Sitanshu Yashaschandra

Sitanshu Yashaschandra Mehta (born 19 August 1941), better known as Sitanshu Yashaschandra, is a Gujarati language poet, playwright, translator and academic from India.

He was the President of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad.

He was born on 19 August 1941 at Bhuj, Cutch State (now in Kutch, Gujarat, India).

His family belonged to Petlad.

His father was a Government Officer.

He completed BA in Gujarati and Sanskrit from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and later MA from University of Bombay in 1965.

He taught Gujarati from 1965 to 1968.

Sitanshu married Anjaniben on 8 May 1966.

In 1970, he went to US under Fulbright Scholarship and studied MA in Aesthetics and Comparative Literature from Indiana University.

Mohen-jo-dado is a collection of poems published in August 1970 in Sanskriti magazine and later released on audio cassette in 1978.

He has written and adapted several plays.

He adapted Eugène Ionesco's The Lesson in Gujarati.

He also adapted Thomas Hardy's story, Day After The Fair as a play, Vaishakhi Koyal in Gujarati.

He also adapted Peter Shaffer's Equus as Tokhar in Gujarati.

It was produced by Pravin Joshi, Shafi Inamdar, and Mahendra Joshi.

All three literary adaptations were successful commercially.

His daughter, Vipasha, was born in 1971, while his son, Aranyak, in 1978.

He has taught Gujarati at Mithibai College from 1972 to 1975 and later at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda from 1983.

Sitanshu served as Vice-Chancellor of Saurashtra University, Rajkot for three years.

He served as a visiting professor at the Sorbonne University, Loyola Marymount University, and Jadavpur University.

He was an emeritus professor and national lecturer at University Grant Commission.

Odysseus nu Halesu (1974), Jatayu (1986) and Vakhar (2008) are his collections of poetry.

He later completed PhD in 1975.

He went to France for a year under Ford West European Fellowship where he studied, translated in Gujarati and did comparative study of Eugène Ionesco's Macbett and Shakespeare's Macbeth.

He also completed PhD in 1977 from University of Mumbai under Ramprasad Bakshi.

He was appointed the chief editor of the Encyclopedia of Indian Literature published by Sahitya Akademi, Delhi in 1977.

He wrote mainly in Gujarati but his works are translated into Hindi and other languages.

He has translated some works of poetry, drama and criticism from English to Gujarati.

Surrealism is considered as his signature style.

Simankan ane Simollanghan (1977), Ramaniyata no Vagvikalpa (1979) and Asyaha Sarga Vidhau (2002) are his works of criticism, theory of literature and literary historiography.

His Aa Manas Madrasi Lage Chhe (This Man Looks Madrasi, 1978) was directed by Satyadev Dube.

Kem Makanji, Kya Chalya? (Hello Makanji, Where Are You Going?, 1985) appeared as a radio play was directed by Nimesh Desai of Chorus.

He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award given by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, in 1987 for his poetry collection Jatayu.

Grahan (Eclipse, 1989), directed by P. S. Chari, was inspired by Oedipus.

In 1999, his six plays, all performed on stage, were published, which included Chhabili Ramati Chhanumanu, Kem Makanji, Kya Chalya?, Lady Lalkunwar, Aa Manas Madrasi Lage Chhe, Tokhar and Khagras.

Lady Lalkunvar (1999) is a Gujarati adaptation of Eduardo De Filippo's play, Filumena Marturano.

Ashvatthama and Grahan are his unpublished works.

Jagine Joyu To is his other work.

He has edited Natya-Kesuda.

Subsequently, he was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award by Government of India, in 2006.