Vijaygupta Maurya (March 26, 1903 â July 10, 1992) was a pioneer science writer in Gujarati. He wrote thousands of articles popularising science as well as several books.
Life
Early life
Vijaygupta Maurya was born Vijayshankar Murarji Vasu in Porbandar (now in Gujarat, India) in 1909. He completed his high school education at Bhavsingh High School in Porbandar. He studied law in Bombay (now Mumbai) and returned to Porbandar in 1933 to start his legal practice. Four years later, he was elevated to the position of a judge. Due to his passion for bird watching, he wrote articles on birds for ' magazine.
In 1944, Indian independence activist Vasant Avsare came to Porbandar and asked Vijaygupta Maurya to fight his case. However, as Vijaygupta Maurya was already at the position of judge, he could not do so. This prompted Vijaygupta Maurya to resign from his position and took Avsare's case as a lawyer. This ended Vijaygupta Maurya's career as judge and he decided to stay in Mumbai. He found a job as a typist for the salary of Rs. 0.75 per month at .
Career as Journalist and Writer
Between financial struggles, he wrote for Prakriti magazine. Few years later, he was invited to write for a Gujarati newspaper Janmabhumi. He wrote articles on birds and animals printed on the last page of Janambhumi Pravasi with limited space and eventually became an editor and writer of the whole page. He wrote on varied subjects including science, astronomy and biology.
In 1973, he left Janmabhumi Pravasi and became a freelancer writing for various magazines. He wrote several books during that time that included the theme of serving interesting information rolled up in stories as well as books based on true events. His career as a writer spanned over 46 years but he continued to struggle financially. During last years, he had several ailments including poor vision, back pain and the Parkinson's disease. After a long illness, he died on 10 July 1992.
Personal life
His sons, Nagendra Vijay and Bhardvaj Vijay, were also popular science writers. Nagendra Vijay started writing at the age of 14 and pioneered the first Gujarati science magazine Scope and later Safari. His grandson, Harshal Pushkarna, is also popular science writer and currently heads Safari.
Selected books
Some of the Gujarati books authored by Vijaygupta Maurya
- Sherkhan (à ª¶à «Âà ª°à ªÂà ª¾à ª¨)
- Kapina Parakramo (à ªÂà ªªà ª¿à ª¨à ª¾à ª à ªªà ª°à ª¾à ªÂà «Âà ª°à ª®à «Â)
- Sinh Vaghni Sobatma (à ª¸à ª¿à ªÂà ª¹ à ªµà ª¾à ªÂà ª¨à « à ª¸à «Âà ª¬à ª¤à ª®à ª¾à ªÂ)
- Shikarini Tarap (à ª¶à ª¿à ªÂà ª¾à ª°à «Âà ª¨à « à ª¤à ª°à ª¾à ªª)
- Kimiyagar Kabir (à ªÂà «Âà ª®à ª¿à ª¯à ª¾à ªÂà ª° à ªÂà ª¬à «Âà ª°)
- Hathina Tolama (à ª¹à ª¾à ª¥à «Âà ª¨à ª¾ à ªÂà «Âà ª³à ª¾à ª®à ª¾à ªÂ)
- Kutch thi Kashmir Sudhi Ladi Janyu Jawanoe (à ªÂà ªÂà «Âà ªÂà ª¥à « à ªÂà ª¾à ª¶à «Âà ª®à «Âà ª° à ª¸à «Âà ª§à « à ª²à ª¡à « à ªÂà ª¾à ª£à «Âà ª¯à «Âà ª à ªÂà ªµà ª¾à ª¨à «Âà ªÂ)
- Kashmirnu Agnisnan (à ªÂà ª¾à ª¶à «Âà ª®à «Âà ª°à ª¨à «Âà ª à ªÂ
à ªÂà «Âà ª¨à ª¿à ª¸à «Âà ª¨à ª¾à ª¨)
- Zagmagtu Zaverat (à ªÂà ªÂà ª®à ªÂà ª¤à «Âà ª à ªÂà ªµà «Âà ª°à ª¾à ª¤)
- Samudrani Ajayab Jeevshrishti (à ª¸à ª®à «Âà ª¦à «Âà ª°à ª¨à « à ªÂ
à ªÂà ª¾à ª¯à ª¬ à ªÂà «Âà ªµà ª¸à «Âà ª·à «Âà ªÂà ª¿)
- Prakrutina Ladakvya Pankhio (à ªªà «Âà ª°à ªÂà «Âà ª¤à ª¿à ª¨à ª¾à ª à ª²à ª¾à ª¡à ªÂà ªµà ª¾à ª¯à ª¾à ª à ªªà ªÂà ªÂà «Âà ªÂ)
- Jindagi Jindagi (à ªÂà ª¿à ªÂà ª¦à ªÂà « à ªÂà ª¿à ªÂà ª¦à ªÂà «Â)
- Manas Jem Boline Superstar Baneli Ek Hati Mena (à ª®à ª¾à ª£à ª¸ à ªÂà «Âà ª® à ª¬à «Âà ª²à «Âà ª¨à « à ª¸à «Âà ªªà ª°à ª¸à «Âà ªÂà ª¾à ª° à ª¬à ª¨à «Âà ª²à « à ªÂà ª à ª¹à ª¤à « à ª®à «Âà ª¨à ª¾)
- Circus Jeevanna Jivsatosatna Sahaso (à ª¸à ª°à ªÂà ª¸ à ªÂà «Âà ªµà ª¨à ª¨à ª¾ à ªÂà «Âà ªµ à ª¸à ªÂà «Âà ª¸à ªÂà ª¨à ª¾à ª à ª¸à ª¾à ª¹à ª¸à «Â)
- Samudrani Sahaskatha (à ª¸à ª®à «Âà ª¦à «Âà ª°à ª¨à « à ª¸à ª¾à ª¹à ª¸à ªÂà ª¥à ª¾)
- Prithvidarshan (à ªªà «Âà ª¥à «Âà ªµà «Âà ª¦à ª°à «Âà ª¶à ª¨)
- Hawamannu Gyan Sha Mate? (à ª¹à ªµà ª¾à ª®à ª¾à ª¨à ª¨à «Âà ª à ªÂà «Âà ªÂà ª¾à ª¨ à ª¶à ª¾ à ª®à ª¾à ªÂà «Â?)
- Galápagos (à ªÂà ª¾à ª²à ª¾à ªªà ª¾à ªÂà «Âà ª¸)
- Aa Chhe Russia (à ª à ªÂà « à ª°à ª¶à ª¿à ª¯à ª¾)
References