Ram Sarup Ankhi
{{Short description|Indian writer, poet, and novelist}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Ram Sarup Ankhi
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|birth_name = Ram Sarup
|birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1932|08|28}}
|birth_place = Dhaula, Punjab Province, British India
|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2010|02|14|1932|07|28}}
|death_place = Barnala, Punjab, India
|nationality = Indian
|other_names =
|known_for = Partapi, Kothe Kharak Singh
|occupation = Writer, Novelist, Poet
}}
Ram Sarup Ankhi (28 August 1932 – 14 February 2010) was an Indian writer, poet, and novelist who wrote in Punjabi.{{cite web | url=http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/amarjit-22/ | title=Ram Sarup Ankhi 1932–2010 | website=apnaorg.com | accessdate=30 April 2012 | author=Chandan, Amarjit | archive-date=28 May 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528223300/http://apnaorg.com/articles/amarjit-22/ | url-status=dead }} He started as a poet but ended up as a fiction writer. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in 1987 for his novel Kothe Kharak Singh.
Life
Ankhi was born on 28 August 1932, in the village of Dhaula in Barnala district of Indian Punjab. After completing his education from Government Mohindra College, Patiala, Ankhi continued with his ancestral profession of farming. Later, he served as an English teacher{{cite news |last1=Walia |first1=Varinder |title=No Novelist Equals PremChand |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080218/punjab1.htm#5 |accessdate=3 June 2020 |work=The Tribune |date=18 February 2008}} in a government school, but wrote in Punjabi language.
He died on 13 February 2010,{{cite news |title=Tributes to Ram Sarup Ankhi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Scores-of-eminent-writers-to-pay-tributes-to-Sahitya-Akademi-award-winner-writer-Ram-Sarup-Ankhi-on-his-first-death-anniversary-Ankhi-had-died-on-Feb-13-2010-/articleshow/7485665.cms |accessdate=3 June 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=13 February 2011}} and he was survived by his wife, three daughters and two sons. One daughter pre-deceased him{{cite web |last1=Chandan |first1=Amarjit |title=Obituary Ram Sarup Ankhi |url=http://apnaorg.com/articles/amarjit-22/ |website=ApnaOrg |publisher=ApnaOrg |accessdate=3 June 2020 |archive-date=18 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118141146/http://apnaorg.com/articles/amarjit-22/ |url-status=dead }} Three of his wives died, and he later married a lady who spoke only broken Punjabi, leading everyone to conclude that his fourth wife was from outside Punjab, but from another Indian province.{{cite news |last1=Bharti |first1=Vishav |title=A tale of two stories |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/a-tale-of-two-stories/story-Y1obx4hEvTPARJZke7EWpK.html |accessdate=3 June 2020 |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=23 December 2013}}
Career
He started his career as a poet but ended as fiction writer. There are 15 novels, eight-story-books and five poem collections to his credit.{{cite news |last1=Kidwai |first1=Shafey |title=At home among strangers |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/at-home-among-strangers/article19846575.ece |accessdate=3 June 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=12 October 2017}} He mostly wrote about the village life of Punjab; about farmer suicide and indebtedness and drug addiction etc. His well-known works include Kothe Kharak Singh (1985),{{cite book | title=Kothe Kharhak Singh | publisher=Sahitya Akademi | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2006|edition=reprint | asin=B003DRHBGI}} Partapi (1993),{{cite book | title=Partapi | publisher=Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd. | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2010|edition=reprint | isbn=978-81-7538-113-1}} Dulle Di Dhab (2003), Salphas,{{cite book | title=Salfaas | publisher=Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd. | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2007 | isbn=978-81-7142-125-1}} Kanak Da Qatleam.{{cite book | title=Kankan Da Katleam | publisher=Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd. | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2007 | isbn=978-81-7142-377-4}} Malhe Jharhian (1988){{cite book | title=Malhe Jharhian | publisher=Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd. | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2007|edition=reprint | isbn=978-81-7142-208-1}} and Apni Mitti De Rukh (2004) are both autobiographies.
The scene of most of his writings are a cluster of 50 villages in the Malwa region, from the districts of Mansa, Bathinda, Barnala, and Sangrur.
Awards
He received the Sahitya Akademi Award given by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in 1987 for his novel Kothe Kharak Singh, which was a story of three generations based on a fictional village in Punjab.[http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/SearchAwards.do Official list of Awardees]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Sahitya Akademi website. He received many more including, Kartar Singh Dhaliwal award of 1992 from Panjabi Sahit Akademi, Ludhiana and Sarb Shresht Sahitkaar award in 2009.{{cite news | url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ram-sarup-ankhi-finally-gets-his-due-to-get/484986/ | title=Ram Sarup Ankhi finally gets his due, to get Sarab Shresht Sahitkaar award | date=4 July 2009 | agency=The Indian Express | accessdate=30 April 2012 | location=Ludhiana | pages=2}}
Notable books
;Stories
Many of his books and short stories have been adapted into films. His novel Gelo was made into a Punjabi feature film directed by Manbhawan Singh in 2016.
- Sutta Naag (1966)
- Kachcha Dhaga (1967)
- Manukh Di Maut (1968)
- Teesi Da Ber (1970)
- Khaara Duddh (1973)
- Adha Admi (1977)
- Gelo
- Kadon Phirange Din (1985){{cite book | title=Kadon Phirange Din | publisher=Panjabi Writers' Co-operative Society | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=1985}}
- Kidhar Jaawan (1992){{cite book | title=Kidhar Jaawan | publisher=Raghbir Rachna Pralashan | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=1992}}
- Chhad Ke Na Ja (1994)
;
;Novels
- Kothe Kharak Singh (1985)
- Partapi (1993)
- Dulle Di Dhab (2003)
- Kaidan{{cite book | title=Kaidan | publisher=Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd. | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2006 | pages=148 | isbn=978-81-7142-043-8}}
- Zameena Wale
- Kanka Da Katlaam
- Pind Di Mitti
;
;Autobiographies
- Malhe Jharhian (1988)
- Apni Mitti De Rukh (2004){{cite book | title=Apni Mitti De Rukh | publisher=Lok Geet Prakashan | author=Ankhi, Ram Sarup | year=2004 | pages=127}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Modern Hindu writers}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Punjabi-language writers
Category:Punjabi-language poets
Category:Indian male novelists
Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi
Category:20th-century Indian poets
Category:20th-century Indian novelists
Category:Poets from Punjab, India
Category:Novelists from Punjab, India