Mafat Oza

Mafat Jivram Oza was a Gujarati poet, novelist, short story writer, literary critic, and editor from Gujarat, India. In addition to his own literary output, he founded a literary organisation, a publication house, and Tadarthya, a literary magazine.

Life Mafat Oza was born on 1 March 1944 in Jamla village (now part of Mehsana district, Gujarat). He completed his primary education in Jamla and secondary education in Soja village, Mehsana district. He obtained his S.S.C. in 1962 and a B. A. in Gujarati and Hindi in 1967 followed by a M. A. in Gujarati and Sanskrit in 1969 from the Gujarat University. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1977 for his thesis Swatantryottar Gujarati Kavita (Post-independence Gujarati Poetry) from the Saraspur Arts and Commerce College, Ahmedabad.

He worked as a primary teacher on the Ahmedabad School Board for five years starting some time in 1963–64. He later served as the professor of Gujarati in the Saraspur Arts College from 1969 to 1978, after which he accepted a professorship with the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and, in 1983, the School of Languages, Gujarat University.

Oza also published works on poetry, such as Kavyanu Shilp, as well as books on authors and literary genres. One notable work is Sundaram - Sarjak Pratibha (1991) which was written about Sundaram. He also published special issues of his magazine Tadarthya in book form. In 1980, he published his thesis Svatantryottar Gujarati Kavita. He edited Prayogshil Gujarati Tunki Varta (1986) and Ekoktisanchay (1986) as well as co-edited Dhumketuni Bhavshrishti (1973) and Shabdayog (1984).