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| Dr Makhan Lal Das |
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| Dr Ashok Lav |
I met him through face book, a simple, honest looking man
from Delhi. My fondness towards poetry
drew me closer to the poet in him. His poems are born out of subtle human
emotions and feelings, often touching a raw nerve here and there. It touched me too. I started translating his poems to Assamese
and the bond grew stronger. Finally I came face to face with him on a bright
sunny morning at the Metro Station in Dwarka. There he was, waiting to receive
me, my respected friend, Ashok Lav.
Ashok Lav is a multifaceted personality. He is a well-known academician, poet, writer,
critique, journalist and social worker.
He started his academic pursuits in the fields of science but his love
towards literature finally took him to the arts stream. He was born in a Mohyal Brahmin family . He
spent his childhood at Kaithal (Haryana) and also studied at Bhagalpur and
Monghyr (Bihar).He obtained his
graduation and B. Ed. degrees from Delhi
University and post graduate degree from
Himachal Pradesh University. He was conferred with Ph.D. and D. Lit. degrees
for his outstanding contribution in the fields of Hindi literature .
After completing his Masters in Hindi, he joined teaching
profession and continued to do so with full devotion and dedication for nearly
thirty years. Teaching was his profession but writing remained his
passion. He has tried his hands in
almost all areas of Hindi Literature and has been successful in creating a
niche for himself wherever he did. His first writing, a children one-act play
was published in ‘Navrashtra’, a Hindi daily, published from Patna and his
second in ‘Dainik Veer Arjun’, a daily published from Delhi. It was in the year
1964 when he was in the school. He has been writing since then and the flow of
writings has never stopped. His published works have already touched the
century mark which includes both educational and literary creations. As a
successful academician he has written a large number of text-books for students
of all standards. He has worked on
almost all modes of prose and has done exceedingly well in that. His Short stories, Laghukatha, novel, short stories, interviews,
reviews, essays and articles, drama etc. have been of the highest quality and
are very well received in the Hindi literary circles. In fact he played a
historical role in establishing Laghukatha
as a distinct form of writing. He has initiated discussions on various forums
like radio, television, literary circles etc on different aspects of Laghukatha. Ashok Lav is considered as a senior and leading
exponent of Hindi Laghukatha and ‘Salaam Dilli’, a collection of his Laghukatha is considered to be a historic
document on this.
Ashok Lav has seriously worked on the much neglected area of
interviews too. ‘Hindi Ke Pratinidhi Sahityokaron Se Sakshatkaar’ is his
greatest gift to Hindi literature in this line. While ceremonially releasing
the book, Vice-President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma called it a unique
creation in this much neglected area of literature. These interviews were
serially published in ‘Dainik Hindustan’, a Hindi daily of repute. His novel
‘Shikharon Se Age’ has been a subject of research. This novel depicts the
modern Indian society vividly covering almost all the aspects. Four students have received M. Phil. degrees
for their research works based on this novel.
Some other well acclaimed works of Ashok Lav included Pattharon Se
Bandhe Pankh ( Collection of short stories), Anubhooatiyon Ki Aahten (
Collection of Poems), Tutate Chakrvyuh (
ed-collection of Poems), Band Darwazon Par Dastaken (ed- collection of Lakhukatha), Chanakya Neeti (edited), Prem
Chand Ki Lokpriya Kahaniyan, Prem Chand Ki Sarvottam
Kahaniyan, Yug Pravartak Mahapurush, Yug Nayak Mahapurush,
Madhu Parag , Phulwaree and Mahak , Kholo Apne Baste Jee and Jhumen-Nachen-Gayen(Children
rhyms) etc..
Ladkiyan Chhoona Chahtee Hain Aasman, ceremonially released by Mrs. Shila
Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi, is his latest collection of poems. Four
students had done M.Phil on this book.
Ashok Lav has been a successful journalist too. He has
edited many journals and magazines till date.
His has been associated with Samkaleen Chouthi Duniya (Literary editor),
Rashtriya Nilayam (Advisor-editor),
Komal Vichar (editor), Mansi (Advisor-editor), Laghu Katha-Sahitya
(chief editor) , New Observer Post, Qutub Mail (Advisor-editor), Yuva Batan (Advisor-editor) and many other magazines and periodicals. He
has been serving as the editor of the Hindi Edition of Mohyal Mitra , a
mouthpiece of the General Mohyal Sabha, for last twenty seven years. This is one of the longest continuously
published magazines of Indiaestablished in 1891. He was awarded with the ‘ Acharya Vijyendra
Snatak Smriti Samman’ and ‘ Yagnavalkya Patrakarita Puraskaar’ recently for his outstanding contribution
towards Hindi journalism. For his
exploits in the field of Hindi Literature, Ashok Lav has received
awards/citations/honors from more than sixty institutions/organizations so far.
Among them are Surya Kant Tripathi Nirala Samman, Creative Foundation Awarad, Mohyal Gaurav
Samman, Kabir Samman, Premchand Smriti Samman, Avantika Sahitya Samman,
Rashtriya Hindi Sevi Samman etc. to name a few. He has been ordained with
titles like Sahitya Shree, Patrakaar Ratna, Sahityalankar , Mohyal Shri etc. Some notable
institutions/organizations who have honored him are Kendriya Sachivalaya
Hindi Parishad, Dilli Sahitya Samaj,
Supathaga, Mitra Sangam, Yuva Chetna Mandal, Sahitya Kala Bharti, Mitra Sansar,
Raslok, Samay Sahitya Sammelan, Agaman Manch, Akhil Bhartiya Sahityakar
Parishad, Shabd Setu, Amar Sahitya Sansthan etc. The accolades he received were
not confined to literature only. His distinguished services as a teacher was
well recognized and he received the prestigious Dr Radhakrishnan Smriti
Rashtriya Sikshak Puraskar. After retirement from active service as a teacher
Ashok Lav has settled down in the Surya Apartments, Dwarka, New Delhi but has
never really retired. He has been actively involved in social activities in
addition to his literary works .He is one of the guiding lights of
organizations like General Mohyal Sabha etc. This simple, adorable writer and
poet has touched and inspired many a lives and I am fortunate enough to be one
of them.
-Dr Makhan
Lal Das
Contact : Ashok Lav ,FLAT-363,SURYA APTT,
PLOT-14,SECTOR-6,DWARKA,NEW DELHI-110075 (M) 9971010063, E-mail: kumar1641@gmail.com
