13th Jan, 1936—28th Jan, 2008
MEET THE AUTHOR
Dr. Motilal Jotwani, Educationist & Writer, author of more than 60 books, including Sufis of Sindh (1986,1996), Of grass and roots, An Indianist Writings (1987), Alien there is none (1991 poetry), A Dictionary of Sindhi Literature (1996).
The following chronology is based on the “Saahityakaar Saan Mulaaquaat: Dr. Motilal Jotwani” (Meet the Author: Dr. Motilal Jotwani) brochure, as issued by the Sindhi Academy, Delhi on 22 March 2003:
1936 The eldest of three sons and three daughters of Wadhumal K. Jotwani and Chandra W. Jotwani, Motilal Jotwani was born on 13January, 1936 in Sukkur, Sindh (now in Pakistan). On the paternal side he belonged to the town of Rohri which was on the opposite side of the city of Sukkur (across the river Sindhu) and he took birth in his maternal parents’ home in Sukkur.
1946 The Jotwani family moved to Karachi where his father worked as teacher in K.J. Khilnani High School and was also part time sub-editor of the periodical Qurbani in Sindhi.
1947 Partition of the country into Bharat and Pakistan took place on 14/15 August, when the author was about 11 and a half years old.
1948 On January 6, the Hindu Sindhi families including that of the Jotwanis were involved in the communal riots in Karachi. Though they had a strong Sufi trait, many of the families decided to leave Sindh, bag and baggage. The Jotwani family migrated to Mumbai in May 1948 by a steamer.
1952 After having served many stints at various places in Maharashtra, his father moved to New Delhi. The Jotwani family has settled down in New Delhi till today.
1954 He did Prabhakar, Hons. in Hindi, as they called it, from the Punjab University, Chandigarh.
1955 At the age of 19, he published his first short story “Mukti” in the Veer Arjun, a Hindi daily from New Delhi. Soon he realized to look at writing like any other job. Was appointed as a Primary Teacher under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
1958 Graduated from the Punjab University, Chandigarh, and was appointed as a Language Teacher under the Directorate of Education, Delhi. Thereafter, he kept on earning as a teacher in schools, learning for various diplomas and degrees, and writing in Sindhi, Hindi and English in various newspapers and journals.
1959 He did J.D. (Diploma in Journalism), from the Punjab University, Chandigarh.
1960 Published Khayal, a book of essays in Sindhi.
1961 Married to Daya Mansharamani (Mrs. Raj Jotwani, after marriage), the daughter of Gobindram and Sita Mansharamani at Patel Nagar, New Delhi on 27 May. Published Chaand Ke Geet, a collection of pieces in poetic prose in Hindi.
1962 He did M.A. in English from the University of Delhi, Delhi. A son, Deepak, was born to him and Mrs. Raj Jotwani at New Delhi on 23 July. His nuclear family of he himself, his wife and child moved to Rajkot in Saurashtra, where he was a programme officer in All India Radio.
1962-
1964 Worked as a programme officer in All India Radio, Rajkot. There the second son, Anil, was born to him and Mrs. Raj Jotwani at Rajkot on 18 June, 1963.
1965 War broke out between Bharat and Pakistan and exchange of letters with the Muslim Sindhi brethren of Pakistan was snapped.
1966 Was appointed as a Lecturer in Sindhi at Deshbandhu College, New Delhi.
1968 Published Anaasir Jee Saazish, a collection of poems in Sindhi.
1970-
1996 The Library of Congress in Washington has at least 24 of his works in its collection.
1970 Published Shah Abdul Karim: A Mystic Poet of Sindh. Also published Paramparaa-heen, a collection of short stories in Sindhi.
1971 The third son, Dinesh, was born to him and Mrs. Raj Jotwani at New Delhi on 13 January – on the same day he (father of Dinesh Jotwani) was born on 13 January, 1936.
1973 After doing Ph.D. from the Department of Modern Indian Languages, University of Delhi, Delhi on the topic “Shah Abdul Latif: His Life and Work”, he became Senior Lecturer/ Reader in Sindhi.
1974 Published Peelee Battee-a Te, a short novel in Sindhi.
1975 As a Guest Lecturer he taught M. Litt. course at the University of Delhi, Delhi. The University of Delhi published Shah Abdul Latif: His Life and Work as part of its publication programme.
1978 Published Sindhi Bhaashaa, Lipi aur Saahitya in Hindi.
1979 Published Sindhi Literature and Society. Also edited Contemporary Indian Literature and Society.
1979-
1980 Was associated as a teacher in a course on Sant-Sufi Literature of India during the academic year 1979-80 at Harvard, USA, which he visited as a Visiting Post-doctoral Scholar at the Centre for the Study of World Religions.
1979-
1995 Visited England, the USA, Canada, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Austria, France, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Italy and UAE (almost in that order), as a contributor of learned papers on Indological subjects in international conferences.
1980 Participated as a Guest Lecturer in Martha’s Vineyard Winter Ashram in the USA on 26 January. The visit became a raw material for the short novel Koth (Sindhi) or Niyamit (Hindi).
1982 Published Ihe Rishtaa Naataa , a short novel, and Sanbadhani Je Sarakuni Te, a collection of poems, both in Sindhi.
1983-
1994 Was the President of the Indian chapter of the Professors World Peace Academy, New York an international organization. On behalf of the Indian chapter, he edited Absolute Values in Peace, Prosperity and Politics (1985), Mass Media and National Development (1987), Tradition and Modernity (1991), Indian Society in the 21st Century (1992) and Education and Culture in India Today (1994).
1985 Published Koth, a short novel in Sindhi. Also published Neem Kee Bhoomikaa Alag Hai and Tarrazoo Kee Apanee Zindagee, two collections of poems in Hindi, and edited Sindhi Short Stories in English.
1985-
1987 Was the Vice Chairman, Sindhi Advisory Committee, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, New Delhi.
1985-
1990 Was the Editor, Indian Author, a quarterly journal of Authors Guild of India, New Delhi.
1986 Published Sufis of Sindh, Publications Division, New Delhi. Its revised edition came out in 1996.
1987 Published Of Grass and Roots: An Indianist’s Writings. Also published Niyamit, a collection of the three novels in Hindi, already published in Sindhi.
1989 Published Alien There Is None, a collection of poems; also published Ham Sab Kee Viraasat, a collection of essays in Hindi. Was a Member of the Working Group of the 8th Five Year Plan (1990 – 1995) on Education, Planning Commission, New Delhi.
1991 The eldest son, Deepak, passed away after a serious illness. Was one of the members of the team of scholars associated with Sisir Kumar Das’s two volumes of A History Indian Literature(1800-1910), published in 1991, and A History Indian Literature (1911-1956), published in 1995.
1992 Published Sunjaanap jo Sankat, a collection of short stories, and three short novels Te Nadha Novel, both in Sindhi. Also published Bharatiya Saamaasik Sanskriti aur Sindhi Saahitya, a collection of radio talks in Hindi.
1994 Published Saahitya Sansaar- I, a collection of essays, and Aatamkathaa Je Naale Mein,an autobiography, both in Sindhi. The second edition of the autobiography in Sindhi came out in 1997.
1996 Published A Dictionary of Sindhi Literature. Its second edition came out in 2000. Also published Motilal Jotwani: Pratinidhi Rachanaaen, a collection of representative works, in Hindi.
1996-
1999 Was the Honorary Member Secretary, Sindhi Academy, Delhi.
1997 Published Purush ain Prakriti, a collection of poems in Sindhi in its Devanagari and Perso-Arabic scripts. Was the expert on the selection of Professor and Associate Professor in the Department of Sindhi, the University of Sindh, Jamshoro (Pakistan). Worked as the language editor (Sindhi) for K.M. George’s three volumes of Master- pieces of Indian Literature, published in 1997.
1998 Participated, as a lone Sindhi Poet in the Akashvani Sarva Bhasha Kavi Sammelan held in Hyderabad, 1998; earlier, also had participated in Bhopal, 1987. Published Naen Sire Khan, a collection of short stories, and Saahitya Sansaar II, a collection of essays, both in Sindhi.
1999 Published Aaun Joee Aahiyaan, Soee Aahiyaan, a short, experimental and autobiographical novel in Sindhi. Also published Vataayo Faquir Kee Kahaaniyaan, a collection of Vataayo’s anecdotes in Hindi.
2000 Published Paana Khe D’isu Videha Mein, a book of poems in Sindhi in its Devanagari and Perso-Arabic scripts. Also published Paraayaa Ko-ee Naheen, a collection of poems in Sindhi and Hindi, and Aatma Kathaa Ke Naam Par, a Hindi translation of his autobiography in Sindhi.
2001 Was hospitalized at National Heart Institute, East of Kailash, New Delhi for a massive heart attack. But no heart surgery was done because of low functioning of his heart. Instead, a pace maker below his right-hand collar bone was implanted.
1973-
2003 Was awarded six Ministry of Education/ HRD prizes for works in Hindi and Sindhi – 1973 (two); 1979, 1983, 1985 and 1999 (one each). Was honoured for his services to Hindi literature at the First World Hindi Conference held at Nagpur, 1975. Was honoured for his services to Sindhi literature at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President of India, 1982. Received the Hindi Academy Delhi literary award, 1988, for his book of three novelettes in Hindi, Niyamit. Received the Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan Lucknow Sauhard literary award, 1990. Was awarded the Katha award by the Antar-rashtriya Kala evam Sanskriti Sanstha, Najibabad, 1992. Was awarded two Creative Fiction Writer awards by KATHA, New Delhi, 2000; the first award related to the best short fiction published during 1999-2000 in 14 Indian languages, in the present case his best short story in Sindhi “Akeli Akeli Hoo-a” (Very Lonely, She) was chosen for KATHA: Prize Stories Vol 10 (New Delhi 2000); and the second award related to first Katha South Asian Translation Contest 1999-2000, in the present case his best short story in Sindhi “Aakaash D’isana Jee Chaahnaa” (A Desire to See the Sky) for 20 Short Stories from South Asia (New Delhi 2003). Awarded the Shah Latif Gold Medal by the Marui, New Delhi, 2001. Was awarded the Ram Panjwani Gold Medal by the Literary & Cultural Centre, Mumbai, 2001. Was given away the Ishwaribai Buxani Life-time Achievement Award, Dubai, 2002. Received the Akhil Bharat Sindhi Boli ain Sahit Sabha’s literary award, Jaipur, 2002. Was honoured with a Padma Shri award by the President of India on 3 April, 2003.