Tarak Mehta

Tarak Janubhai Mehta (26 December 1929 – 1 March 2017) was an Indian columnist, humourist, writer and playwright who is best known for the column Duniya Ne Undha Chasma, and was a well-known figure in Gujarati theatre.[1]

Tarak Mehta
Tarak Mehta at his residence in Ahmedabad, 2009
Born
Tarak Janubhai Mehta

(1929-12-26)26 December 1929
Ahmadabad, Bombay Presidency, British India
(present day Gujarat, India)
Died1 March 2017(2017-03-01) (aged 87)
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Occupations
  • Columnist
  • Humourist
  • Writer
  • Playwright
Known forDuniya Ne Undha Chasma
Spouses
  • Ila Doshi
    ​
    (div. 1969)​
  • Indu Mehta
    ​
    (m. 2002)​
ChildrenEshani
AwardsRamanlal Nilkanth Hasya Paritoshik (2017)
Padma Shri (2015)
Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar (2011)

His humorous weekly column first appeared in Chitralekha in March 1971 and looked at contemporary issues from a different perspective. He published 80 books in his whole career.[2]

In 2008, SAB TV (now Sony SAB) – a popular entertainment channel in India – started the sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah based on his column,[3] which soon became the flagship show of the channel. Actor Shailesh Lodha portrayed Mehta in the show until 2022 when he left the show and currently, Sachin Shroff portrays Mehta.[4]

Personal life

Tarak Mehta belonged to the Gujarati Jain community.[5][6] He moved to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with his second wife, Indu, of over 30 years. His first wife, Ila who later married Manohar Doshi (died 2006), also lived in the same apartment building. He had a daughter from his first marriage, Eshani, who lives in the United States, and has two grandchildren, Kushaan and Shailee.[2][7]

Mehta died at the age of 87 years on 1 March 2017 after a prolonged illness.[8] His family donated his body to medical research.[9]

Awards
The President, Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Tarak Mehta, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on 30 March 2015

Mehta was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.[10] Gujarat Sahitya Akademi awarded him Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar in 2011 and Ramanlal Nilkanth Hasya Paritoshik (posthumously) in 2017.[11][12]

Bibliography

Novels

  • Mumbai ma Mehmaan-Yajmaan Pareshan
  • Mehta na Monghera Mehmaan
  • Aa Duniya Panjarapole
  • Tapu Tapori
  • Kaise Yeh Jodi Milaye More Ram
  • Betaaj Batlibaaj Popatlal Taraaj
  • Albelun America, Vanthelun America
  • Salo Sundarlal
  • Champu-Sulu ni Jugalbandi
  • Kanu Kagdo Dahitharu Lai Gayo
  • Action Replay Part 1 & Part 2 (Autobiography)
  • Matka King Mandve Halo Africa
  • Utpatang America
  • Navrani Nondhpothi
  • Tarak Mehta no Tapudo
  • Tarak Mehta na Undha Chashma
  • 2010 na Undha Chashma
  • Tapuda no Tarkhat
  • Tarak Mehta ni Toli Pardesh na Pravase
  • Pan Khay Popatlal Hamar
  • Khurshidas Makkhan Ghase
  • Dodh Dahya Tarak Mehta ni Diary
  • Lade Tenu Ghar Vase
  • Double Trouble
  • Return Ticket
  • Duniya ne Oondha Chashmah
  • Champaklal Tapuni Jugalbandhi
  • Ek Shaam Boss ke Naam
  • Hu, Boss ane Banevi
  • Naraji nu Rajinamu
  • Wah America
  • Tarak Mehta ni Navlikao

Natak (Plays)

  • Jojo Hasi na Kadhta
  • Dahpan ki Dadh
  • Bandhi Mutthi Lakhni
  • Ae to emaj Chale
  • Ek Murakhne Evi Tev
  • Tarak Mehta ni TV Natikao
  • Tarak Mehta na Ekankio
  • Tarak Mehta na Prahaaso
  • Aath Ekankio

References
  1. Contemporary Indian theatre: interviews with playwrights and directors. Sangeet Natak Akademi. 1989. p. 159.
  2. "Tharak Mehta is 'booked'!". DNA. 9 March 2009.
  3. "Comedy Inc!". Indian Express. 2 July 2010.
  4. "Sachin Shroff replaces Shailesh Lodha in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, confirms producer". India Today. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  5. "Jains steal the show with 7 Padmas". The Times of India. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  6. Talreja, Vinod (1 March 2017). "In pics: A look at the life of popular columnist Taarak Mehta". India.com. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  7. "Tragedy strikes Tarak Mehta". The Times of India. 14 July 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012.
  8. "Writer Taarak Mehta, the inspiration behind 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah', no more". The Times of India. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  9. "Noted Gujarati playwright Taarak Mehta passes away at 87". dna. 2017.
  10. "Padma Awards 2015". Press Information Bureau. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  11. "Tarak Mehta gets an award from Gujarat Government=15 February 2017". INDIA NEW ENGLAND NEWS.
  12. "સર્વપ્રિય હાસ્યલેખક તારક મહેતા 'રમણભાઈ નીલકંઠ હાસ્ય પારિતોષિક'થી સમ્માનિત". Chitralekha (in Gujarati). 31 March 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.


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