Saumya Joshi
| Saumya Joshi | |
|---|---|
 Saumya Joshi at Town Hall, Ahmedabad on 15 May 2012 | |
| Native name | સૌમ્ય જયંતભાઇ જોશી |
| Born |
Saumya Jayantbhai Joshi July 3, 1973 Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Occupation | poet, writer, playwright, director, actor |
| Language | Gujarati |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Master of Arts |
| Alma mater | Gujarat University |
| Genres | Drama, Ghazal, Free verse, Geet |
| Notable works |
|
| Notable awards |
|
| Years active | 1991 - present |
| Relatives | Abhijat Joshi (elder brother) |
Saumya Joshi (Gujarati: સૌમ્ય જોશી) is a Gujarati language poet, writer, playwright, director and actor from Gujarat, India. He is known in Gujarati theatre for his plays Welcome Zindagi and 102 Not out. Greenroomma (2008; In the Greeroom) is the collection of poems written by him. He was awarded by Chandravadan Chimanlal Mehta Award for his contribution to Gujarati theatre in 2013. He is also a recipient of the Yuva Gaurav Puraskar (2007) and Takhtasinh Parmar Prize (2008-09).[1]
Early life
Joshi was born on 3 July 1973 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat to Jayant Joshi and Neela Joshi. He took his primary education from Vijaynagar High School, Ahmedabad in 1987. He completed his Std. 12 from Vidyanagar High School, Ahmedabad in 1990. He got his Bachelor of Arts from H.K Arts College, Ahmedabad in 1993 and Master of Arts from School of Languages of Gujarat University in 1995 with English literature as one of his subjects.[2]
Career
After completing his Master of Arts from H.K Arts College in 1995, Joshi started his career as a Professor of English literature in same college and year. In 2010, he founded the Fade-In Theatre with young stage buffs. He quit his job as a professor in September 2011 to pursue theatre full-time.
Joshi started to write poems at the age of 18. It is Kavilok where his first poem got published. Subsequently, his poems published in Other Gujarati magazines including Shabdasrishti, Kavita, Shabdalay, Navneet Samarpan, and Kumar. He debuted in Gujarati theatre with his play Rami Lo Ne Yaar!. [2][1][3]
Works
Poetry
Greenroomma (In the Greenroom), his only collection of poems, was published in 2008. His poems have composed in different genres of poetry such as Ghazal, Nazm, Geet and Free verse and on different subjects such as Sex Worker, the Rana deserted by Meera, the boy at the shivakashi fireworks factory, a bharvad named Jetho, the poor little sister, a labourer finding respite from the scorching sun beneath the gunny bag which he heaves. The book was critically acclaimed by several Gujarati language writers.[1]
Play
He debuted in Gujarati theatre with his play Rami Lo Ne Yaar!. He got critically acclaimed for his play Dost Chokkas Ahin Ek Nagar Vastu Hatu, a musical black comedy based on 2002 Gujarat riots. This play prompted The Week magazine to name Joshi as one of the 50 rising stars of India in 2003. Soon after, his play Aathma Taaru Nu Aakash became the first play from Gujarat to be selected for the prestigious Prithvi Theatre Festival in Mumbai in 2005. His other milestone works in Gujarati theatre are Welcome Zindagi and 102 Not out. 102 Not out is about a 102-year-old father who wants to break the world record of a Chinese man who has lived for 120 years. His other plays includes Munjaro, Mahatma Bomb, Tu Tu Tu Tu Tu Tara and Dharo Ke Tame Manji Cho.[3]
Recognition
Joshi won Yuva Gaurav Puraskar (2007) and Takhtasinh Parmar Prize (2008-09) for his contribution in Gujarati literature. He received Chandravadan Chimanlal Mehta Award, named after renowned Gujarati dramatist Chandravadan Mehta, in 2013 for his contribution in Gujarati theatre. He is also a recipient of the Ravji Patel Award, Balvantray Thakor Prize and Sadbhavna Award (2014).[4]
References
- 1 2 3 "A poet's stagecraft". The Times of India. 2013-04-07. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- 1 2 "સૌમ્ય જોશી". મોરપીંછ (in Gujarati). 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- 1 2 "An all-new state". Livemint. 2011-11-11. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ↑ Shukla, Kirit (2015). Gujarati Sahityakar Parichaykosh. Ahmedabad: Gujarat Sahitya Akademi. p. 130. ISBN 9789383317028.