Mohan Kalpana

Mohan Kalpana (Original name: Mohan Bulchand Lala) (Sindhi: موهن ڪلپنا‎) was born on 22 November 1930, in Kotri, Sindh. He was one of the foremost writers of fiction in the post-independence era of Sindh and India. He died on 19 June 1992.

Education

He received primary and secondary education from the Kotri and Karachi schools.^[1]

Literary career

Mohan Kalpana was one of the tri-murti of Sindhi fiction in the Second generation who tried to be distinct from the first generation of sindhi writers. They tried to profess the progressive School of thought. The other two were Guno Samtaney and Lal Pushp. They differed among themselves also in thought and style. Kalpana was struggling between the realistic and romantic school of thought even bordering on the progressive school.^[2] Kalpana had given quite a lot to post partition sindhi literature.^[3] He has written over 200 short stories. He wrote many novels, including Jalavatni, which depicts nostalgic memories of Sindh, which Kalpana was forced to leave due to the partition of the country. He was also a poet, and critic of a sort.^[4]

Publications

Mohan had written 25 books.^[5][6] Most of them were novels. A few most significant are:

• 1. Anja Raat Baki Ahee (Sindhi: اڃا رات باقي آ‎) (Night is still there), 1955, report on Goan freedom struggle.
• 2. Surga Jee Golha (Sindhi: سورڳ جي ڳولا‎) (Search for heaven), 1958, children's novel.
• 3. Chandini Ain Zahar (Sindhi: چاندني ۽ زهر‎) (Moonlight and poison), 1967, nine stories.
• 4. Farishtan Jee Duniya (Sindhi: فرشتن جي دنيا‎) (The world of angels), 1967, nine stories.^[7]
• 5. Maau (Sindhi: ماءُ‎) (Mother), 1979, Novel.
• 6. Uha Shaam (Sindhi: اها شام‎) (That evening), 1981, seven stories.

Award

Mohan received a prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his Book 'Uha Shaam' in 1984.^[8]

Death

Mohan Kalpana died on 19 June 1992, in India.^[9]

References