Sundri Uttamchandani’s 100 Sindhi Short Stories To Get Digital Revival Through Online Audio Repository In Mumbai

Mumbai: As the Sindhi literary world marks the 103rd birth anniversary this month of Sahitya Akademi Award-winning writer Sundri Uttamchandani, 100 of her short stories are being compiled into an online audio repository in Mumbai.

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The initiative aims to make her work accessible to a younger generation of Sindhis who understand the spoken language but struggle to read its script.

By rendering Uttamchandani’s stories into audio, the organisers hope to transcend printed pages and introduce new audiences to one of Sindhi literature’s most vital voices.

Daughter Asha Chand Leads Decade-Long Project

Uttamchandani’s daughter, Asha Chand of the language promotion group Sindhi Sangat, is creating the repository. She noted that while her mother published roughly 20 short story collections, around 35 stories have been formatted for audio so far. Chand voices female characters, while actor and voice-over artist Ashok Chanchlani handles the male roles.

Chand, who has worked on the project for over a decade, noted that progress has been slowed by a scarcity of voice-over artists fluent in Sindhi vocabulary and diction. "We are ready to pay, but finding people who can deliver the dialogue accurately remains difficult," Chand said.

Uttamchandani’s Six-Decade Literary Journey

Uttamchandani (1924–2013) spanned novels, poetry, plays, essays, and translations over her six-decade career. After earning a Bachelor's degree in Hyderabad (Sind) and a Master's in Sindhi literature from the University of Mumbai, she brought a distinct perspective to a male-dominated literary landscape. Her writing sensitively addressed Partition, displacement, social realities, and women's lives. She received the Sahitya Akademi Award for her short story collection Vichhoro (Separation).

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Mohan Himthani, a member of the Sahitya Akademi’s Sindhi Advisory Board, observed that the language stands at a crossroads in India. Younger generations are unfamiliar with the Perso-Arabic script used in traditional literature and primarily rely on Devanagari.

"While the language flourishes in Sindh, we worry it is becoming a purely oral tradition in India, confined to festivals and cultural events," Himthani said. He added that converting printed works to audio encourages youth engagement on digital platforms.

To foster broader youth participation, Sindhi Sangat has announced a national Sindhi story reading competition for Class 10 to 12 students. Entrants must submit an unedited audio recording reading a story by Uttamchandani by October 15. Entries will be judged on pronunciation, fluency, expression, and presentation, with shortlisted participants reading live on Zoom.

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