Ganesh N. Devy

Ganesh N. Devy Biography

Ganesh N. Devy, also called G. N. Devy or Ganesh Narayandas is an Indian writer writing in English language. He is also a literary critic, who became the first Indian English literary critic to receive Sahitya Akademi Award 1993. He received the award for the book, After Amnesia: Tradition and Change in Indian Literary Criticism. He is also an activist, associated with tribal welfare.

He is a recipient of Padma Shri given by government of India, in recognition for the efforts towards the fields of literature. He received the honour in the year 2014. He is also a recipient of many honours including Linguapax Prize 2011, Prince Claus Award 2003, SAARC Literary Award 2001 etc. He returned his Sahitya Akademi Award in 2015, as a mark of protest and in solidarity with other writers who protested against central government for curbing their rights freedom of expression and also growing intolerance.

Ganesh Narayandas hails from Bhor, Pune, Maharashtra. After studies he has taught at various colleges and universities, and served as a professor of English at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He is also known as an activist who is the founder director of the Bhasha Research and Publication Center, Vadodara and Adivasi Academy at Tejgadh, Gujarat. He researched on the tribal communities also created a unique educational environment for its study.

As a writer, he published his first book, Critical Thought in 1987. After Amnesia, Of Many Heroes, India Between Tradition and Modernity, In Another Tongue, Indian Literary Criticism: Theory & Interpretation, Painted Words: An Anthology of Tribal Literature, A Nomad Called Thief, Keywords: Truth, Vaanprastha, Adivasi Jane Che and The G.N. Devy Reader are his other published works.

Published: October 04, 2018

Updated: October 04, 2018