1. The son of a lawyer, Balwantray Thakore was born on 23 October 1869 in Porbandar, and later moved to Bharuch in Gujarat.
18 Facts About Balwantray Thakore
1. 2.
Balwantray Thakore later remarried after the death of his first wife.
3.
Balwantray Thakore learned Sanskrit from Manilal Dwivedi, a language in which he composed poetry.
4.
Balwantray Thakore hoped to study abroad but was unable to do so due to the death of his wife, after which he had to take on the responsibility of raising his children.
5.
Balwantray Thakore graduated with honors from Deccan College in Pune, where he was awarded an Ellis scholarship for his high marks in English.
6.
Balwantray Thakore later worked as an assistant editor with the Indian Spectator.
7.
Balwantray Thakore subsequently returned to Deccan College to pursue his master's degree in arts.
8.
Balwantray Thakore was offered the position of assistant editor for the celebrated news weekly Maratha, but he declined the invitation.
9.
Balwantray Thakore remained active throughout his life, even lecturing at Wilson College, Mumbai at the age of 80.
10.
Balwantray Thakore started his own publishing house at around the same time, hoping to invigorate Gujarati literature.
11.
Balwantray Thakore died shortly after, at the age of 82, in Mumbai.
12.
Balwantray Thakore wrote under the pen-names 'Sehni' and 'Valkal'.
13.
Balwantray Thakore wrote his first poem in 1886, published in the same year.
14.
Balwantray Thakore wrote books on literary criticism; his first collection of critical essays, Kavitashikshana, was published in 1924, followed by Lyric, Navin Kavita Vishe Vyakhyano, Vividh Vyakhyano and Praveshako.
15.
Balwantray Thakore emphasized very strongly the need of intellection in the meaning of poetry and of flexibility in its metre.
16.
Balwantray Thakore edited Vachak Manimanikya's Ambad Vidyadhar Ras and Vachak Udaybhanu's Vikramcharit Ras.
17.
Balwantray Thakore adapted a Russian comedy by Valentin Kataev called Quadrature of the circle.
18.
Balwantray Thakore authored two plays, Ugati Jawani and Lagnaman Brahmacharya, both published in 1923.