Vishnu Pandya


Vishnu Pandya is a journalist, biographer, poet, novelist, writer and political analyst from Gujarat, India. He has been the chairman of Gujarat Sahitya Akademi since 2017. Pandya writes articles on politics, history and historical places which are carried by several Gujarati newspapers and magazines, are among the most widely read columns in the State. He has been active in journalism for the last 40 years. Along with column writing in a Gujarati daily, he serves as General Secretary of Vishwa Gujarati Samaj.

Early life

Pandya was born in Manavadar in Junagadh State. He was educated at Bahauddin College, Junagadh. His father had worked in South Africa before his return to India after World War II. He was the District officer – Education in Manavadar.
He married Arti Pandya. She died on 24 January 2018.

Career

Pandya started his career with Sadhana weekly, later became an editor of it at the age of 22. He was honored by the All Indian Newspapers Editor for protest on censorship during the Indian Emergency. He managed to publish the magazine and wrote against the censorship. He was appointed the chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi in May 2017.
Pandya as a Journalist :
  • Sub Editor : Jansatta-Loksatta 1981–1987
  • Editor : Rangtarang-Chandni 1981–1987
  • Editor : Sadhana Magazine 1967–1980
  • Editor : Samantar Magazine from 1987
  • Editor : BIradar Patrika 1986–87
  • Bureau chief : Nav Gujarat Times 1994–1997
  • Bureau chief : Dainik Mahanagar, Mumbai from 1996
  • Columnist : Times of India, Sandesh and Divyabhaskar
Pandya as a Lecturer
Pandya is teaching journalism in various colleges and universities of Gujarat at post graduate level, namely :

Writing

His writing has various subjects from political criticism and analytic to history research. He has written many biographies. Apart from these writings he is actively contributing to journalism, having written many books on the field of journalism. To this date he has written 101 books.

Books

Books on JournalismPatrakaratva no ItihasPatrakartvani VikasrekhaPatrakartvana PravahoKalamna SipahiPatrakartva Dasha ane DishaAkhabarnu SampadanPAtrakartva ane KanunChandarvo 1–2Sahitya DainandiniGujaratnu Swatrantrottar Patrakartva
Criticism on Political IssuesBhaarelo AgniSeema Par SavdhanSarhadni Salagti SamshyaoRaktranjit PunjabAlgavni AandhiRajkiya Zanzavati VarshoGujaratni Chutani Shantranj 1952–2001Tasveer-e-GujaratSamayna HastaksharSwarnim Gujaratna Pachash VarshGandhiji ane Bharat Vibhajan
BiographiesRastrayagnana RutvijLala HardayalBhagvati Charan VarmaM.N.RoyJeevan Sadhakni VimalyatraSyamji KrishnavarmaPandit Dindayal Upadhyay
History ResearchLondonma 'Indian Sociologist' Rang De Basanti CholaGujaratna Sasatra Swatrantjangno ItihasPandit Shyamji KrishnavarmaGujaratna Kranti TirthoJaihind! Jaihind!Ma, Tuje Pranam!Viplavma GujaratShahid kathaGujarat: 1857Sattavanthi Subhash
EssaysShahmrug ane DevnamaVasant ane IhamrugPadchinhopar Pachhavalta
  • ''Hathelinu Aakash''

Recognition

Pandya was imprisoned during Indian emergency of 1975–76. At that time his first book, Haheli nu Aakash, was appreciated by the Gujarat Government and won a prize, but Pandya did not accept the prize. He received Narmad Suvarna Chandrak from Narmada Sahitya Sabha for historical writing in 1991. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2017 for literature and history. In 2019, he was awarded a D.Lit. by Gujarat University.