Urvish Kothari, born on 04-02-1971 at Mahemdavad (dist: Kheda)is a Journalist-Writer-Humorist and Blogger. Currently writing for Gujarat Samachar thrice a week; a feature column on Sunday (Navajuni), an edit page column on Tuesday (drishtikon) & a humor column on Wednesday (bolyuchalyu maaf).

Editing ‘Dalitshakti’ magazine for more than 5 years and ‘Vaishvik Manavvad’ for around 2 years though don’t subscribe to any ‘vaad’ (ism) personally. Also compeering many episodes of a talk show ‘drishtikon’ on DD-Gujarati (Girnar) on Saturday 7:30 pm. Books :

1) Batris kothe  hasya (humor)
2) Sardar: sacho manas, sachi vaat (essays on diff. aspects of sardar patel)
3) Nokha chile navsarjan (with Purvi Gajjar, 12 years of Navsarjan and its work among dalits of Gujarat)
4) Rajanikumar: Aapna sauna (compilation, with Biren Kothari).

Interview

Q1: Urvishbhai, Please tell us how did you enter into journalism field without any formal study related to it? Did anybody teach you or you yourself learned it?

• Ans.: It was sheer chance. My elder brother Biren Kothari led me to reading & music. But journalism as a career never occurred to me. After working for LIC, Gujarat Refinery and an ad agency, I applied when Abhiyaan weekly sought fresh talent. It worked. Noted writers Rajanikumar Pandya & Nagendra Vijay provided invaluable guidance later on for my writing career.

Q2: How would you define your writing or your journalism?

• Ans.: Sensible, crisp, no-nonsense, thought-provoking, hard hitting at times. Insightful. Never playing to the gallery and never titillating for the sake of popularity.

Q3: Your writing subjects have a wide range but on which subject you personally love to write?

• Ans.: I love all my subjects. I write what I love. Mostly.

Q4: You have written 3 books so far. One is the history of Navsarjan-which is mostly regarding dalit issues; another is on Sardar Patel whereas the recent one is the compilation of your humorous pieces. What I mean to say is neither of them have anything in common. What exactly is your identity- as a writer- a researcher, a humorist or a documentarian? Your next projects?

• Ans.: Let me add few more things: I’m researching on Jyotindra Dave since few years and yes, I intend to do a compilation of profiles I wrote as well as a book on my articles related to film music. Another book of humorous articles is on the way. All these have one thing in common : my own stamp (refer to answer 2 -) It’s Brand Urvish if one wish to say so. I’m happy with multiple identities. They don’t clash. They are complimentary to one another in many ways.

Q5: Both- you and your brother Biren Kothari are in the same field. How did that happen?

• Ans.: As I mentioned earlier, it was Biren who drew me towards world of words & music. As a breadwinner of the family, he had no choice but to accept well-paying IPCL job. I had an advantage of being younger.

Q6: Any memorable experience you have come across in journalism?

• Ans.: Working in Gujarati journalism leaves you with all kinds of memorable experiences: pleasant and otherwise. To work with stalwarts like Nagendra Vijay (in 1998) for whom I had highest regards as a reader, Entering (Ashwinee) Bhatt household as a part of Abhiyaan job in 1996, Editing -of course, not in the true sense of the word- Sunday & Wednesday supplements of Sandesh in 2000 (when C.Bakshi, G.Shah, M.Mankad, Salil Dalal, R.Borisagar etc. were writing for it), preparing special issues of Aarpar… the list is long and adding.

Q7: Does your personal thinking, likes or dislikes reflect in your writing?

• Ans.: yes. I am what I believe. I try not to be personal and never hit below the belt though.

Q8: What’s your take on present Gujarati journalism? Pros and Cons?

• Ans.: Many talented young persons around is a heartening sight but lack of avenues for them is regrettable.

Q9: Now a days, you are on Doordarshan on almost every Saturday as a compeer. How do you feel in this new medium?

• Ans.: I’m growing comfortable after initial consciousness. The issues selected by the producer- Dr. Rupa Maheta- are mostly of my interest. The aspect I love the most is : Except some mandatory light make-up, I’m not instructed/expected to dress or look dead perfect like a male Barbie caricature.

Q10: You also run a blog where one can see hot exchanges. What is your idea of running a blog- to add one more in the bunch or any commitment or any other thing?

• Ans.: A space of mine with unhindered freedom to express- that was the basic idea when I went blogging. After 300+ posts, it’s evolved organically into a live platform for others too. I love writing and I can share without boasting. Hot exchanges don’t bother me much. Less light and much more heat in the discussions is matter of disappointment rather than concern.

Q11: You’ve worked in almost all the dailies except Loksatta. Did you feel any difference?

• Ans.: All have their own peculiarities. Can’t & shouldn’t demonise or idolize any one.

Q12: How do readers react with your writing in general?

• Ans.: I’m lucky to get many readers who’re not merely wide-eyed fans. They have points to make. They’re delighted and praising when they like. They criticize flatly when it’s not up to the mark (according to them). I sincerely respect their response. They become friends over a period of time even if they don’t subscribe to some of my views.. My unambiguous stands make many a readers unhappy. They are welcome for dialogue.

Q13: Who are your models in writing or whose writing do you admire?

• Ans.: Zaverchand Meghai, Rajanikumar Pandya, Nagendra Vijay, Swami Anand, Gandhiji – these are some of the models. I admire many more writers. Difficult to list them all.

Q14: Apart from writing, what else fills your bucket of hobbies?

• Ans.: listening to music, chatting (offline) with friends, visiting my favorite shop of used books, playing harmonium as an ‘experienced amateur’

Q15: If you are given authority to correct one thing in the world, what would you prefer to do?

• Ans.: I would like to abolish untouchability.

Q16: Your deepest fear?

• Ans.: One bad morning, I wake up and find mediocrity all around leaving no space for really talented sincere persons. Must say, the fear is dangerously close to reality.

Q17: Say, you are sponsored to travel to 3 world destinations, where you need not to worry about costs for food, hotel or anything. Which destinations would you pick up, and why? Would you like to take someone along with you? If yes, whom?

• Ans: If I have nothing to worry about- not even laws of physics- I would love to travel in distant future when time travel or teleporting will be a reality. By reaching in the age of time travel, I would travel back in the time when earth was not inhabited by human beings.

If you strictly ask for destinations

1) Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) station where M.K. Gandhi was pushed out of a train one night.

2) Charlie Chaplin’s house, Switzerland

3) Sadat Hasan Manto’s tomb, Pakistan

Urvish Kothari can be reached at: uakothari@gmail.com or

www.urvishkothari-gujarati.blogspot.com

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