Kirat Babani

Kirat Babani was born on 03 January 1922 as the son of Shri Choithram at village Moro Lakho of Dist. Nawabshah, Sindh. At the age of four years, he lost his father and family was shifted to Nawabshah. He was admitted to Wills High School, where he was taught by Shri Rochiram Thawani and Shri Assandas Bijlani. He just not gained the academic knowledge but also lessons of patriotism, sports, drama and literary activities. Young Kirat has established “Forward Students Union” when he was in Matric. He was actively involved with “Quit India Movement” initiated by Mahatma Gandhi.

In the pre-Independence era Kirat was arrested many times and in the jail, he meets with personalities like Dr. Hassaram Rawatani, Rochiram Thawani, Krishin Gurnani, Partomal, Gulab Bhagwanani, Harchand and Sobho Gyanchandani. He was presented a book titled “Introduction to Socialism” which has changed his life to a great extant. During his studies at D.J. College, Karachi, Kirat got a part time job at newspaper “Azad”.

In the year 1945 he become General Secretary of “All Sindh Students” and represented Sindhi delegation at “All India Students Federation” meet held at New Delhi. During the meetings of “Adabi Class” [organization of leftist leanings writers] Kirat met with Gobind Malhi, Narayan Shyam, Anand Golani, Sugan Ahuja, Shaikh Raaz, Gobind Punjabi, Krishin Khatwani, Ram Amarlal Panjwani, Lachhman Rajpal, Gul Asnani and Bhagwan Lalwani etc. His first story “Jilebyun jo Chor” was published in Nai Duniya a magazine edited by Gobind Malhi. After the partition of the country in 1947 Kirat preferred to stay in Sindh but after the Karachi riots on 6 January 1948, he was arrested and was forced to leave Pakistan.

He migrated to Mumbai in May 1949 and went on to acquire degrees of B.A. and L. L.B. He joined the “Sindhyat Movement” under the banner of “Sindhi Boli and Lipi Committee” and later on become associated with “Sindhi Sahat Mandal”. During these years he got married to Savita. In the 1972 Kirat Babani was elected President of “Akhil Bharat Sindhi Boli Ain Sahat Sabha” and served Sindhi community, Language and Literature for span of 18 years.

He has credit of being author of15 books and has received many awards and citations during his long illustrated literary life. He died on 07 May 2015 at Mumbai.