As Managing Director, Rajkamal Prakashan, Ashok Maheshwari has played a pivotal role in the promotion of Hindi language in the country. He has published more than 7,000 Hindi books, including books written by great personalities and statesmen of the country. In a significant event coinciding with the 96th birth anniversary of Jnanpith and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Nirmal Verma, Rajkamal Prakashan recently launched a new story collection titled ‘Thigliyan.’ This anthology includes Verma’s previously uncollected stories and incomplete novels, edited by Gagan Gill, a distinguished figure in Hindi literature and Nirmal Verma’s wife.
Ashok Maheshwari expresses profound satisfaction in bringing Verma’s works back to their original publisher. “On the 96th birth anniversary of Nirmal ji, we have published a new collection of his stories ‘Thigliyan’. It has been edited by Gagan Gill, who herself is a well-known personality in Hindi literature and Nirmal ji’s wife. This collection contains nine stories of Nirmal Verma, which have come before the readers for the first time in the form of a book. Remarkably, it includes Nirmal ji’s first story ‘Rishte,’ published in 1954, and his last story ‘Ab Kuch Nahin,’ published in 2005.”
Evidently, Rajkamal Prakashan’s history actually coincides with the history of modern Hindi language and literature. “In our 75-year journey, we have consistently published literary luminaries, and our catalogue stands as a testament to the quality of the writings we feature. Rajkamal Prakashan’s esteemed literary legacy includes renowned authors such as Phanishwar Nath Renu, Sumitra Nandan Pant, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Bhagwati Charan Verma, Nirala, Nagarjun, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, Trilochan, Muktibodh, Bhism Sahni, Shiv Pujan Sahay, Rahi Masoom Raza, Mohan Rakesh, Javed Akhtar, among many others,” explains Maheshwari who has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Gyan Prakash Award, Vidya Bharti Samman, Federation of Indian Publishers Award, and Utkarsh Samman, among others.
Established just before India gained independence in 1947, Rajkamal Prakashan played a pivotal role in a literary movement that amplified the voices of the marginalized. “Our journey began a few months before Indian Independence. The first two books we published were by INA’s Shah Nawaz Khan, available in both Hindi and English, and Louis Fischer’s ‘Gandhi and Stalin,’ also simultaneously published in both languages. We were intertwined with the freedom struggle, and post-independence, we released numerous relevant and important works. Notably, when the Five Year Plans were first introduced, there were no critics initially, regardless of their pros and cons. Rajkamal Prakashan courageously published Shrilal’s novel ‘Raag Darbari,’ which provided a potent critique of the post-colonial era,” recounts Maheshwari.
Highlighting the timeless appeal of Verma’s storytelling, Maheshwari explains, “Nirmal Verma is a multi-faceted storyteller who, on one hand, mesmerized readers widely and, on the other, influenced and inspired many. His attraction has increased with time. This collection of his previously uncollected stories brings us special joy. This book will be a special gift for the countless admirers and followers of Nirmal ji’s literature across the country and the world.”
Nirmal Verma, the first and only Hindi writer officially proposed by the Government of India for the Nobel Prize in Literature, began his literary journey in the 1950s. His story ‘Parinde’ is heralded as the beginning of a new wave in Hindi storytelling. Over 40 works were published during Verma’s lifetime, encompassing stories, novels, travel memoirs, essays, letters, and translations.
Reflecting on Rajkamal Prakashan’s long-standing relationship with Nirmal Verma’s works, Maheshwari reveals, “The first publisher of Nirmal Verma’s book is Rajkamal Prakashan. His first book was also published here. Now, Rajkamal is publishing a total of 41 books, including his original and translated works, in a new format. Thirteen of these books are already available. During the World Book Fair, the first set of six books of Nirmal Verma was published in a new format, which was greatly appreciated by the readers. Now, in the second set, an unpublished work is available along with six more of his books.”
With ‘Thigliyan,’ Rajkamal Prakashan continues to honor Nirmal Verma’s enduring legacy, ensuring that his profound and evocative storytelling reaches both long-time admirers and new generations of readers. ‘Thigliyan’ not only brings to light Verma’s uncollected and some unpublished stories but also compiles two of his latest novels. “From his earliest to his latest stories, Nirmal ji’s works offer a meaningful portrayal of characters’ mental states and their social geography. This collection will undoubtedly enrich the literary landscape,” rejoices Maheshwari.