Varsha Adalja

Varsha Mahendra Adalja (born 10 April 1940) is an Indian Gujarati language feminist novelist, playwright and negotiator, who won the 1995 Sahitya Akademi Award for Gujarati language for her novel Ansar. She is also a dramatist, writing for stage plays, screenplays, and radio.

Early life She was born on 10 April 1940 in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Gunvantrai Acharya, Gujarati novelist, and Nilaben. Her family belonged to Jamnagar. She completed B.A. in Gujarati and Sanskrit from Mumbai University in 1960. Later she completed M.A. in Sociology in 1962. She has explored lepers’ colonies, prison life and has worked among adivasis.

Works She has penned 40 books, including 22 novels and seven volumes of short stories. Shravan Tara Saravada (1968) and Timirna Padchhaya (1969) are her initial novels, followed by Ek Palni Parakh (1969). Panch ne ek Panch (1969), Avajno Akar (1975), Chhevatnu Chhevat (1976), Pachha Farata (1991) and Pagala (1983) are her suspense novels. Neelima Mrutyu Pami Chhe (1977) is a social as well as suspense novel. Atash (1976) is a novel on violence in Vietnam. Her Bandivan (1986) is about corruption in jails.

Her other novels are:

Ganth Chuutyani Vela (1980), Mrityudand (1996), Matinu Ghar (1991), Shag Re Shakoru (2004), Paratham Pagalu Mandiyu (2008) and Pagalu Mandu Hu Avkashma (2005)

Her other novellas are: Mare Pan Ek Ghar Hoy (1971), Retpankhi (1974) and Khari Padelo Tahuko (1983)

Khari Padelo Tahuko also includes another novella Ek Karagar in its book. She also received Soviet Land Nehru Award (1976), Gujarati Sahitya Academy Award (1977, 1979, 1980), Gujarati Sahitya Parishad Award (1972, 1975) and K. M. Munshi Award (1997). She received Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 2005. She has received Nandshankar Mehta Chandrak, Saroj Pathak Prize and Ramnarayan Pathak Short Story Prize for story writing.