Shrilal Shukla

Shrilal Shukla (31 December 1925 – 28 October 2011 ) was a Hindi writer, notable for his satire. He worked as a PCS officer for the state government of Uttar Pradesh, later inducted into the IAS. He has written over 25 books, In 2008, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India for his contribution to Indian literature and culture. On his 80th birthday in December 2005, his friends, peers, family and fans organised a literary and cultural event in New Delhi. To mark the occasion, a volume titled Shrilal Shukla – Jeevan Hi Jeevan was issued about him. This contains the writings of eminent literary personalities such as Dr. Naamvar Singh, Rajendra Yadav, Ashok Bajpai, Doodhnath Singh, Nirmala Jain, Leeladhar Jagudi, Gillian Wright, Kunwar Narayan and Raghuvir Sahay among others. His friends, family and fans also contributed to the book.

Personal account

1925 – Born in village Atrauli in Mohanlalganj , Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh 1947 – Graduated from Allahabad University 1949 – Entry into the Civil Service 1957 – First novel Sooni Ghaati Ka Sooraj published 1958 – First collection of satire Angad Ka Paanv published 1970 – Awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Raag Darbari (for 1969) 1978 – Awarded the Madhya Pradesh Hindi Sahitya Parishad Award for Makaan 1979–80 – Served as Director of the Bhartendu Natya Academy, Uttar Pradesh 1981 – Represented India at the International Writers' Meet in Belgrade 1982–86 – Member of the Advisory Board of the Sahitya Akademi 1983 – Retirement from the Indian Administrative Service 1987–90 – Awarded the Emeritus Fellowship by the ICCR, Government of India 1988 – Given the Sahitya Bhushan Award by Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthaan 1991 – Awarded the Goyal Sahitya Puraskaar by Kurukshetra University 1994 – Awarded the Lohia Sammaan by Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthaan 1996 – Awarded the Sharad Joshi Sammaan by the Madhya Pradesh Government 1997 – Awarded the Maithili Sharan Gupta Sammaan by the Madhya Pradesh Government 1999 – Awarded the Vyas Samman by the Birla Foundation 2005 – Awarded the Yash Bharati Samman by the Uttar Pradesh Government 2008 – Awarded the Padma Bhushan by the president of India 2009 – Awarded the Jnanpith Award.

Literary works

Novels

Sooni Ghaati Ka Sooraj – 1957 Agyaatvaas – 1962 Raag Darbari (novel) – 1968 – original is in Hindi; an English translation was published under the same title in 1993 by Penguin Books; also translated and published by National Book Trust, India in 15 Indian languages. The novelist had long discussions with his close friend Surendra Chaturvedi of Nav Bharat Times concerning the plot, characters and language of the novel. Aadmi Ka Zahar – 1972 Seemayein Tootati Hain – 1973 Makaan – 1976 – original is in Hindi; a Bengali translation was published in the late 1970s. Pehla Padaav – 1987 – original is in Hindi; an English translation was published as Opening Moves by Penguin International in 1993. Bisrampur Ka Sant – 1998 Babbar Singh Aur Uske Saathi – 1999 – original is in Hindi; an English translation was published as Babbar Singh And his Friends in 2000 by Scholastic Inc. New York. Raag Viraag – 2001

Satires

Angad Ka Paanv – 1958 Yahaan Se Vahaan – 1970 Meri Shreshtha Vyangya Rachnayein – 1979 Umraaonagar Mein Kuchh Din – 1986 Kuchh Zameen Mein Kuchh Hava Mein – 1990 Aao Baith Lein Kuchh Der – 1995 Agli Shataabdi Ka Sheher – 1996 Jahaalat Ke Pachaas Saal – 2003 Khabron Ki Jugaali – 2005

Short Story Collections

Yeh Ghar Mera Nahin – 1979 Suraksha Tatha Anya Kahaaniyan – 1991 Iss Umra Mein – 2003 Dus Pratinidhi Kahaaniyan – 2003

Memoirs

Mere Saakshaatkaar – 2002 Kuchh Saahitya Charcha Bhi – 2008

Literary Critique

Bhagwati Charan Varma – 1989 Amritlal Naagar – 1994 Agyeya: Kuchh Rang Kuchh Raag – 1999

Edited Works

Hindi Haasya Vyangya Sankalan – 2000

Literary travels

He has visited Yugoslavia, Germany, UK, Poland, Surinam for various literary seminars, conferences and to receive awards. He has also headed a delegation of writers sent by the Government of India to China.

Family Shukla died in Lucknow on 28 October 2011 at around 11.45 am after a prolonged illness, fourteen years after the death of his wife Girija, who had been his true companion who passionately shared his love of classical music and literature. Shri Lal Shukla has four children – daughters Rekha Awasthi and Madhulika Mehta who are musically talented homemakers;son Ashutosh Shukla who works in a corporate cooperative concern and lastly youngest daughter Dr. Vinita Mathur who is a professor in Geography in the University of Delhi. He has eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.