The month of August brings to us the memory of the great writer , Manohar Shyam Joshi , belonging to this hill state. He achieved fame nationally as well as internationally. His is a name which every resident of Uttarakhand recalls with great pride and joy.
These days when literature Festivals are being regularly held in Uttarakhand, one feels great pride in remembering this versatile author of the hill state .
His novels and short stories,much like the writings of the famous Gaura Pant “Shivani” brought Kumaon, his home country, prominently on the literary map of India and went into several editions . “Kasap”, regarded as one of the best love stories in Hindi and “Kuru Kuru Swaha” can be named among these unique works .
Manohar Shyam Joshi touched new height of glory with his powerful ,unforgettable dramas “Hum log” and “Buniyaad”, the first soap operas of our country in the 1980s.
Joshi was born in Almora in August 1933. Millions of Indians could identify with Hum log and Buniyaad both of which have become legendary. In the following years Joshi wrote many more long running serials like, 'Mungeri lal Ke Hasin Sapney', 'Kakkaji Kahin', 'Hamrahi', 'Zameen Aasman' and 'Gatha'.
Films were Joshi's forte and he loved exploring various genres such as comedy, romance and satire. Not many people know this about him but he was a dubbing expert as well! His dubbings include mainstream movies like 'Hey Ram', 'Appu Raja', 'Papa Kehte Hain' and 'Bhrastachar'.
The last part of Joshi's career orbited around journalism where he did exceptionally well. Being a part of the All India Radio and the Films Division in Mumbai had given him immense exposure to both broadcast and print media. Here, he wrote scripts for many documentaries. He became the assistant editor of 'Dinmaan' , a Hindi magazine.. He played another editing role in 'Saptahik Hindustan', 'English Weekend Review' and the prestigious 'Morning Echo'.He also wrote for Outlook India's column 'Outlook Saptahik'. ‘
Manohar Shyam Joshi passed away in New Delhi in 2006.It was after his death that well-known translator and editor Ira Pande , daughter of the legendary Shivani, translated his novella”T’-ta Professor” into English , which won the 2009 Vodaphone-Crossword award for the best translation of that year.
As Khushwant Singh once wrote, it was through this English translation that he got his first insight into the writings of Joshi. “I was most impressed by his portrayal of middle class people — in this case teachers of a village school, their rivalries and affairs with lady colleagues and students.It was my first exposure to Kumaon’s Brahmins—Pandeys, Pants, Joshis, Tiwaris—who, like Brahmins of other parts of India —regard themselves as a cut above the others.”
It is amazing how sensitively Joshi wrote about the Punjabi culture in Buniyaad ,being a non-Punjabi. The finest nuances of the ethos of Punjab was so easily captured by him. He was a master of words and his deep understanding of emotions lent beauty to his words. It would be difficult to find any Indian who has not seen or at least heard of“Hum log”. It unites numerous Indians into collective emotions. Pride, nostalgia, memories, family feelings and a longing for simplicity in life and relationships.
“Buniyaad “ was the next soap which evoked this kind of response all over the country.
Doordarshan , a few years ago, relaunched “Hum log” in its new avatar “Hum” as a tribute to the rich imagination and versatility of the man who scripted India’s first soap, creating a masterpiece.
