Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: The ‘Katha Sandhi’, organized by Sahitya Akedami, New Delhi, at the Press Club, here today, was a kind of public acknowledgment and appreciation of the literary genius of brilliant short story writer Shiv Mehta, who in recent years has emerged as one of the leading contemporary Dogri short story writers.
In fact long before inclusion of Dogri as one of the scheduled languages of the country, the unique socio-cultural personality and life style of communities of Duggar had become known to the world at large mainly through the translations of short stories of writers like B P Sathe, Ramanth Shastri, Narinder Sharma, Madan Mohan, Om Goswami, Dr Manoj, Chhatarpal and others.
In this coveted list of creative Dogri writers, Shiv Mehta has made his place for his long stories that using chaste Dogri expressions, idioms and proverbs paint a world where human values rule paramount. A master narrator whose main plot, a mosaic of umpteen sub-plots, is populated with a parade of characters who while acting their major and minor roles also emerge as representatives as well as reflection of world view that define, day to day life for Dogras.
One who has been associated with theatre and radio since childhood as an actor, Shiv Mehta’s literary journey started as writer of radio plays and for which he has already received many national awards. But it is in the field of short story writing that his multifaceted personality, experience in variegated fields and especially his flair for language his brought his literary genius to the fore. Already a collection of his stories has been published under the titled of ‘Bhaan’.
Prof Veena Gupta, Convenor, Dogri Advisory Board, Sahitya Akedami, while welcoming the guests, introduced Shiv Mehta the guest writer as a prolific short story and drama writer, who has his own identity in weaving threads of regional historical anecdotes and human relations along with human values in an impressive and touching style with distinguished use of regional vocabulary giving rich flavor and fragrance of Dogra culture and society. She said, while listening to his short stories, one feels as if he\she is viewing all this happening on the screen in a living room.
The audience had a first hand experience of the excellence of Shiv Mehta’s art of short story writing when he read his latest and characteristically long story titled ‘Taqabarri Sarband’. The saga where purity of human relations transcends the confines of religions and worldly pushes and pulls to the considerations of everlasting values of human love and affection, won accolades from the audience. Prof Lalit Magotra also highlighted the characteristics of Shiv Mehta literary oeuvre.
Gitanjali Chaterjee, Deputy Secretary, Sahitya Akedami, New Delhi, presented the vote of thanks while appreciating the unique style of the guest writer.
Those present on the occasion included Prof Ved Ghai, Padamshree Nilamber Dev Sharma, Ramesh Mehta, Prof Lalit Magotra, Praduman Singh Jandrahia, Prof Champa Sharma, Suman Sharma, Prof Shashi Pathania, Sat Pal Srivatsa, Prof Archana Kesar, Shiv Dutt, Chaman Panthi, Mangal Das Dogra and others.
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