Upendranath Ashk

Upendranath Ashk Biography

Upendranath Ashk was a noted writer from Punjab. He wrote plays, short stories and novels. For his second short story collection in Urdu called Aurat Ki Fitrat (1933), the foreword was written by Munshi Premchand. He has also worked in the All India radio since early 1940’s. Though he satrted his literary career writing in Urdu he switched to Hindi on the advice of Munshi Premchand. He was the first Hindi dramatist to receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for playwriting in 1965.

Upendranath Ashk was born Upendranath Sharma to a Saraswat Brahmin family in Jalandhar, Punjab on 14 December 1910. He started composing Punjabi couplets at the age of 11 and began writing in Urdu at the age of 16. He was guided by Jalandhari poet Mohammad Ali ‘Azar'. Is first poem was published in Milap, a Sunday supplement. He published his first collection of short stories, titled Nau Ratan in 1930. After completion of graduation in 1931, he worked as a news reporter for three years in Lala Lajpat Rai's newspaper Vande Mataram. It was followed by translator and then assistant editor jobs for the Daily Veer Bharat and the weekly Bhoochal. In 1932, he married Sheela Devi. Then on Munshi Premchand’s advice, he switched to Hindi. His second collection of short stories, Aurat ki Fitrat, was published in 1933.

He decided to study law and become a sub-judge. His wife Sheela Devi passed away from Tuberculosis during this time. This incident prompted him to leave his dream to study law and later he fully concentrated on to writings. He has published novels, plays, short stories as well as memoirs in his literal career.

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Updated: February 15, 2014