Shardha Ram Phillauri Biography

Shardha Ram Phillauri was a Punjabi missionary, social reformer, astrologer, and writer, best remembered for his contributions to Hindi and Punjabi literature. He has been called the "father of modern Punjabi prose."

Shardha Ram was born in 1837 to a Brahmin family in the town of Phillaur, Jalandhar. His father, Jai Dyalu, was an astrologer. Their gotra was Moudgil. He did not have any formal education as such. At the age of seven, he learned Gurmukhi script. By age ten, he had studied Hindi, Sanskrit, Persian, astrology, and music. Later, he was also a missionary of traditional Hinduism (Sanatana dharma).
In his books, Shardha Ram documented Punjabi culture and language.
Shardha Ram gave forceful lectures on the Mahabharata, and because of this was charged with conducting propaganda against the British government in 1865. As a result, he was exiled temporarily from his home town, Phillaur.
A son of Sharda Ram died at an age of thirty. His grandson lived up to the age of 60. His great grandson, taught at D.A.V. College, Jalandhar, Punjab, India, and lived up to the age of 92. His great great grandson,Shri Sewak Ram Joshi, an alumnus of IIT Rorkee, lives in Canada.
Sharda Ram often visited Amritsar and adjoining Lahore, especially in connection with astrology. During this time, he earned a reputation as an astrologer and wrote several books in Hindi.
Shardha Ram has recently been acknowledged as having written the first novel in Hindi. His novel Bhagyawati, believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar, was first published in 1888, after Shardha Ram's death. It is believed that his wife, a woman of strong will, played a major role in getting it published. The novel's portrayal of women and women's rights was progressive for its day. It is believed that he had also written his biography which was spread over 1400 pages which is considered to be lost for ever.
Shardha Ram died on 24 June 1881 at Lahore.