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Sitting in his study, the litterateur who writes in six languages (English, Hindi, Punjabi, Dogri, Urdu and Sanskrit) talks animatedly about life, literature and the role of the writer. An academician, who has taught Sanskrit for more than 40 years, Sansar Chandra has dominated the literary scene and won many honours. On being asked why has he opted for satire as a form of expression, he says: Kahkahon ki maskah se maine nikale apne kaam, jab kissi ne kadre aah-o-naala-o-zari naa ki (It was with humour I managed to find my way around when none bothered about my wails). For a man who was born at Mirpur (now in PoK) and fled from there in 1947, and also lived through the massacre as a witness and a sufferer, it was tenacity that saw him through. He believes that we all wear a cloak of falsehood and refuse to face reality, but a true writer is the one who sees not only today’s truth but also that of the future. For this karamyogi, who has guided 98 Ph.Ds, supervised 15 D Litts and written 50 books, it is the exacting self-discipline and rigorous routine that defines his life. Be it sickness or severe winter, he imakes it a point to be at his table from 9 to 5, writing and reading. "I want to die with a pen in my hand," is what he prays for. With two books on him and several awards and honours in his kitty — he doesn’t set much store by the worldly aspects of life. It is spirituality that governs his life and he sets more store by what ‘the other’ life holds. Subhash Rastogi, who has edited and put together Dr Sansar Chandra Ke Shreshtha Vyangya as a mark of respect for the 90-year-old writer, has been his life-long admirer. This is the second book on the writer, the first one was written by the late Dr Chandrashekhar, Head of the Hindi Department, Punjabi University, Patiala. Sansar Chandra has been decorated with Maharishi Valmiki Award, Ved Vyas Award of the Haryana Government, Vidyavachaspati Upadhi by Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Shiromani Sahityakaar Award twice (Hindi and Sanskrit both), Sourabh Samman of U.P, Chakallas Award from Rangayana, the Maharashtra Akademi to promote satirical writing, He feels he has been recognised and rewarded not only by governments and institutions but also by the respect and affection of readers of The Tribune, where he has been writing the weekly forecast for more than 40 years. Surprisingly modern in his outlook, he does not believe in ritualism or meaningless adherence to outdated customs. In Hindi, he is a great admirer of Mahadevi Verma and Jaishankar Prasad, while it is the universality of Shakespeare that he admires and even quotes Iqbal on the Bard to make his point. Chashme Alam Se Toh Hasti Mastoor Rahi, Magar Alam K Teri Aankh Ne Udyan Dekha.(You hid yourself but unmasked the entire humanity with your vision). For each and every occasion and emotion, the veteran writer has an apt lyric. After meeting Sansar Chandra, one is impressed by the man who, undeterred by his age, continues to spread sunshine in the life of others and looks ahead and plans to finishing the unfinished tasks he has set himself.
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WHEN Dr Sansar Chandra
completed 89 and entered the 90th year, it was with a resolve to
complete the unfinished work in the last decade.