Ludhiana, March 24
“I was given books instead of toys in my childhood,” said Satish Gulati, a Punjabi ghazal writer and publisher, adding that his father, Shah Chaman, a writer , saw to it that “I read literature right from my childhood.”
However, due to financial constraints, Satish Gulati could not study after passing his matriculation examinations. Since he had to fend for himself and his family, he became a medical representative though his love for writing and literature never diminished.
After 12 years of service, he realised that he needed to do something that was close to his heart. That is how his publishing house got started and he published “Buddha te Samundar”, a translation of Ernest Hemingway's novel, “Old Man and the Sea”.
To popularise reading and awareness among the people, he showcased his books in major literary functions in schools, colleges and other venues. He had made sets of five books each and priced these at Rs 100 only. Soon readers started buying books and authors thronged him for publication of their works.
A self-made man, Satish Gulati has a multi-faceted personality. He is a sensitive poet who captivates the audience with his
ghazals. The simile and metaphors that he interweaves in his couplet convey his thought pattern vividly and succinctly. His collection of Punjabi poems ,“Chupp de Khilaf” (1998), has been well received in the literary circles.
He publishes Punjabi books under the banner of Chetna Prakashan, which has so far has brought out 250 titles. These include a large number of novels, short stories, travelogues, poems, plays and treatises of literary criticism.
Satish Gulati is choosy and selects only value-based works of literature. He has another feather to his cap. He has been editing a Punjabi monthly, “Trishanku” since 2001.
