Chinu Modi
Chinu Modi ( ), (30 September 1939 – 19 March 2017), also known by his pen name Irshad (Gujarati: ઈર્શાદ), was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short story writer and critic from Gujarat, India. Educated in languages, he taught at various institutions and established himself as a poet and author. He was a recipient of several awards including Sahitya Akademi Award, Vali Gujarati Award and Narsinh Mehta Award. Life Early life Modi was born in Vijapur on 30 September 1939 to Chandulal and Shashikantaben. His family belonged to Kadi. He completed his primary education in Vijapur and secondary education from Sheth Hasanali High School in Dholka near Ahmedabad. He completed his matriculation in 1954. He completed a B.A. in Gujarati and History in 1958 from St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, an LL.B. in 1960 from Sir L.A. Shah Law College in Ahmedabad, and an M.A. in Gujarati and Hindi subjects in 1961 from Gujarat University. He earned a Ph.D. in 1968 from Gujarat Vidyapith for his research Gujarati Bhashama Khandakavya (narrative poetry in Gujarati language). His guide for Ph.D. was Mohanbhai Shankharbhai Patel. Career He joined H. A. Arts College in Ahmedabad and worked from 1961 to 1963. He taught at colleges in Talod and Kapadvanj later. In 1965, he joined Swaminarayan Arts College in Ahmedabad and taught until 1975. He served as a scriptwriter at Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad from 1975 to 1977. In 1977–1978, he worked with Mansa College and Sabarmati Arts College. He joined L. D. Arts College in 1978 as a part-time professor. In 1994, he joined School of Languages, Gujarat University as a Reader and retired in 2001. He had also served as Dean-in-charge of Department of Journalism, M. S. University, Baroda from 1992 to 1994. He worked as a freelancer in field of advertising for few years. He was a chairman of Kriti Film Cooperative Society from 1979 to his death. He was awarded Writer Fellowship from Department of Culture, New Delhi in 1979. Death He suffered from acute breathlessness. After a heart attack on 16 March 2017, he was admitted to HGC hospital located at Mithakhali, Ahmedabad as he was suffering from multiple organ failure. On 19 March 2017, he returned to his home at Paldi, Ahmedabad where he died in the evening. His body was donated to NHL Medical College as per his wish. Works Modi was a pioneering poet and also an acclaimed playwright, critic, fiction writer and translator. His works are translated into English, Hindi and other Indian languages and his plays are staged several times. He had written both metrical and non-metrical form of poetry. His main contribution was in ghazal poetry. Along with ghazals, he had written in various genres; geet, sonnet, free verse and Khandakavya (long narrative poem). He started writing poetry in 1955. Vyatan (1963) was his small and first poetry collection. His other poetry collections which consist of metrical and nonmetrical poems are Urnanabh (1974), Shapit Vanma (1976), Deshvato (1978), Kshano Na Mahelma, Darpan Ni