Many may not still be knowing that the prolific litterateur of Nepali literary world Sharad Chhetri is no more amidst us and I too could not believe my ears when another eminent writer friend of mine Gupta Pradhan of Darjeeling broke me the tragic news on the 5th July morning! That day little busy writing, I had not checked the e-mail and read e-paper Himalaya Darpan otherwise I would have known this sad news earlier. Gupta informed that Sharad was in Siliguri in the ICU of the Mitra's Nursing Home where he had breathed his last the previous morning itself and the news was shocking making me nonplussed. I soon sent a sms to his brother Subhash with condolence message to the bereaved family and posted the news on my Facebook.
Sharad Chhetri (born 1947-2012 Darjeeling), an eminent writer better known for his short stories that earned him sobriquet, Kathaka Kamdhenu (goldmine of stories) but he was also a poet, essayist, dramatist and critic. He has 32 books to his credit. He was awarded Bhanubhakta Puraskar (West Bengal 1986), Sahitya Akademi Award (New Delhi 1986) and Ratnashree Gold Medal (Kathmandu 1988) for his stories in the Chakrvyuha (1985). He has been felicitated and interviewed often. His works appear in newspapers and periodicals regularly and many have been translated into Hindi, Bangla, Assamese, Telegu, Oriya besides English.
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Dhiraj Pradhan, Meghraj Gurung, Gopi Chandra Pradhan and Rajiva Shanker Shresta are also seen in the picture above.
It was greatness in him that he used to honour the honour we bestowed on him for his contributions to the literature and did not forget to mention of the Karuna Smarak Samman as well on every opportune moment in his books and life sketch that we felicitated him with during the Rachna Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 2005. We were preparing for his greater felicitation but in view of the family mourning he wished we should wait till the year is over – so magnanimous in his feelings towards us and our family!
He is survived by his wife Shobha, son Vivek, daughter Shailika and son-in-law Sachin Thapa.
A perfect gentleman with pleasing personality, I found him with robust health ever since we met during our Darjeeling Government College days in 1964. When we met last, he shared with me that during his entire life serving the State Bank of India there was not a single occasion that he had to take sick leave even for a day nor had to get even a rupee in the name of the medical reimbursement. Soon after his retirement he had met this fate. The story he narrated in his Bhranti ra Vastaviktako Dwandwama was about the first attack and thereafter had another bout that took him to the nursing home. He was able to pull on and to accomplish more things in between.
In tribute to Sharad Chhetri we present here his Bhranti ra Vastaviktako Dwandwama that this author translated touched and fascinated by his style therein and sent to him in appreciation. Struggling between Fallacy and Reality is posted on February 13, 2011 and is available on the Literature / भाषा-साहित्य Page of this website.
This story had a repeat appearance in the Himalaya Darpan Siliguri on 4 February 2011 and later and was also included in his latest collection Vikirna Tarangharu - Shyam Prakashan Darjeeling 2011. The book has been reviewed by Sant Kumar Chhetri and recently by Jay ‘Cactus’ - both appeared in the Himalayan Darpan. Similar more such studies on all his works would perhaps mean service to the literature that in turn bring some peace to the departed soul who was into enriching the Nepali literary world till he breathed his last undeterred by the failing health. This would really be a befitting homage to the most prolific author of our time.