Pannalal Patel

Pannalal Nanalal Patel was an Indian author primarily famous for his Gujarati language literature. He was born on May 7, 1912,  in the Mandli Village, now in Dungarpur, Rajasthan. He is the author of more than 20 short story collection and more than 20 social novels. He has presented Gujarati literature with over 450 stories. Some of his works were translated, enacted as plays, and made as films.

His father, Natasha, a.k.a Nanalal, and his mother, Hiraba, had four children, among which Pannalal was the youngest. His father was a farmer, and would recite stories of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Okhaharan and other mythological stories. The villagers called the Patel house The Abode Of Knowledge. His father passed away at a young age, and he was brought up by his mother. He could only study till the fourth standard due to poverty, which he did at Sir Pratap High School. He befriended Umashankar Joshi there.

He worked as a manager for a short period in a liquor manufacturing company in Dungarpur. He wrote his first novel later while he was working as a domestic helper. Then, in 1936, he reunited with his old friend, Umashankar Joshi. He saw Pannalal's writing talent and persuaded him to write more, which is when Patel wrote his first short story, Sheth Ni Sharda. As time passed by, his writings got published in many different Gujarati magazines. He published his first novel, Valamana (The Send-off), in 1940, followed by Malela Jeev, then Manvini Bhavai, and many others.

Pannalal mostly wrote in native idioms of Sabarkantha district in north Gujarat. He portrayed the beauty of rural Gujarat in his writings. His writings were majorly on love, such as in Malela Jeev, where he writes about Kanji and Jivi's unfulfilled love because of their caste differences. It is one of his most famous novels. Another, that is Manvini Bhavai, is said to have an compelling depiction of rural life in Gujarat during the 1900s. 

Some other novels by him depicting rural life are Manakhavatar, Bhangyana Bheru, Ghammar Valonu Vol. 1-2, Karoliyanu Jalu, Meen Matina Manvi, Ajavali Rat Amasni, Fakiro and Kanku. He also wrote books describing urban life like Bhiru Sathi, Padagha and Padchhaya, Ame Be Baheno Vol. 1-2, Pranayna Jujva Pot, Ek Anokhi Preet, Yauvan Vol. 1-2, Nathi Paranya Nathi Kunwara, Raw Material, Allad Chhokari, and Andhi Ashadhni. He was awarded the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 1950 and the Jnanpith Award in 1985. He was the second Gujarati writer to have received it. In 1986, Patel received The Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar. At Ahmedabad, in April 6, 1989, he died after a brain haemorrhage.