Dr. Sunil Jogi, who was born on January 1st, 1971, holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in Hindi literature. The fourth-highest civilian award in India, the Padma Shri, was given to Jogi by the Indian government in 2015.
He is a humorous verse poet who served as the former president of the Hindustani Academy and a Minister of State in the government of Uttar Pradesh. He also serves as the Ministry of Railways and Parliamentary Affairs’ Hindi advisor.
Author Padma Shri Dr. Sunil Jogi is not just a poet but also a social activist. He recently wrote a song for the Bollywood film “Thackeray.” Before this, one of his poems, “Mushkil Hai Apna Mel Priye, Yeh Pyaar Nahin Khel Priye,” was adapted into a song in Anurag Kashyap’s film “Mukkabaaz.” Currently, he is working on a book centered around poetry and verses.
My inclination towards reading and writing came naturally, thanks to my father, who was an educator. I started with writing poems and later ventured into prose. However, deep down, I’ve always been a poet. Poetry has remained the core of my writing career. I write poetry in two forms—one that I present on stage, which is steeped in humor, generating laughter and joy, and the other that I write and publish in books.
Extract of Interview with Dr. Sunil Jogi
Could you tell us about your books?
I have written approximately 100 books, of which about 30 are collections of my poems, while 20 are for children. Some of the others are biographies of notable personalities. Among my management books, the most popular one is “Management Guru: Lord Shri Ram,” which has been translated into 12 Indian languages. Another book that received excellent feedback is “Bhagwan Hanuman Aur Unki Prabandhan Kala.” Of all my poetry books, “Katra Katra Samundar Hai” and “Yaaron Shaadi Mat Karna” have been highly appreciated by readers.
How did you get into writing songs for Hindi films?
I believe every writer dreams of writing for Bollywood, and I was no different. My entry into Bollywood happened through my friend Dilip, who introduced me to music director duo Nadeem-Shravan. I met Shravan and showed him my poems, which he liked immensely. Subsequently, I had to write the title song “Aaya Re Thackeray” for the film “Thackeray,” which was sung by Nakash Aziz.
Any anecdotes from your Bollywood experiences that you would like to share?
In Mumbai, I experienced a number of wonderful occasions. Meeting the renowned vocalist Lata Mangeshkar was one of the highlights of my life. I asked her what music she listens to in her free time while we were talking, and she responded, “Jogiji, I listen to your poems and read your books, which I have in my collection.” Goddess Saraswati appeared to be blessing me. I may someday publish a book about my time spent in Bollywood.
Apart from writing…I run an NGO, MAA Foundation, which I established in 2005 with the aim of supporting underprivileged children. Besides orphaned children, we also assist talented disabled children who cannot afford their education expenses. Every year, we provide support to around 700 students. We also organize the Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman program, where we felicitate young achievers in various fields.
Your NGO promotes education in rural areas. How do you manage this while residing in Delhi?
We work with people in the community who are looking for assistance with the education of their kids. To learn more about the kids who need help, we also speak with district education officers and school principals. We are currently operating in Modi Nagar, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Kanpur, and Lucknow.
