Gujarati noted poet, writer, social reformer Jhaverchand Meghani. He was born in Chotila, Gujarat to Kalidas and Dholima Meghani. His father Kalidas worked in the Police force and hence was often transferred to new places causing most of Jhaverchand’s education to happen in Rajkot.
n 1926, he ventured into poetry with his book of children poems ‘Veni Na Phool’ and started writing in ‘Janmabhumi’ under the column ‘Kalam Ane Kitaab’. He established his reputation as a critic by his independent novels. In 1936 he became the editor of Phoolchaab’ In 1942, he ventured into began publishing with his book Marela Na Rudhir. In 1945, after retiring from ‘Phoolchaab’ he concentrated on personal writing. In 1946 his book Mansai Na Deeva was awarded the ‘Mahida award’. The same year he was elected to head the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad’s Sahitya Section. In 1929, he gave 6 lectures for ‘Gyan Prasarak Mandali’ . He also lectured at Santiniketan owing to his long association with Rabindranath Tagore.
His first book was a translation work of Rabindranath Tagore’s called Kathaa-u-Kaahinee titled Kurbani Ni Katha (Stories of martyrdom) which was first published in 1922. He contributed widely to Gujarati folk literature. He went from village to village in search of folk-lores and published them in various volumes of Saurashtra Ni Rasdhar.
