Vijayray Vaidya

Vijayray Kalyanray Vaidya was a Gujarati critic, biographer and essayist. After studying languages, he was engaged in Gujarati literary journalism and later criticism. He edited several magazines and wrote works of criticism, biography and essays.

Biography Vijayray Vaidya was born on 7 April 1897 in Bhavnagar. He completed a B.A. in English and Sanskrit from Wilson College, Bombay in 1920. He served as a cashier in Sir Lallubhai Shamaldas Bank, Bombay from 1920 to 1921. He joined Gujarati periodical, Chetna. He served as an editor of Hindustan Weekly of Bombay and a subeditor of daily from 1921 to 1922. On invitation of K. M. Munshi, he served as an in-charge editor of Gujarat. He served with Sahitya Sansad from 1922 to 1924. He started Kaumudi, a quarterly and later a monthly. After it was stopped, he started Manasi in 1935. He taught Gujarati at M.T.B. College, Surat from 1937 to 1949

He died on 17 April 1974. Leela Suka Pana (1942) had research articles. Parasna Sparshe (1963), Neelam Ane Pokhraj (1962) and Manek Ane Akik (1967) are the collections of criticism. Gujarati Sahityani Rooprekha (1943) is about history of Gujarati literature.

He wrote essays under pen name Vinodkant. His collections of essays are Prabhatna Rang (1927), Najuk Savari (1938), Udata Pan (1945), Dariyavni Mithi Lahar (1965). His Khuski Ane Tari (1933) is a travelogue of his visit to Karachi and Rangoon. Saurashtrano Mantrishwar (1959) is a biography of Gaurishankar Udayshankar Oza, the dewan of Bhavnagar State. Vinayakni Atmakatha (1970) is an autobiographical work.

During later years of his life, he started enormous task of compiling an encyclopedia of world literature single handed. He could publish only first volume of his work, Sahitya Priyano Sathi (1967).

Awards He was awarded Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 1931 and Narmad Suvarna Chandrak in 1955.