Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Oct 31: In a program organized by Rashtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti, Jammu Chapter (RBPS), writers, poets and littérateurs of different languages paid homage to noted Hindi author Rajendra Yadav, a pioneer of the literary movement ‘Nayi Kahani’, at the K L Saigal Hall, here today.
Rajendra Yadav, who on the invitation of a local literary organization had few years back visited Jammu along with another celebrated Hindi writer Maitriya Pushpa, was the editor of the literary magazine Hans, which was founded by Munshi Premchand in 1930 and had ceased publication in 1953. Yadav re-launched it in 1986 and managed to keep it going till his own death. As editor of a cult magazine Hans, he promoted a lot of new writers.
Remembering Yadav’s stellar contribution to the modern Hindi literature and literary criticism, noted writer and poet Dr Agnishekhar said that Yadav began debates on the status of the underprivileged and women, and wrote about sexuality. Dogri short story writer Chhtrapal while enumerating his well known stories said that Yadav’s ribald and iconoclastic expression had lit up his own youth.
Acknowledged Hindi poetess Aruna Sharma read a portion from Yadav’s memoir on the occasion to provide a peep into the mind of great intellectual. Dr Sudhir Mahajan, senior theatre personality, read in his inimitable dramatic style, Yadav’s Hindi translation of Chekov’s story. Pritpal Singh Betab, leading Urdu poet and Yuva Gyanpeeth awardee contemporary Hindi writer and poet Yogita Yadav also reflected upon life and works of Rajendra Yadav.
Yadav’s first novel ‘Pret Bolte Hain’, which later retitled as ‘Sara Akash’ and adapted into a movie of the same title by Basu Chatterjee in 1969, had become a starting point for parallel\art cinema in the country. Married to Mannu Bhandari, Yadav was also a nominated board member of Prasar Bharti in 1999-2001. As a translator he also translated into Hindi many works of Russian language writers like Turgenev, Chekhov, and Lermontov as also Albert Camus.
Members of the presidium included Prof. Rita Jatindra, former Secretary Cultural Academy, Prof. Satpal Srivats, Prof Raj Kumar and Savita Bakshi, Additional Secretary. Today’s programme was conducted by Amita Mehta while Neeru Sharma president RBPS, presented the vote of thanks.
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