Hargovinddas Kantawala

Rao Bahadur Hargovinddas Dwarkadas Kantawala (16 July 184431 March 1930) was an Indian Gujarati language writer, editor and researcher from British India. He is known for his research and editing works on medieval Gujarati literature. He was the president of the sixth session of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad.

Biography Hargovinddas Kantawala was born on 16 July 1844 in Umreth, a town in Anand district (now Anand) of Gujarat, British India. He started his career as a teacher, and then became headmaster. He later became clerk in a collector's office. He was appointed assistant deputy educational inspector, and then principal of the Teacher's Training College, Rajkot. He worked as the dewan (minister) of the principality of Lunavada State in 1905. In 1912, he started a textile mill.

Kantawala was awarded the title of Rao Bahadur by the government in 1903. He was awarded Sahityamartand by Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Maharaja of Baroda State. and presided over the sixth session of the Parishad. Between 1849 and 1894, he, along with Nathashankar Shastri and Chhotalal Narbheram Bhatt, collected and edited poems of medieval Gujarati poets, and published them in 75 collections. His other poetical work is Vishwa Ni Vichitrata (Strange Things of Universe; 1913).

In addition, he extensively wrote about social problems, social reforms, moral issues, worldly duties, and promotion of indigenous crafts.