{{Short description|Indian Gujarati author and journalist}} {{Infobox person | name = Harkisan Mehta | image = HarkisanMehtaPic.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Harkisan Laldas Mehta | birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|05|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Mahuva near Bhavnagar, Gujarat | death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|04|03|1928|05|25|df=y}} | death_place = Mumbai | other_names = | occupation = Author and journalist | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Harkisan Laldas Mehta''' (1928–1998) was a Gujarati author and journalist from India. He was the editor of a weekly, ''Chitralekha''. He wrote several novels.

==Life== Mehta was born in Mahuva near Bhavnagar, Gujarat on 25 May 1928. He completed his school education from M. N. Highschool in Mahuva.<ref name="RG2007">{{cite web | title=સર્જન-વિસર્જન – હરકિસન મહેતા | website=Readgujarati.com | date=18 December 2007 | url=http://archive.readgujarati.in/sahitya/?p=1537 | language=gu | accessdate=9 September 2015}}</ref> He studied till inter Arts. He married on 10 February 1953 in Matunga, Mumbai.<ref name="Mu">{{cite web | last=Shah | first=Saurabh | title=મારો પ્યૂન જોઈતો હોય તો એને પણ લઈ જાવ | website=Mumbai Samachar | url=http://bombaysamachar.com/frmStoryShow.aspx?sNo=92329 | language=gu | accessdate=9 September 2015 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063137/http://bombaysamachar.com/frmStoryShow.aspx?sNo=92329 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He served as an editor of Gujarati weekly, ''Chitralekha'', from 1958 to 1998.<ref name="Bharadia2013">{{cite book|author1=Jack Canfield |author2=Mark Victor Hansen |author3=Raksha Bharadia |title=CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE INDIAN GOLDEN SOUL|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DrUgAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT91|date=21 November 2013|publisher=Westland|isbn=978-93-80658-22-3|page=91}}</ref><ref name="શાહ 2009">{{cite web | last=શાહ | first=સૌરભ | title=મારા તંત્રીઓ-૩ હરકિસન મહેતા: આખાબોલા, અડીખમ અને એકાગ્ર | website=Saurabh Shah Online | date=9 July 2009 | url=http://saurabh-shah.com/2009/07/10/mara-tantrio3-harkisan-mehta/ | language=gu | accessdate=9 September 2015 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082242/http://saurabh-shah.com/2009/07/10/mara-tantrio3-harkisan-mehta/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Opinion">{{cite web| last=Mehta| first=Deepak| title=ધારાવાહિક નવલકથાને ઊની આંચ નહિ આવે| website=Opinion| url=http://opinionmagazine.co.uk/details/910/%E0%AA%A7%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B0%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B9%E0%AA%BF%E0%AA%95-%E0%AA%A8%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%B2%E0%AA%95%E0%AA%A5%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%87-%E0%AA%8A%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%80-%E0%AA%86%E0%AA%82%E0%AA%9A-%E0%AA%A8%E0%AA%B9%E0%AA%BF-%E0%AA%86%E0%AA%B5%E0%AB%87| language=gu| accessdate=9 September 2015| archive-date=4 March 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071251/http://opinionmagazine.co.uk/details/910/%E0%AA%A7%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B0%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%B9%E0%AA%BF%E0%AA%95-%E0%AA%A8%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%B2%E0%AA%95%E0%AA%A5%E0%AA%BE%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%87-%E0%AA%8A%E0%AA%A8%E0%AB%80-%E0%AA%86%E0%AA%82%E0%AA%9A-%E0%AA%A8%E0%AA%B9%E0%AA%BF-%E0%AA%86%E0%AA%B5%E0%AB%87| url-status=dead}}</ref> He died on 3 April 1998 in Mumbai following heart attack.<ref name="કૃતેશ 2011">{{cite web | author=કૃતેશ | title=હરકિસન મહેતા, Harkisan Mehta | website=ગુજરાતી પ્રતિભા પરિચય | date=29 July 2011 | url=https://sureshbjani.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/%e0%aa%b9%e0%aa%b0%e0%aa%95%e0%aa%bf%e0%aa%b8%e0%aa%a8-%e0%aa%ae%e0%aa%b9%e0%ab%87%e0%aa%a4%e0%aa%beharkisan-mehta/ | language=gu | accessdate=9 September 2015}}</ref>

==Works== Mehta wrote many of his novels in serialised format in ''Chitralekha'' weekly. His novels are often inspired from real life incidents such as ''Jad Chetan'' was inspired by Aruna Shanbaug case.<ref name="Khabarchhe.com 2015"/>

His thrillers and novels include ''Jagga Dakuna Verna Valamana'', ''Amirali Thugna Pila Roomalni Ganth'', ''Chambal Taaro Ajampo'', ''Maanas Name Gunegar'', ''Sansari Sadhu'', ''Bhed Bharam'', ''Dev Danav'', ''Ant Aarambh'', ''Paap Pashchatap'', ''Jog Sanjog'', ''Jad Chetan'',<ref name="Khabarchhe.com 2015">{{cite web | title=શમી ગઈ એક મૂગી ચીસ : હરકિસન મહેતાની "તુલસી"નું નહીં આવ્યું હેપ્પી એન્ડીંગ | website=Khabarchhe.com | date=28 May 2015 | url=http://www.khabarchhe.com/print-template/?newsid=10678 | language=gu | access-date=9 September 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185328/http://www.khabarchhe.com/print-template/?newsid=10678 | archive-date=4 March 2016 }}</ref> ''Sambhav Asambhav'', ''Tarasyo Sangam'', ''Pravah Paltayo'', ''Mukti Bandhan'', ''Shesh Vishesh'', ''Vansh Vaaras'', ''Bhagya Saubhagya'', ''Lay Pralay''. He coauthored ''Doctor Roshanlal'' with Vaju Kotak, the founding editor of ''Chitralekha''.<ref name="કૃતેશ 2011"/>

''Sweden Sonanu Pinjar'' is his travelogue. He also wrote ''Sharirthi Jodayela Siyami Jodiya'', a book on Siamese twins.<ref name="કૃતેશ 2011"/>

His novels have also been translated in other languages like Urdu and Tamil.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

Saurabh Shah edited ''Sarjan-Visarjan'', a biographical work on his life.<ref name="RG2007"/><ref name="Mumbai Samachar">{{cite web | last=Shah | first=Saurabh | title=પોતાનું વિસર્જન કરીને પાત્રોનું સર્જન કરનારા | website=Mumbai Samachar | url=http://bombaysamachar.com/frmStoryShow.aspx?sNo=92122 | language=gu | accessdate=9 September 2015 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092928/http://bombaysamachar.com/frmStoryShow.aspx?sNo=92122 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Adaptations=== His several novels are adapted into Hindi television series and plays. ''Mukti Bandhan'' (in 2011 on Colors TV) was adaptation of ''Mukti Bandhan''. Other examples are ''Khamoshi'' adapted from ''Jad Chetan'', ''Jeevan Mrityu'' (Sony TV ) adapted from ''Bhed Bharam'', ''Waqt Ki Raftar'' adapted from ''Vansh Varas'', ''Sambhav Asambhav'' (2003, Sony TV) adapted from ''Sambhav Asambhav''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/04/29/stories/2003042900250408.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022200233/http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/04/29/stories/2003042900250408.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 22, 2010|work=The Hindu|title=Reincarnation Drama|date=April 29, 2003}}</ref>

==Further reading== * {{cite book |editor-last=Shah |editor-first=Saurabh |title=Harkishan Mehta: Sarjan Visarjan (Collection of Articles on the Life and Work of a Harkishan Mehta) |date=28 February 2003 |publisher=Pravin Prakashan Pvt. Ltd. |location=Rajkot |oclc=52929273}}

==See also== * List of Gujarati-language writers

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehta, Harkisan}} Category:1928 births Category:1998 deaths Category:Gujarati-language Indian writers Category:Indian male novelists Category:20th-century Indian novelists Category:Gujarati people Category:People from Bhavnagar district Category:Indian editors Category:Novelists from Gujarat Category:Journalists from Gujarat Category:20th-century Indian male journalists