Carlos G. Vallés | |
|---|---|
 Vallés atSt. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, 2009 | |
| Born | Carlos González Vallés (1925-11-04)4 November 1925 Logroño, Spain |
| Died | 8 November 2020(2020-11-08) (aged 95) Madrid, Spain |
| Pen name | Father Vallés |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | Gujarati, English, Spanish |
| Nationality | Indian and Spanish |
| Notable awards | Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak (1978),Padma Shri (2021) |
| Signature | |
 | |
| Website | |
| carlosvalles | |
Carlos González VallésS.J., popularly known asFather Vallés (4 November 1925 – 8 November 2020), was a Spanish-IndianJesuit priest and author. He lived in India for five decades and wrote extensively inGujarati and on mathematics. He also wrote in English and Spanish. He was a recipient of theRanjitram Suvarna Chandrak, the highest award in Gujarati literature, in 1978. He was awarded thePadma Shri posthumously in 2021.[1][2]
Vallés was born 4 November 1925 inLogroño, Spain, to an engineer. When he was ten, his father died ofVincent's angina. Six months later, when theSpanish Civil War broke out, he fled his home, along with his mother and brother, and went to live with his mother's aunt, leaving everything behind. He attended aJesuit school there along with his brother. He became a Jesuitnovitiate when he was fifteen and was sent to India in 1949 as amissionary.[3][4][5]
In India, Vallés attendedMadras University and completed an MA in mathematics with first class honours in 1953. There, he learned English to complete his studies. He later started learning the Gujarati language, as he was asked to teach mathematics at the newly openedSt. Xavier's College inAhmedabad, which had Gujarati students. He learned Gujarati for two years, and later practised writing it during his four-yeartheological studies atPune. He wasordained to the priesthood on 24 April 1958.[3][4]
He started teaching mathematics in Ahmedabad in 1960. He translated many mathematical concepts into Gujarati forGujarat University and coined terms for them. He helped to start and contributed regularly to the first mathematical review in an Indian language,Suganitam. He also contributed in Gujarati to the encyclopaediaGnanganga on mathematical topics. He participated in World Mathematical Congress in Moscow,Exeter and Nice.[3][4]
In 1960, he wrote a Gujarati book titledSadachar, which he published with the help of his mother, since nobody agreed to publish it. It was successful and he was invited to write in the monthlyKumar by its editors. Five years later he started writing forKumar and won its annualKumar Prize for best writing in the monthly.[3][4]
Later, he started writing in Sunday supplement ofGujarat Samachar in a column titledNavi Pedhine ("To the new generation"). It was successful and his articles were later published as a book. Later, he left his staff quarters in the college and started living with people to understand their life. He would live with one family for a few days and then move to the next one. He lived this way for ten years.[3][4]
Vallés retired from his mathematics chair and left India in 1990. He settled inMadrid and accompanied his ninety-year-old mother until she died at the age of 101. He continued to write in Gujarati, and began translating and writing in English and Spanish focused on his experiences in India and in Latin America.[3][4]
He died on 8 November 2020, five days after his 95th birthday, inMadrid, Spain.[6][7]
His works include 75 books in Gujarati, 24 in English and 42 in Spanish.[7] He wrote twelve books on mathematics. He also co-authored the series of mathematics textbooks in Gujarati.[3][4][8][9] His works are also translated in Chinese and other European languages.[7]
His selected works include:[3][4][8]
His collections of essays includeMaru Sukh, Maru Dukh,Aagekooch,Bhagwanni Rojnishi,Jeevanni Taiyari,Taramaitrak,Shabdalok,Mor Ane Dhel.[10] His autobiography,Atmakathana Tukda in Gujarati was translated by Amit Joharapurkar into Marathi asAtmakathecha Ansh, in 2020.[11]
Vallés won the literary prize for essays from theGovernment of Gujarat five times. He received theKumar Chandrak in 1966. He was awarded theRanjitram Suvarna Chandrak, the highest award in Gujarati literature, in 1978.[12] He was the first foreign recipient of the prize. His domestic wandering to understand culture and people won him theAcharya Kakasaheb Kalelkar Award for Universal Harmony in 1995 and theRamakrishna Jaidalal Harmony Award in 1997. He was also named anHonorary Jain for his friendship withJain community in Mumbai.[3][4][5] He was awarded the Santokbaa Award.[13]
In 2021, Vallés was posthumously awarded thePadma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, by the Government of India for his contribution in literature and education.[14][15][16]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
| Other | |
