Om Prakash Sharma (writer)

Om Prakash Sharma (1920-1998) or popularly known as Janpriya Lekhak Om Prakash Sharma was a detective novelist who wrote more than 400 hindi detective novels. Apart from detective novel he also wrote many historical novels and books of social relevances.

Born in Meerut, later moved to Delhi, he was employed with the Delhi Cloth Mill (DCM) and lived at a rented house in Pahari Dheeraj. His passion for writing develped from his obsession of reading. Though he wrote populist detective novels but had the acumen of contemporary and historical literature. A very thoughtful erudite mind worked for DCM where the socialist and communist views. There he wrote for many small pocket book organisations.

Late in 1965 he shifted to Meerut, his native place, to have some peace for writing. At that time his novels had created a momentum in the contemporary readers. The main charaters of his writing include Rajesh, Jagat, Jayant, Jagan, Gopali, Bandook Singh, Chief Chakravarti, Bhuvan, Father William and many more.

After writing for many publishing houses, he started to write for his own publication Janpriya Prakashan. Many of his novels were huge hit at the time of no television or any other communication medium. Though offered many times for writing for hindi films, he denied, as he apprhended the material life and liking to live peacefully.

Basu Chatterjee made Chameli ki Shadi based on his novel. The film non the less being very popular but of no acknoledgement of him.

Many more writers after his writing emerged like Surendra Mohan Pathak, Ved Prakash Sharma, Ved Prakash Kamboj, etc.