will…': Ricky Ponting makes BOLD prediction for Border-Gavaskar Trophy
From DU to Tesla: Meet man who works for Elon Musk, manages his company's...