Girija Kumar Mathur

Girijakumar Mathur
गिरिजाकुमार माथुर
Born (1919-08-22)22 August 1919
Guna, Madhya Pradesh, British India
Died 10 January 1994(1994-01-10) (aged 75)
India
Occupation Writer, Poet
Nationality Indian
Notable works Nash aur Nirman, Nayi Kavita: Seemae aur Sambhavnae
Notable awards Sahitya Akademi Award

Girijakumar Mathur (गिरिजाकुमार माथुर ) (22 August 1918 - 10 January 1994) was a notable Indian writer of the Hindi language. He is noted for his translation of the popular English song "We Shall Overcome" into Hindi (हम होगें कामयाब).[1] His father, Devicharan Mathur, was a teacher in a local school and greatly admired music as well as literature. Girijakumar Mathur is considered one of the most important writers in Hindi due to his efforts to modernise Hindi literature and promote it through many of his works.

Early life

Girijakumar Mathur was born in Guna, Madhya Pradesh, on 22 August 1918. He was homeschooled by his father in History, Geography and English. After obtaining his primary education in Jhansi, he was awarded a degree of M.A (English) and L.L.B from Lucknow University. After practicing law for a few years, he started working in All India Radio and later Doordarshan.

Professional and musical career

On obtaining his law degree, Mathur initially worked as a lawyer, but subsequently joined the Delhi office of All India Radio. After a few years there, he moved on to join the then only television broadcasting organization of India, Doordarshan.[2]

Mathur published his first collection of poems, Manjir in 1941.[2]

It was during his service in Doordarshan that mathur translated the popular gospel and civil rights movement song "We shall overcome" into Hindi as "Honge Kaamyab" (होंगे कामयाब).[3] It was sung by a female singer of the Doordarshan orchestra and the music was arranged by Satish Bhatia using Indian musical instruments. This version of the song was subsequently released by TVS Saregama.[4][5] This Hindi rendition was released in 1970 as a song of social upliftment and was often broadcast by Doordarshan in the 1970s and 1980s. Doordarshan at that time was the only television station of India, and this song was especially played on days of national significance.[6]

Mathur continued to work in Doordarshan, retiring in 1978 as the Deputy Director general.[2]

Works

Girijakumar Mathur started his career in literature in 1934 in the Braj language.Greatly influenced by authors such as Makhanlal Chaturvedi and Balkrishna Sharma 'Navin', he published his first anthology, 'Manjir' in 1941. He was an important contributor to Hindi literature and used his works to spread moral messages through society. His notable works include:

Girijakumar Mathur was one of the seven eminent Hindi poets included in Taar Saptak,[7] an anthology edited and published by Agyeya in 1943. Apart from poems, he wrote many plays, songs as well as essays. In 1991, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his anthology, "Main Vakt ke Hun Samne"[8] as well as the Vyas Samman[9] in the same year. He is noted for his translation of the popular English song "We Shall Overcome" into Hindi.[2]

Mathur described his life's journey in his autobiography Mujhe aur abhi kehna hai (मुझे और अभी कहना है) (I still have to say something).[2]

Death

Girijakumar Mathur died on 10 January 1994, aged 75 in New Delhi.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Lyrics of Hum Honge Kaamyab (Hindi)". www.prayogshala.com. Prayogshala. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Mathur, Girija Kumar. मुझे और अभी कहना है - गिरिजा कुमार माथुर (Mujhe aur abhi kehna hai - an autobiography of Girija Kumar Mathur) (First ed.). Delhi: Pustak mahal. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Biography of Girija Kumar Mathur". www.veethi.com. Veethi. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  4. ↑ Bhatia, Satish. "Honge Kaamyab - 40 years of freedom". www.saavn.com. Doordarshan / TVS Saregama. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Audio - Hum Honge Kaamyab". www.gaana.com. TVS Saregama / Gaana.com. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "Original Doordarsan version - Honge Kaamyab". www.gaana.com. Doordarshan / TVS Saregama. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  7. ↑ Vatsyayan Ajneya, Sachchidanand Hiranand (1966). Taar Saptak. Kolkata: Bharatiya Jnanapith.
  8. ↑ "Sahitya Akademi Award".
  9. ↑ "Vyas Samman for Girijakumar Mathur".
  10. ↑ "Hindi poet Girija Kumar Mathur passes away : Signposts - India Today". indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.