Saumya Joshi

Saumya Joshi (born 3 July 1973) is an Indian poet, writer, playwright, director and actor associated with Gujarati language literature, theatre and films. He is known in Gujarati theatre for his plays Welcome Zindagi and 102 Not Out. Greenroomma (2008; In the Greenroom) is his collection of poems. He has been awarded by Chandravadan Chimanlal Mehta Award for his contribution to Gujarati theatre in 2013. He is also recipient of the Yuva Gaurav Puraskar and Takhtasinh Parmar Prize (2008–09).

Early life

Joshi was born on 3 July 1973 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat to Jayant Joshi and Neela Joshi. He completed his primary and secondary education from Vijaynagar High School, Ahmedabad in 1990. He completed his Bachelor of Arts from H. K. Arts College, Ahmedabad in 1993 and Master of Arts from School of Languages of Gujarat University in 1995 with English literature as one of his subjects.

Career

Joshi started his career as a Professor of English literature in his alma mater H. K. Arts College in 1995. In 2010, he founded the Fade-In Theatre with other young theatre people. He left his job as a professor in September 2011 to pursue the theatre.

Joshi started to write poems at the age of 18. His first poem was published in Kavilok. Subsequently, his poems were published in other Gujarati magazines including Shabdasrishti, Kavita, Shabdalay, Navneet Samarpan, and Kumar. He debuted in Gujarati theatre with his play Rami Lo Ne Yaar!.

Works Poetry Greenroomma (In the Greenroom), his only collection of poems, was published in 2008. His poems are in different genres of poetry such as Ghazal, Nazm, Geet and Free verse and on different subjects such as Sex Worker, the Rana deserted by Meera, the boy at the Sivakasi fireworks factory, a shepherd named Jetho, the poor little sister, a labourer finding respite from the scorching sun beneath the gunny bag which he heaves. The book was critically acclaimed. He also wrote dialogues and lyrics for 2018 Gujarati language film Hellaro.

Recognition Joshi won Yuva Gaurav Puraskar (2007) and Takhtasinh Parmar Prize (2008-09) for his contribution in Gujarati literature. He received Chandravadan Chimanlal Mehta Award, named after renowned Gujarati dramatist Chandravadan Mehta, in 2013 for his contribution in Gujarati theatre. He is also a recipient of the Ravji Patel Award, Balvantray Thakor Prize and Sadbhavna Award (2014).