Phoolchand Gupta

Phoolchand Gupta (born 30 October 1958) is an Indian Hindi and Gujarati language poet, writer and translator. He hails from Himmatnagar, Gujarat, India. He made significant contributions to the Gujarati Dalit literature. Hindi Sahitya Akademi of state awarded him in 2013 for his book Khwabkhwahon Ki Sadi Hai. He won the Shafdar Hashmi Prize for his book Isi Mahol Mein.

Early life Phoolchand Gupta was born to his parents, Jagatnarayan and Savitridevi, on 30 October 1958 at Amraigaon, a village in Rudauli city of Ayodhya district (then Barabanki district) He completed his primary education from Amraigaon Primary School in 1969. In 1970, he came to Ahmedabad and completed his schooling (Old S.S.C.) from Janta Hindi High School, Naroda in 1974. He got his Bachelor of Commerce in 1978 from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Commerce Mahavidyalay, Ahmedabad.

In 1982, he joined H. K. Arts College, Ahmedabad and got his Bachelor of Arts in 1985 in English literature. He did his Master of Arts in 1987 from School of Languages of Gujarat University. In the same year, he did Postgraduate diploma in Journalism from Bhavan's Center, Ahmedabad. Again in 1993, he obtained Master of Arts in Hindi literature from Gujarat University. Under the guidance of Uttambhai Patel, he received a Ph.D. for his dissertation Ikkisvi Sadi Ke Pratham Dashak Ke Hindi Upanyas Me Dalit, Nari Evam Vargiya Chetna in 2013 from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University.

Career Gupta started his career in 1980 as a clerk at a private transport company at Ahmedabad. From 1987 to 1988, he served as a journalist at Young India, a daily. In 1989, he joined Sabargram Vidyapith, Sonasan in Prantij as a professor of English literature.

He started writing poems during his school days. His first poem was published in 1973. Subsequently, his writings were published in Gujarati and Hindi literary magazines including Hans, Samkaleen Bharatiya Sahitya, English Literature, Nirikshak, Navneet Samarpan and Kumar. He started writing in Gujarati after moving to Prantij. Uparwas, Sahvas and Antarvas into Hindi. He also translated Harish Mangalam's Gujarati story collection Talab.

Recognition

Gupta's contributions to the field of Hindi literature have been recognised and he has received many literary awards. He won Shafdar Hashmi Puraskar in 2000 for his book Isi Mahol Me (1997). and in 2015 for Arzoo-e-Phoolchand. He has received Aravali Shikhar Sanman and Antarrashtriya Tathagat Sanman.

Family He married Shakun Gupta in 1982 and they have a daughter, Pallavi, and two sons, Siddhartha and Ruchir. He lives in Himatnagar.