Ex-sheriff Chandrakant Bakshi no more

MUMBAI: Noted Gujarati litterateur and former sheriff of Mumbai Prof Chandrakant Bakshi, passed away in Ahmedabad on Saturday morning. He was 76. He is survived by a daughter, Reeva.

Born in 1932 in Palanpur village of Gujarat, Prof Bakshi started writing short stories when he was 16. He moved to and settled in Kolkata where he managed garment business of his family.

He published his first book Padgha Doobi Gaya, in 1957 which catapulted him into the limelight of Gujarati literature. There was no looking back and he went on to publish a total of 125 books, including short story collections, the largest ever by any Gujarati author.

In the midst of his garment business and writing, Prof Bakshi also taught for a few years at Mumbai’s Mithibai College of Arts & Science, Vile Parle.

Among his well-known books are: Kutti, it angered the Gujarat Government and the administration sued him, but he single-handedly fought the case.

Acknowledging his revered stature in Gujarati literature, the Maharashtra Government appointed him as the sheriff of Mumbai in 1999.