Hrishikesh Sulabh (born 15 February 1955) is a Hindi writer. He is the recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2019), among various other awards. While he is best known for writing short stories and plays in Bideshiya Shaili, he has recently emerged as a boundary pushing novelist over the last decade. He worked with the All India Radio between 1980 and 2015. He is now retired and focuses on writing and interacting with young writers / poets / theater workers and activists. He divides his time between his home at Patna and various cities where his children and grandchildren live.

Hrishikesh Sulabh
Sulabh in 2006
Born (1955-02-15) 15 February 1955 (age 69)
Other namesPrabhat
EducationBachelor of Arts (Hons.), Hindi
Alma materB.N. College, Patna University
Known forProminent Figure of Indian literature and Theatre of India
Presenting rural reality in his works, especially short stories
Using the device of Bideshiya Shaili in Modern Indian Theatre
SpouseMeena Shrivastava
ChildrenVatsala
Vasundhara
Vallari
Parent(s)Binda Devi (Mother)
Rama Shankar Shrivastava (Father)
Awards1. Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 2019,
2. 16th Indu Sharma International Katha Samman, 2010 by Katha UK, London
3. Dr. Siddhnath Kumar Smriti Samman, 2009
4. Banarasi Prasad Bhojpuri Samman
5. Ramvriksha Benipuri Samman
6. Anil Kumar Mukherji Shikhar Samman
7. Pataliputra Award

Recent

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Life

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Hrishikesh "Sulabh" was born in a small village (of Laheji, in district of Siwan, Bihar). He received his basic schooling in the village school at Laheji. The ambience of village stage and theatre led to the inculcation of theatrical values in him.

His father, who was a freedom fighter, moved to the city of Patna for Sulabh's further education. After completing his B.A. in Hindi, he went to pursue his master's degree in the same subject. Due to financial constraints and family responsibilities, he had to drop out after a year of his M.A. education.

As an optimisation between arranging his wherewithal and channelising his creative energies, he took up a job with All India Radio as an executive.

He married Meena Shrivastava on 26 April 1982 at the age of 28. At that time, she was the only graduate in her village (of Madhavpur, in district of Champaran, Bihar). He has three daughters, Vatsala, Vasundhara, and Vallari.

His life and works have been greatly influenced by his father, Dr. Rama Shankar Srivastava (Prasad), who was a homoeopathic doctor and a freedom fighter. Sulabh has been known for crediting his father for being exceptionally understanding. He mentions the freedom and faith extended by his father towards himself as the biggest motivating factors in the journey of his life.[citation needed] For the past three decades, Hrishikesh Sulabh, apart from writing plays and being a theatre activist, has been actively participating in the various cultural movements. His stories have been published in a plethora of magazines and at the same time, they have been translated into various languages, also in English. On account of his intense passion for theatre, he looked up towards writing plays along with story writing. ″Hrishikesh Sulabh″ has incorporated the theatrical skills and ideas of the famous drama style of ″Bhikhari Thakur″ .i.e. Bidesiya″ in his plays for the first time in a very creative style for the contemporary Hindi theatre. ″National School of Drama″ staged his play ″Batohi″. For the past few years he has been continuously writing for the literary magazine 'Kathadesh'.

″Dharti Aaba″ and Rani ka Sapna are Hrishikesh Sulabh's latest play.

Awards

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  • 2019 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, announced in 2022 [3]
  • 2022 katha kram samman Sulabh, Hrishikesh (4 October 2022). "Katha Kram Samman". New18. news18.com. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  • 10th Indu Sharma International Katha Samman 2010 by Katha UK
  • Banarsi Prasad 'Bhojpuri' samman for short story writing in Hindi
  • Anil Kumar Mukharji shikhar samman for theatre activities and play writing
  • Ramvriksh Benipuri samman for play writing
  • Pataliputra award for play writing and theatre
  • Siddhnath Kumar smriti samman for play writing and theatre criticism
  • 1st shashibhooshan smriti samman for play writing

Work

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His works can be broadly classified into three categories – plays, short stories, and theatre criticism.

Novels

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Plays

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Short story collections

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Theatre criticism

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  • Rang Manch Ka Jantantra -a book of theatre criticism रँगमंच का जनतंत्र (collection of Sulabh's article on theatre) (ISBN 978-8126717842)
  • Regular column on theatre activities in KATHADESH, a Hindi monthly
  • Regular column on theatre for a while in Hindi news magazine Lokayat
  • Articles in various other newspapers and magazines Jagaran, Dainik Hindustan, Rashtriya Sahara
    • Shabdankan (शब्दांकन)[8]
    • Sarika
    • Dharmyug
    • Lahar
    • Sakshatkar
    • Kathayatra
    • Ravivar
    • Vasudha
    • Samya
    • Ab kahani visheshank
    • Vartman Sahity
    • Hans
    • Kathan
    • Sabrang-Jansatta visheshank
    • Kathadesh
    • India Today and Sahity visheshank of India Today
    • Lokmat visheshank
    • Prabhat Khabar visheshank
    • Sambhav kahani visheshank
    • Janpath
    • Samkaleen Bhartiya Sahitya and others

His story Ashtabhujalal ki Bhujaein/ अष्ठभुजालाल की भुजाएँ (known after translation as Ashtabhujalalinte Bhujangal) was included in Theranjedutha Hindi Kathakal (translated and edited by V. K. Ravindranath)[9]

Interviews

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Interview with online newspaper Navjivan India

Sangat Ep.39 Hrishikesh Sulabh on Stories, Agnileek, Daata Peer, Patna & Rangmanch Anjum Sharma

References

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  1. ^ Sulabh, Hrishikesh (25 November 2022). "Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards, 2019". Press Bureau of India. Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ Sulabh, Hrishikesh (5 August 2024). "Small Town Zindagi". Dainik Bhaskar. Dainik Bhaskar. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  3. ^ Sulabh, Hrishikesh (25 November 2022). "Official list of Awardees from Press Release" (PDF). Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. ^ जानकीपुल: हृषीकेश सुलभ के उपन्यास ‘दाता पीर’ का एक अंश https://www.jankipul.com/2022/01/an-excerpt-from-hrishikesh-sulabhs-novel.html
  5. ^ "Buy Books on from Hindi Book Centre".
  6. ^ "Latest Theatre Events in Delhi – January 2005". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
  7. ^ "Mohallalive.com: Hrishikesh Sulabh". Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  8. ^ शब्दांकन Shabdankan E Magazine: Bahikhata – Hrishikesh Sulabh
  9. ^ Contemporary Hindu fiction