Ratilal Borisagar | |
|---|---|
 Borisagar atGujarati Vishwakosh Trust; February 2019 | |
| Born | (1938-08-31)31 August 1938 (age 87) Savarkundla (now inGujarat, India) |
| Occupation | Humourist, essayist, editor |
| Language | Gujarati |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Notable awards | Sahitya Akademi Award (2019) |
| Academic background | |
| Thesis | Gujaratima Sahityik Sampadan: Vivechanatmak Adhyayan (1989) |
| Doctoral advisor | Chandrakant Sheth |
Ratilal Mohanlal Borisagar (born 31 August 1938) is aGujarati humourist, essayist and editor fromGujarat, India. Born and educated inSavarkundla, he received a PhD in 1989. After working for some years as a teacher, he joined the state school textbook board until his retirement in 1998. He started his writing career as a story writer, but eventually gained acclaim as a humourist. He published several humour collections and humour novels, including the acclaimed bookEnjoygraphy. He edited several works of children's literature and humour literature. In 2019, he received theSahitya Akademi Award for his essay collection,Mojma Revu Re.
Borisagar was born on 31 August 1938 inSavarkundla (nowAmreli district, Gujarat) to Mohanlal and Santokben Borisagar. He completed his primary and secondary education in that district. Ratilal passedSSC examination in 1956. He completed hisBA in 1963 andMA in 1967. He later obtained aBEd to teach in schools.[1][2][3] In 1989, Borisagar received a PhD for his thesisGujaratima Sahityik Sampadan: Vivechanatmak Adhyayan (Literary Editing in Gujarati: A Critical Study).[1][2]
Borisagar worked as a primary school teacher for three years and secondary school teacher for eight and half years.[1][2] He also briefly worked as a clerk in a post office.[2] He joined the Savarkundla college in 1971, as a professor of Gujarati. In 1974 he left professorship and joined Gujarat State School Textbook Board as the Academic Secretary. He worked there for 21 years and retired as the Deputy Director (Academic) in 1998.[1][2]
He co-edited theAkhand Anand magazine for seven years and was a committee member of theGujarat Sahitya Sabha. He served as a Managing Secretary of theGujarati Sahitya Parishad from 2005 to 2009 and established Matrubhasha Samvardhan Kendra (Mother-tongue Development Centre) there.[2]
Borisagar started his career as a short story writer, however his humorous nature brought him into humour writing, where he received acclaim. His humour is simple and self-deprecating, with light sarcasm or satire.[1] He was directly influenced by his parents, his neighbour Dhanbai, and his high school teacher Mukundrai Pandya.[2] In 1956, Borisagar's first short storySamaj Jagashe was published in theMahilajagat biweekly magazine. In 1960, he published his first humour essayChavaya Vagarnu Kathavastu inChandani magazine, he later wrote humour essays for theAaram magazine.[2] He is considered a literary descendant of humouristJyotindra Dave.[2]
Borisagar's first collection of humour essays,Marak Marak (1977), established him as a humour writer. His second collection,Anandlok (1983), was also well received.[1][2] His other humour collections includeTilak Karta Tresath Thaya (2002),'Gya' Thi 'Ka' Sudhi (2004),Bhaj Anandam (2007),Amathu Amathu Kem Na Hasiye! (2008),Om Hasyam (2009),[2]Mojma Revu Re andTran Athvadiya Americama (2019).
In 1994, Borisagar published his first humorous novel,Sambhavami Yuge Yuge, in which he represented the title character from the Gujarati classic novelBhadrambhadra in contemporary milieu with light criticism ofSardar Sarovar Dam,[1][2] the world's second biggest dam in terms of volume of concrete used.[4] His most acclaimed work is the autobiographical humorous novelEnjoygraphy (1997), which is a satire on his experience withheart disease andangiography, medical profession and hospital management.[1] In 2014, he published another humorous novel,Bhadrambhadra Amar Chhe, focusing on gender equality.[2] He has written six novellas as well.[2]
In 1994, he published a collection of quotes on children by various authors entitledBalvandana.[1] His other works of children's literature areMahabharatna Prasango (2002) andShreshth Balrachanao (2009).[2] He has edited several issues of children's stories about the fictional characterBakor Patel. He has also edited several children's poetry books in theGurjar Balkavya Vaibhav series.
He also writes plays and criticism as well as edits works.[1]Ramanbhai Nilkanth (2002) andGujarati Pratikavyo (2003) are his works of criticism. He edited or co-editedGurjar Prahasansanchay (withRaghuveer Chaudhari, 1998),Gurjar Adyatan Prahasansanchay (with Raghuveer Chaudhari, 1998),Gurjar Hasyanibandhsanchay (withBholabhai Patel, 1998),Ma E Ma (1999),Anokha Jeevancharitro (1999),Namu Te Hasyabrahmane (2000),Pita Pappa Daddy (2002),Hasyatetrisi (withVinod Bhatt, 2002),Bhavbhumi (with Bharati R. Dave and Raghuveer Chaudhari, 2002),Arvachin Gujarati Hasyarachanao (2003),Jyotindra Dave Hasyavaibhav (2004) andNa. Pra. Buchni Shreshth Hasyarachanao (2007).[2]
He published essays inKumar magazine from 1978 to 1982. He wrote a humour column entitled "Marak Marak" for theSandesh daily newspaper from 1998 to 2003. His several radio plays are broadcast byAll India Radio. He has also written a Gujarati comedy TV series,Professor Zunzunwala.[1][2]
Borisagar'sMarak Marak received the Jyotindra Dave Humour Prize in 1978, in addition to second prize from theGujarat Sahitya Akademi. HisAnandlok andEnjoygraphy have also received Gujarat Sahitya Akademi prizes.[1][2]Enjoygraphy also received the Ghanshyamdas Sharaf Sarvottam Sahitya award in 1997. He received theDhanji Kanji Gandhi Suvarna Chandrak in 2002, the Chandrakant Anjaria Memorial Trust Education Award in 2003, the Kavi Dahyabhai Patel Sahityaratna Suvarna Chandrak in 2011, and the Sachchidanand Samman in 2011.[2] In 2019, Borisagar received theSahitya Akademi Award for his essay collectionMojma Revu Re.[5]
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