Jashwant Thaker

Jashwant Thaker (5 May 1915 – 25 December 1990) (Gujarati: જશવંત ઠાકર) was an Indian actor, playwright and director of Gujarati theatre. He directed and acted in several successful plays. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968, the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 1977 and the Soviet Land Award in 1986. Jashwant Thaker was born on 5 May 1915 in Mehlav in Kaira district to Dayashankar Thaker and Lalitabahen. His father's career as a city survey officer led him to take his primary education in Nadiad and Jamnagar. He completed his matriculation from Nadiad. Due to his interest in art, in 1928, he studied at music school in Jamnagar. At the age of fifteen, he joined the freedom struggle and established Abhedyamandal. In 1932, Thaker joined the B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad but dropped out of study to join nationalist activities. In 1936, he joined the Arts department of M.T.B. College, Surat. In 1938, he received a B.A. degree from Elphinstone College, Mumbai. He was arrested for his participation in anti-war conferences. During his three years in prison, he studied theatrical literature. He was one of the initial members of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA). In 1943, he established the Gujarat branch of IPTA. In 1949–50, he left political activities and adopted the field of drama as his career.