Manilal H. Patel

Manilal Haridas Patel (born 9 November 1949) is a Gujarati poet, essayist, novelist, and literary critic from Gujarat, India. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the 2007 Dhanji Kanji Gandhi Suvarna Chandrak literary medal for his significant contributions to Gujarati literature.

Life Patel was born on 9 November 1949 in the village of Golana Palla near Lunavada (now in the Mahisagar district, Gujarat) to Ambaben and Haridas, an agriculturist. He had five siblings. Patel studied at a school in his village until grade four, and then attended a school in the nearby village of Madhvas. He completed his Secondary School Certificate (S.S.C.) in 1967. He completed a B. A. in Gujarati and English in 1971 and a M. A. in Gujarati and Sanskrit in 1973.

He taught briefly at schools in Vadagam and Madhvas. He taught Gujarati at the Arts and Commerce College, Idar from 1973 to 1987. In 1987, Patel joined the Sardar Patel University in Vallabh Vidyanagar as the Reader of Gujarati and was later promoted to professor and head of the department. He retired in 2012.

Works His poetry is a combination of romanticism and classicism. Lalita (1995), and Anjal (2004). Ratvaso (1993) and Bapano Chhello Kagal (2001), Sadabahar Vartao Chayan (2002) and Sudha Ane Biji Varta (2007) are his story collections. Manilal H. Patelni Vartasrishti (2005) is a collection of his selected stories. Patel has also received the Upendra Pandya Prize, the Kaka Saheb Kalelkar Prize, the Nanabhai Surati prize, the Harilal Desai Prize and the Joseph Macwan Prize.

Personal life He lives in Vallabh Vidyanagar. He married Gopi (born Ganga) in 1972, and they have two sons and a daughter.