Ramnarayan V. Pathak

Ramnarayan Vishwanath Pathak was an Indian Gujarati-language poet, short story writer, essayist and literary critic from India. Profoundly influenced by Gandhian thought, Pathak wrote criticism, poetry, drama, metrics and short stories. He edited and translated several literary works. He was appointed the president of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (Gujarati Literary Council) in 1946. He was awarded the Narmad Suvarna Chandrak for his book Prachin Gujarati Chhando in 1949 and Sahitya Akademi Award for Bruhat Pingal in 1956.

Early life

Ramnarayan Vishwanath Pathak was born on 8 April 1887 in Ganol, a village in Gujarat (now in Dholka Taluka, Ahmedabad district). He completed primary and secondary education from Jetpur, Rajkot, Jamkhambhaliya and Bhavnagar. In 1904, he matriculated and enrolled at Samaldas College, Bhavnagar, receiving scholarship. Then he joined Wilson College, Mumbai (then Bombay), and in 1908 completed a Bachelor of Arts in logic and morale philosophy, for which he received a fellowship.

Career and activism Pathak taught Sanskrit at Wilson College. In 1911, he completed a Bachelor of Laws from Bombay University and worked as a legal advocate in Ahmedabad and Sadra for seven years. Later, when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, he left the legal practice and settled in Sadra in 1919. On invitation by Indulal Yagnik, he briefly worked as the principal of J. L. New English School of Gujarat Kelvani Mandal in 1920. During the non-cooperation movement in 1920, he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi which led him to join Gujarat Vidyapith along with Rasiklal Parikh as a professor in 1921. He taught logic, epistemology and literature there until 1928. During this time, his articles on education and literature were published in magazines Sabarmati, Puratatva, Yugdharma and Gujarat. He left Gujarat Vidyapith and served as an editor of Prasthan, a Gujarati magazine founded in 1926. He participated in different movements led by Gandhi for which he was jailed.

From 1935, he joined SNDT University, Bombay as a professor. He also taught at L. D. Arts College, Ahmedabad; at Bhavan's College and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay; and at the post-graduate department of Gujarat Vidhya Sabha until 1952. He was engaged with teaching and research activities at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, until his death. In 1953, he served as an adviser to Gujarati department of Bombay Radio Station. He served as the president of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (Gujarati Literary Council) in 1946.

Pathak is well known for his Gujarati short stories. His stories are emotionally linked with life.

He published a collection of 68 poems, Sheshna Kavyo (1938), expanded to 73 in a second edition (1951). Visheshna Kavyo, his other collection of poems, was published posthumously in 1959.

He considered criticism as an act of social responsibility. His critical works include Arvachin Kavya Sahityana Vaheno (1935) and Sahityavimarsha (1939). His other critical works include Arvachin Gujarati Kavyasahitya (1933), Kavya Ni Shakti (1939), Aalochana (1944), Narmadashankar Kavi (1936), Narmad: Arvachin Gadya Padya No Aadya Praneta (1945), Sahityalok (1954), Nabhovihar (1961) and Aakalan (1964). He wrote a critical introduction for Sharadsamiksha (1980), and translated stories of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Some of his critical articles are also published in Kavyaparishilan (1965). He co-edited several works with Umashankar Joshi; Kavyatatvavichar (1939), Sahityavichar (1942), Digdarshan (1942), Vicharmadhuri: Part 1 (1946). He also edited annotated edition of Purvalap, Apno Dharma (3rd edition, 1942), Ras Ane Garba (with Govardhan Panchal, 1954), Govindgaman (with Narhari Parikh, for textbook, 1923). He also edited Kavyasammuchchay Part 1-2 (1924) and Kavyaparichay (with Nagindas Parekh, 1928).

He co-translated several works including Mammata Bhatta's Kavyaprakash 1-6 (with Rasiklal Parikh, 1924), Dhammapad (with Dharmanand Kosambi, 1924) and Chumban ane Biji Vartao (as Vama in second edition, with Nagindas Parekh, 1928). His other works include Pramanpraveshika (1922) and Nityano Achar (1945).

Recognition R. V. Pathak Hall of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad is named after him.

Umashankar Joshi honoured him as Sahitya Guru of the Gandhian era and Yashvant Shukla considers him "the highest peak of Gujarati short stories".

He was awarded Motisinhji Mahida Gold Medal in 1943 for his short story Uttar Marg no Lop (1940), Hargovinddas Kantawala Award and Narmad Suvarna Chandrak for Prachin Gujarati Chhando in 1949 and Sahitya Akademi Award for Bruhat Pingal in 1956.