Photo: India Post, Government of India / GODL-India (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bhisham Sahni was born on August 8, 1915 in Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi District, Pakistan and was credited as an actor, translator and children's writer. Death is recorded on July 11, 2003, at the age of 87. Recorded honors include Sahitya Akademi Award in Hindi (1975), Padma Bhushan (1998), Lotus Prize for Literature (1981) and 1 more. Notable works include Tamas.
My Take
Bhisham Sahni matters to me less as an actor and more as a moral witness. Born in Rawalpindi in 1915, he turned the unspeakable horror of Partition into Tamas, a novel of rare honesty and restraint. I respect writers who use literature to keep a wound from being forgotten, and he did exactly that across fiction, drama, children's stories, and translation. The Padma Bhushan and other honors are fitting, yet the real measure of him is the work itself. Even decades after his death in 2003, his voice still insists that we remember the cost of division. That is a profoundly worthy legacy.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bhisham Sahni
- Name (Japanese)
- ビーシュム・サーヘニー
- Reading
- びーしゅむ・さーへにー
- Born
- August 8, 1915 – July 11, 2003
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Rabbit
- Origin
- Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi District, Pakistan
- Occupation
- actor / translator / children's writer / playwright / screenwriter
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1975 Sahitya Akademi Award in Hindi
- 1998 Padma Bhushan
- 1981 Lotus Prize for Literature
- 1969 Padma Shri
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Tamas | — |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Bhisham Sahni born?
Born August 8, 1915.
When did Bhisham Sahni die?
Died July 11, 2003, aged 87.
Where was Bhisham Sahni from?
Bhisham Sahni was from Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi District, Pakistan.
What did Bhisham Sahni do?
Bhisham Sahni worked as actor, translator, children's writer, playwright, screenwriter.
What was Bhisham Sahni known for?
Notable works include Tamas.
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