Harilal Dhruv

Harilal Dhruv Biography

Harilal Dhruv was a great scholar of Sanskrit language. He was also a qualified lawyer, poet, editor and Indologist, who studied about the culture and literature of the Indian subcontinent.  He also had deep interest in Oriental studies. Famous Gujarati author, Keshavlal Dhruv known by the penname Vanmali was his elder brother. Dhruv served as Judge of Baroda state. He died at a younger age of only 40 in 1896. Prana Gujarati Sahitya Ratnamala, Swadesh Bhakti, Kunjavihara, Aharmimansa, Aryotkarsha Vyayog, Laghu Chanakya, Vasant Vilasija and Pravasapushpanjali are among his major works.

Harilal Dhruv was born in Bahiyel near Dehgam in Gujarat in the year 1856. After graduation, he also completed LLB in the year 1880. Though he completed Law studies he started his career as a teacher at a school the following year. He continued the teaching job for the next five years. He started his law career as a pleader from Surat in 1885-1886. He reached the position till District and Session Judge of the princely state of Baroda. He also represented Bharuch in the annual session of Indian National Congress in 1898. The following year he was given Doctorate when he represented Baroda at 8th International Congress of Orientalists at Stockholm and Christiania.

He along with Ukabhai Parabhudas started Prajahita Vardhak Sabha in 1892. As a writer he contributed mostly in the form of poems and patriotic songs. His published poem anthologies are Kunjavihara and Pravasapushpanjali. Swadesh Bhakti – is his collection of patriotic poems. He has also served as an editor for a few publications. He was greatly influenced by modernism. He was also attached towards medieval Gujarati and Hindi languages and also classic Sanskrit poetry.

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Updated: April 03, 2016