The history of Gujarati literature may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, other than its composers.
Nanalal Dalpatram Kavi was an Indian writer and poet in Gujarati language of Gujarati literature. His name is sometimes spelled as Nhanalal.
Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi was a Gujarati-language writer, philosopher, and social thinker from British India, commonly referred to as Manilal in literary circles. He was an influential figure in 19th-century Gujarati literature, and was one of several Gujarati writers and educators involved in the debate over social reforms, focusing on issues such as the status of women, child marriage, and the question of whether widows could remarry. He held Eastern civilisation in high esteem, and resisted the influence of Western civilisation, a position which drew him into conflicts with other social reformers of a less conservative outlook. He considered himself a "reformer along religious lines".
Shirish Jagjivandas Panchal is a Gujarati critic, fiction writer, translator and editor. He won the 2009 Sahitya Akademi Award for Gujarati language for his criticism Vaat Aapanaa Vivechan-ni. He refused the award.
Sitanshu Yashaschandra Mehta, better known as Sitanshu Yashaschandra, is a Gujarati language poet, playwright, translator and academic from India.
Narmad Suvarna Chandrak, also known as the Narmad Gold Medal or Narmad Chandrak, is a literary honour in Gujarat, India. It is bestowed by the organisation known as Narmad Sahitya Sabha, Surat, in remembrance of renowned Gujarati poet Narmad. Each year, the medal is awarded to the author of the most outstanding book written in the Gujarati language.
Radheshyam Sharma was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short story writer, critic and compiler from the state of Gujarat, India. He is known in Gujarati literature for his experimental novels Fero (1968) and Swapnatirtha (1979). His other significant works include Aansu Ane Chandaranu (1963), and Gujarati Navalkatha, a work of literary criticism on Gujarati novels. Sharma was awarded the Gujarati literary honours Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak, in 2004, and Dhanji Kanji Gandhi Suvarna Chandrak, in 1995.
Chintayami Manasa, published in 1983, is a critical work of essays in the Gujarati language by Indian writer Suresh Joshi. Joshi evaluated ideas based on European and American criticism, like new criticism, semiotics linguistics-oriented criticism, modernism, and postmodernism in the book. In 1983, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book, which he refused to accept.
Fero is a Gujarati novel written by Radheshyam Sharma. It was published in 1968 by Rekha Prakashan in Ahmedabad. It is acclaimed in Gujarati literature for its experimental nature and is considered a literary milestone among modern Gujarati authors. It was followed by Sharma's similarly exploratory novel, Swapnatirtha.
Kishore Kalidas Jadav was a novelist, critic, and short story writer from India. He wrote in Gujarati and was primarily responsible for the development of surreal and experimental Gujarati fiction.
Bhadrambhadra is a 1900 Gujarati satirical novel by Ramanbhai Neelkanth. It is regarded as the first humorous novel in Gujarati literature and as the first Gujarati novel written in the first person narrative. Ramanbhai used the novel to illustrate the ridiculousness of a highly orthodox view of Gujarati society and as a vehicle for social reform.
Atmavrittanta, formally published as Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedinu Atmavrittanta, is an autobiography written by Gujarati writer Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi (1858–1898). Its publication was prevented for many years by Manilal's family and friends because it contains explicit details of his extramarital relations and controversial views on morality.
Siddhantasara is a 1889 Gujarati book on the history of philosophy by Indian writer and philosopher Manilal Dwivedi. It is a historical critique of the world's religious philosophies. The book deals with the evolution of religious sentiment and attempts to establish the superiority of the Advaita philosophy over other religious philosophies.
Kavijivan is a biographical work published in 1887 about Gujarati poet and writer, Narmadashankar Dave, popularly writing under the pen name Narmad. It was written by fellow Gujarati writer and critic Navalram Pandya. Kavijivan is largely based on Narmad's own private autobiographical account, Mari Hakikat, which was published posthumously in 1933. It was the first biography of Narmad in Gujarati literature. It covers Narmad's social and literary career and provides details about his public life, but avoids discussion of his private life.
Sudarshan Gadyawali is a 1909 collection of prose writings by Gujarati writer Manilal Dwivedi (1858–1898), which appeared in his journals Priyamvada and Sudarshan from 1885 to 1898. It contains essays on a broad range of subjects, including religion, ethics, social reform, education, politics, nationalism, theosophy, women's welfare, Eastern and Western philosophy, music, and literature, in addition to a number of book reviews.
Amar Asha is a Gujarati poem by Manilal Dwivedi. It was his last poetic work – published posthumously in the 1898 issue of his own magazine, Sudarshan. Described as Manilal's most important work and cited as one of the most popular poems in Gujarati literature, Amar Asha has been studied and interpreted by several writers since its publication.
Atmanimajjan is an 1895 collection of poems in Gujarati by Indian writer Manilal Dwivedi. The poems in the collection are heavily influenced by Advaita (non-dual) philosophy, which was at the core of Manilal's philosophical thinking. Uniquely in Gujarati poetry, for each poem Manilal wrote a long commentary, interpreting it in terms of Advaita philosophy.
Apno Dharma is 1916 Gujarati collection of articles on religion and philosophy written by Indian writer Anandshankar Dhruv.
Kaumudi was a Gujarati literary magazine published in British India. It was founded in October 1924 by Vijayrai Vaidya who edited it from 1924 to 1935. It was disestablished around 1937.
Jahangir Edalji Sanjana, also known by his short name J. E. Sanjana, was a Gujarati literary critic and professor from Gujarat, India.
