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{{Short description|Indian writer (born 1933)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Vibhut Shah
| image = Vibhut Shah at the Gujarat High Court.JPG
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| pseudonym =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1933|06|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Nadiad]], British India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| occupation = Novelist, playwright, short story writer
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Gujarat University]], [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda]]
| period =
| genre = Romantic fiction
| subject =
| movement =
| notableworks =
| spouse =
| partner =
| years_active = 1968–2012
| awards =
| signature = Vibhut shah autograph.jpg
| signature_alt =
| website = 
}}

'''Vibhut Shah''' (born 23 June 1933) is an Indian contemporary [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] novelist, playwright, and short story writer.<ref>{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot |last=Lal |first=Mohan |page=4042 |year=1992 |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |isbn=9788126012213 }}</ref>

== Early life ==

Vibhut Shah was born on 23 June 1933 in [[Nadiad]] (now in [[Kheda district|Kheda district, Gujarat]], India).<ref name="AGSI">{{cite book |title=અર્વાચીન ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યનો ઈતિહાસ - આધુનિક અને અનુઆધુનિક યુગ (History of Modern Gujarati Literature – Modern and Postmodern Era) |last=Brahmabhatt |first=Prasad |publisher=Parshwa Publication |location=Ahmedabad |year=2010 |pages=231–234 |language=gu |isbn=978-93-5108-247-7}}</ref> His father, Champaklal, was a lawyer. He was the second of three siblings, with an elder brother, Navin, and a younger sister, Asha. His father died in 1946.

Shah completed his primary education in Nadiad and his secondary education in [[Kheda]]. He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in English and Gujarati in 1956 from L. D. Arts College, affiliated with [[Gujarat University]], [[Ahmedabad]].<ref name="AGSI" /> He later obtained a [[Bachelor of Laws|LL.B.]] degree and a diploma in [[Library and information science|Library Science]] in 1963 from [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda]].

In 1957, Shah moved to [[Jamnagar]] and joined M. P. Shah Medical College as a librarian, where he worked until 1965.<ref name="AGSI" /> He subsequently served as Chief Librarian at the [[Gujarat High Court]] from 1966 until his retirement, completing a total of twenty-six years of service at the institution.<ref name="AGSI" />

Shah began writing in the mid-1960s and has since published several collections of short stories, one-act plays, and novels. He received eleven literary awards from various institutions, primarily government bodies. He was also active in the Gujarati theatre movement and wrote radio plays. His notable works include ''Asangati'', ''Ambiya-Bahar'', ''Kartak Kare Shringar'', and ''Angaar–Ashlesh''.

== Literary career ==

=== 1959–1968 ===

During his Bachelor of Arts studies, Shah was influenced by [[Niranjan Bhagat]] and S. R. Bhatt, who encouraged his interest in contemporary literature. He wrote his first short story, ''Dhummas Ni Shristi'', in 1959, which was published in the magazine ''Yuvak'' in 1960. Between 1960 and 1963, he wrote several short stories, some of which appeared in the magazine ''Kumar'' and the newspaper ''Sandesh''. His writing activity slowed when he moved to [[Vadodara]] from 1962 to 1963 to pursue studies in Library Science at [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda|The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda]].

Shah resumed writing between 1966 and 1968, producing short stories that were later published in magazines such as ''Navneet Samarpan'', ''Kruti'', ''Srirang'', and ''Ruchi''. While studying law at a law college in [[Jamnagar]], he wrote his first radio play, ''Pratishodh'', in 1965 for a Best Radio Play competition organised by Ahmedabad's radio station, ''Akashvani''. The play was well received, following which he wrote approximately one hundred radio plays over the years, many of which were regularly broadcast.

=== 1968–1987 ===

Shah's first short story collection, ''Tekariyo Par Vasant Bethi Chhe'', was published in 1968 and received favourable critical response, establishing his presence in Gujarati literature. In 1969, the book received the second prize for Best Book of the Year from the Government of Gujarat. His first collection of one-act plays, ''Laal Piro Ane Vadari'', was published in 1970 and won the Best One-act Plays Collection of the Year award from the Government of Gujarat. The book was later included in the Bachelor of Arts curriculum at [[Saurashtra University]] in 1972.

Following this, Shah published his second one-act play collection, ''Shanti Na Pakshi'', in 1974, which received the same award in 1975. In 1979, his three-act play ''Bheena Bheena Dankh'' was staged for twenty performances in Ahmedabad. The production was mounted by Natyadeep, an institute founded by Shah to promote Gujarati theatre.

=== 1988–2012 ===

After gaining recognition for his short stories and one-act plays, Shah turned to writing novels. His first novel, ''Asangati'', written during 1987–1988, was published to critical and popular acclaim and won the Best Novel of the Year award from the [[Gujarat Sahitya Akademi]] in 1989. Between 1989 and 2005, he wrote several novels that further established his reputation as a contemporary Gujarati novelist. These include ''Saptaparna'' (1989), ''Amavasya'' (1990), ''Sambhavami'' (1992), ''Agnimegh'' (1993), ''Ambiya-Bahar'' (1995), ''Kartak Kare Shringar'' (2001), ''Angar–Ashlesh'' (2003), and ''Na Sur Na Sargam'' (2005).

During this period, Shah also published two collections of one-act plays, ''Mamuni Na Shyam Gulab'' (1990) and ''Nat Kedar'' (1992), as well as two short story collections, ''Flower Vase'' (1988) and ''Kunjar'' (1994). ''Flower Vase'' received the Best Short Story Collection award from the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi in 1989, while ''Mamuni Na Shyam Gulab'' was awarded the second prize of the Shri Batubhai Umarvadia Award for Best One-act Play in 1992.

After a prolonged interval, Shah published his final short story collection, ''Shesh Kathachakra'', in April 2012.

== Awards ==
Vibhut Shah received several literary awards during his writing career.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! No !! Year !! Title !! Award !! Institution
|-
| 1 || 1969 || ''Tekariyo Par Vasant Bethi Chhe''|| Second prize – Best Book of the Year || Government of Gujarat, India
|-
| 2 || 1971 || ''Laal Piro Ane Vadari''|| First prize – Best One-act Plays Collection || Government of Gujarat, India
|-
| 3 || 1972 || ''Hoo Be''|| Dr Jayant Khatri Award for Best Gujarati Short Story (published between 1966 and 1968) || Dr Jayant Khatri Memorial Committee, Mandvi, Kutch
|-
| 4 || 1972 || ''Aatla Varsho Pachhi Pan''|| Shri Vaju Kotak Award for Best Short Story || ''Chitralekha'' magazine
|-
| 5 || 1975 || ''Shanti Na Pakshi''|| First prize – Best One-act Plays Collection || Government of Gujarat, India
|-
| 6 || 1978 || ''Bandish''|| First prize – Best Short Story Collection || Government of Gujarat, India
|-
| 7 || 1978 || ''Chandra No Dagh''|| Shri Prithviraj Kapoor Award for Best Play || Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad
|-
| 8 || 1989 || ''Flower Vase''|| First prize – Best Short Story Collection || [[Gujarat Sahitya Akademi]]
|-
| 9 || 1989 || ''Asangati''|| First prize – Best Novel of the Year || Gujarat Sahitya Akadami
|-
| 10 || 1992 || ''Mamuni Na Shyam Gulab''|| Second prize – Shri Batubhai Umarvadia Award for Best One-act Play || [[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]]
|-
| 11 || 1993 || ''Vahala Pappa''|| First prize – Best Humorous Play, [[All India Radio]] Competition || Government of India
|}

== Major works acknowledged in other forms of media and arts ==

=== Novels published in Gujarati newspapers ===

During his active literary career, several of Shah's novels were serialised in the Sunday editions of leading Gujarati newspapers, which contributed to his wider recognition among Gujarati readers. His first novel to be published in a newspaper was ''Saptaparna'' in 1989, after Hasmukh Gandhi, then editor-in-chief of the newspaper ''Samakalin'', sought Shah's consent to publish it in the paper's Sunday edition. The novel was also published simultaneously in ''Jansatta'' and received a positive response from readers.

Following the reception of ''Saptaparna'', the same newspapers published another of his novels, ''Sambhavami'', in 1992. Subsequently, several of his novels appeared in major Gujarati newspapers, including [[Gujarat Samachar]], ''Sandesh'', ''Jansatta'', and [[Bombay Samachar|Mumbai Samachar]]. These included ''Ambiya-Bahar'' in ''Sandesh'' (1994), ''Kartak Kare Shringar'' in ''Jansatta'' (1998–1999), ''Angar–Ashlesh'' in ''Gujarat Samachar'' (2003), and ''Na Sur Na Sargam'' in ''Mumbai Samachar'' (2004–2005).

=== Inclusion in study courses ===

Shah's first collection of one-act plays, ''Laal Piro Ane Vadari'', was included in the Bachelor of Arts curriculum at [[Saurashtra University]] in 1972. In 1993, his radio play ''Fakt Pandar Minute'' (Only Fifteen Minutes), written for [[All India Radio|Akashvani]], was included as part of the Class X Gujarati language syllabus by the [[Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board|Gujarat Secondary Education Board]] (GSEB), Gandhinagar. The work remained in the curriculum for twelve years.

=== Plays and adaptations ===

In 1978, a [[Television film|telefilm]] based on Shah's first radio play, ''Pratishodh'', was produced and later telecast on Ahmedabad Doordarshan. Another three-act play written by Shah, ''Jambli Rang Ni Kanya'' (Purple-Coloured Girl), was staged in Ahmedabad in 1998 by the theatre group Rangbahar.

The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Mumbai, produced an audio cassette set of his novel ''Amavasya'' for visually impaired readers during 2004–2005. In July 2008, Shah's short story ''Manasnu Maun'' (The Face of a Man) was selected by Suresh Dalal for inclusion in the anthology ''Varta-Viswa'', published in August 2010.

=== Other contributions to Gujarati literature ===

During his active years, Shah served on the judging panel of one-act play competitions organised by the INT drama institute of Mumbai, in association with the Gujarati newspaper ''Gujarat Samachar''. These competitions featured amateur artists from colleges across Gujarat. Shah also wrote critical reviews of these competitions for ''Gujarat Samachar'' between 1989 and 2006.

== Bibliography ==
The following is a list of Vibhut Shah's published works:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! No. !! Title !! English translation !! Year !! Type
|-
| 1 || ''Tekariyo Par Vasant Bethi Chhe'' || The Spring on the Hills || 1968 || Short story collection
|-
| 2 || ''Laal Piro Ane Vadari'' || Red, Yellow, and Blue || 1970 || One-act play collection
|-
| 3 || ''Shanti Na Pakshi'' || Birds of Peace || 1974 || One-act play collection
|-
| 4 || ''Bandish'' || Composition || 1977 || Short story collection
|-
| 5 || ''Flower Vase'' || Flower Vase || 1988 || Short story collection
|-
| 6 || ''Asangati'' || Inconsistencies || 1988 || Novel
|-
| 7 || ''Saptaparna'' || Seven Leaves || 1989 || Novel
|-
| 8 || ''Mamuni Na Shyam Gulab'' || Black Roses of Mamuni || 1990 || One-act play collection
|-
| 9 || ''Amavasya'' || The Last Day of the Lunar Month || 1990 || Novel
|-
| 10 || ''Sambhavami'' || I Exist || 1992 || Novel
|-
| 11 || ''Nat Kedar'' || A Musical Note in Indian Classical Music || 1992 || One-act play collection
|-
| 12 || ''Agnimegh'' || A Bright Cloud in an Overcast Sky || 1993 || Novel
|-
| 13 || ''Kunjar'' || Green Foliage of the Grove || 1994 || Short story collection
|-
| 14 || ''Ambiya-Bahar'' || A Second Spring in a Mango Grove || 1995 || Novel
|-
| 15 || ''Kartak Kare Shringar'' || A Love Play of the Lunar Month Kartak || 2001 || Novel
|-
| 16 || ''Angar–Ashlesh'' || The Embrace of Fire || 2003 || Novel
|-
| 17 || ''Na Sur Na Sargam'' || Neither a Melody nor a Musical Composition || 2005 || Novel
|-
| 18 || ''Shesh Kathachakra'' || The Unfinished Circle of Stories || 2012 || Short story collection
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Gujarati-language writers]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shah, Vibhut}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Possibly living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century librarians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:21st-century librarians]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Gujarat University alumni]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:Indian librarians]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]
[[Category:Indian romantic fiction writers]]
[[Category:Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda alumni]]
[[Category:Novelists from Gujarat]]
[[Category:People from Jamnagar]]
[[Category:People from Nadiad]]
[[Category:Radio writers]]
[[Category:Romantic fiction novelists]]
[[Category:Writers from Ahmedabad]]

Vibhut Shah - Revision history

FallonMansom317: added info!