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Krishnalal Shridharani

クリシュナラール・シュリダラニ

Krishnalal Shridharani

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1911-09-16 （Umrala, Bhavnagar district, Bombay Presidency, India）
Died
1960-07-23 （Delhi, India） age 48
Nationality
Indian
Languages
Gujarati, English
Residence History
Umrala (birthplace) → Junagadh (childhood) → Bhavnagar / Bombay Presidency (early life) → Shantiniketan (education) → New York, USA (studies) → Delhi (later life)

Career

Occupations
Poet, Playwright, Journalist, Researcher
Active Years
1930-1960
Affiliations
Gujarati Sahitya Parishad, Ministry of External Affairs (short tenure), Amrita Bazar Patrika (contributor)
Influenced By
Rabindranath Tagore, James Pratt, Mahatma Gandhi
Influenced
Martin Luther King Jr. (studied 'War Without Violence'), Congress of Racial Equality (influenced tactics)

Education

Gujarat Vidyapith
Period: 1929–1931
Country: India
Enrolled and participated in Indian independence activities
Shantiniketan (Visva-Bharati University)
Degree: 学士
Period: 1931–1933
Year of Graduation: 1933
Country: India
Graduated in 1933
New York University
Sociology & Economics
Degree: 修士（MA）
Period: 1934–1935
Year of Graduation: 1935
Country: United States
Completed master's degree in Sociology and Economics
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Journalism
Degree: MS（1936）、PhD（1940）
Period: 1935–1940
Year of Graduation: 1940
Country: United States
Completed MS in 1936 and PhD in 1940

Awards

Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak
1958
Organization: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (and related literary bodies)
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

War Without Violence

1939 Non-fiction (political/social thought)

An analysis of Gandhian philosophy and tactics of nonviolence; a study that was circulated among American civil rights activists.

NonviolenceCivil disobediencePolitical tactics

My India, My America

1941 Non-fiction (memoir/essays)

Reflections on his experiences in the United States and perspectives on India; a comparative account based on his studies abroad.

Diaspora experienceCultural comparison

The Journalist in India

1956 Non-fiction (journalism studies)

A study discussing the practice and role of journalism in India.

Media studiesSocial observation

Warning to the West

1943 Non-fiction (political commentary)

Contains commentary on international situation during WWII and cautions for the West.

International politicsHistorical perspective

Bibliography

  • Kodiya (poetry collection, 1934)
  • Vadlo (children's play, 1931)
  • Punarapi (poetry collection, 1961)
  • Insan Mita Doonga (short story)
  • The Adventures of the Upside-Down Tree (1959)
  • Story of The Indian Telegraph (1953)
  • Smiles From Kashmir (1959)
  • The Mahatma and the World (1946)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Concise, persuasive essayistic styleIn poetry and plays, realistic tendencies addressing nationalist and social themes
Recurring Motifs
NonviolenceRelationship between nation and individualSocial justice

Health

  • Heart attack (acute)
    1960
    Died of a heart attack in 1960; premature death ended his ongoing work.

Legacy

Recognized as a poet and playwright in Gujarati literature and, through his English works—particularly 'War Without Violence'—as an influencer on the American civil rights movement. He is noted for introducing Gandhian nonviolence theory internationally.

Academic Societies

  • Gujarati Sahitya Parishad

Archives

  • Held in public archives / newspaper archives (specifics not stated)

In Popular Culture

  • Mentioned in literature on the civil rights movement

Trivia

  • Participated in the Dandi March and was imprisoned during the Dharasana Satyagraha.
  • 'War Without Violence' is said to have influenced American civil rights activists.
  • Awarded the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 1958.
  • Married to Sundari K. Shridharani, a dancer and performing artist.