Vishnu Pandya


Vishnu Pandya is a journalist, biographer, poet, novelist, writer and political analyst from Gujarat, India. He is the chairman of Gujarat Sahitya Akademi since 2017. Pandya writes articles on politics, history and historical places which are carried by several Gujarati newspapers and magazines, is among the most widely read columns in the State. He is active in journalism since last 40 years. Along with column writing in a Gujarati daily, he serves as General Secretary of Vishwa Gujarati Samaj.

Early life

Pandya was born in Manavadar in Junagadh State. He was educated at Bahauddin College, Junagadh. His father had worked in South Africa before his return to India after World War II. He was the District officer – Education in Manavadar.
He married Arti Pandya. She died on 24 January 2018.

Career

Pandya started his career with Sadhana weekly, later became an editor of it at the age of 22. He was honored by the All Indian Newspapers Editor for protest on censorship during the Indian Emergency. He managed to publish the magazine and wrote against the censorship. He was appointed as the chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi in May 2017.
Pandya as a Journalist :
Pandya as a Lecturer
Pandya is teaching journalism in various colleges and universities of Gujarat at post graduate level, namely :
His writing has various subjects from political criticism and analytic to history research. He has written many biographies. Apart from these writing he is actively contributing to journalism field, has written many books on journalism. Till date he has written 101 books.

Books

Books on Journalism
Criticism on Political Issues
Biographies
History Research
Essays
Pandya was imprisoned during Indian emergency of 1975–76. At that time his first book, Haheli nu Aakash, was appreciated by the Gujarat Government and won a prize, but Pandya did not accept the prize.Narmad Suvarna Chandrak from Narmada Sahitya Sabha for historical writing in 1991. He awarded Padma Shri in 2017 for literature and history.