Pragnaben Vashi is a distinguished Gujarati poet, novelist, short storywriter, humor essayist, and humor poet. She holds an M.A. and B.Ed. degree and served as the Principal of Nanpura High School before retiring. Her literary career spans multiple genres, and she has been a prolific columnist, writing continuously in five areas: short stories, novels, humor, motivational topics,and art and culture.
Her published works include poetry collections such as Spandan Van (2002), Shwaas Sajavi Betha (2008), and Picnic Parva (2008), ghazal collections like Aakashe Akshar (2008), Nisbat (2014), and the joint collection Ghazale Surat (2008), as well as novels including Sat Asatne Pele Paar (2014), Abhitapta (2020), and Ek Yatra Aavi Pan (2020), both of which focus on the theme ofCOVID-19. She has also written women-centered essays such as Nari ni Gaikal, Aajne Aavtikāl (2009). Beyondthese, she has published humor essays, motivational books, one-act plays, andjoint works with other Gujarati authors, totaling more than ten collaborative publications.
Her contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Gujarat Government Kala Pratishthan Award,Delhi Avantika Sahitya Award, Kalaniketan Acting Award, Anni Saraiya EssayAward, Sa Re Ga Ma Music Award, and several honors from literary magazines. She has received repeated recognition from the Surat Municipal Corporation, two Women’s Pride Awards, and the Best Teacher Award twice. Her COVID-themed short novel Abhitapta earned the VRTS Research Institute Award. She has also been honored by institutions such as Bhavnagar Drug Bank and Mumbai SNDT Women’s College for her one-act plays.
Pragnaben Vashi has played an active role in literary and cultural organizations, serving as convener of the Akhil Hind Mahila Parishad Reader Forum, contributing to the Ahmedabad Sahitya Parishad and Narmad Sahitya Sabha, and working as a literary convener at Dayalji AnavilAshram. She continues to write humor columns in Mumbai Samachar and contributes stories, essays, and motivational pieces to Surat Mitra Daily, Bhagyashree, and Shabdshree.She has delivered countless motivational lectures and seminars for children,parents, and teachers, and has worked extensively on issues such as female foeticide, women’s protection, and child development.
Her creative reach extends to theater and film, having written and performed socially purposeful plays, acted in two films and full-length Gujarati dramas, and won the Gujarat State Best Acting Award. Her ghazals and songs were compiled into the album Satatya, composed by Mehul Surti, which gained wide popularity and was broadcast on All India Radio. Through her multifaceted contributions,Pragnaben Vashi has established herself as a powerful voice in Gujarati literature, culture, and education.