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ENGLISH => History => Topic started by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 10:54:24 AM

Title: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 10:54:24 AM

India has produced several great writers who have influenced a whole generation and continue to inspire the coming generations by their writings. Their works vividly portray the picture of Indian society and subtly bring out the ills it. Indian writers have played a progressive part in the reform of Indian society. Here is a brief profile of Famous Indian writers.


Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Biography

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Born: June 27, 1838
Died: April 8, 1894
Achievements: Author of Vande Mataram, the national song of India

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee also known as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the greatest novelists and poets of India. He is famous as author of Vande Mataram, the national song of India.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was born on June 27, 1838 in the village Kantalpara of the 24 Paraganas District of Bengal. He belonged to a family of Brahmins. The word 'Bankim Chandra' in Bengali means 'the moon on the second day of the bright fortnight'. Bankim Chandra's father Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyaya was in government service. After his birth he was posted to Midnapur as Deputy Collector.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee had his early education in Midnapur. He was a brilliant student. After his early education in Midnapur Bankim Chandra Chatterji joined the Mohsin College at Hoogly and studied there for six years. Apart from his textbooks, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, used to read other books in his leisure time. He was very much interested in the study of Sanskrit. His study of Sanskrit stood him in good stead. Later, when he wrote books in Bengali his knowledge of Sanskrit helped him immensely.

In 1856, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee joined the Presidency College in Calcutta. In 1857, there was a strong revolt against the rule of East India Company but Bankim Chandra Chatterjee continued his studies and passed his B.A. Examination in 1859. The Lieutenant Governor of Calcutta appointed Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as Deputy Collector in the same year. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was in Government service for thirty-two years and retired in 1891. He was a very conscientious worker.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was married when he was only eleven . At that time his wife was only five years old. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was only twenty two when his wife died. After some time he married again. His second wife was Rajlakshmi Devi. They had three daughters but no son.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee began his literary career as a writer of verse. He then turned to fiction. Durgeshnandini, his first Bengali romance, was published in 1865. His famous novels include Kapalkundala (1866), Mrinalini (1869), Vishbriksha (1873), Chandrasekhar (1877), Rajani (1877), Rajsimha (1881), and Devi Chaudhurani (1884). Bankim Chandra Chatterjee most famous novel was Anand Math (1882). Anand Math contained the song "Bande Mataram", which was later adopted as National Song.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wanted to bring about a cultural revival of Bengal by stimulating the intellect of the Bengali speaking people through literary campaign. With this end in view he brought out monthly magazine called Bangadarshan in 1872.

Bankim Chatterjee was superb story-teller, and a master of romance. No Bengali writer before or since has enjoyed such spontaneous and universal popularity as Chatterjee. His novels have been translated in almost all the major languages of India. He passed away on April 8, 1894.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 10:58:24 AM

Premchand Biography

(http://www.urduyouthforum.org/biography/biography_photo/prem-chand.jpg)

Born: July 31, 1880
Died: October 8, 1936.
Achievements: Premchand brought realism to Hindi literature. Premchand wrote on the realistic issues of the day-communalism, corruption, zamindari, debt, poverty, colonialism etc. He avoided the use of highly Sanskritized Hindi and instead used the dialect of the common people.

Premchand popularly known as Munshi Premchand was one of the greatest literary figures of modern Hindi literature. His stories vividly portrayed the social scenario of those times.

Premchand's real name was Dhanpat Rai Srivastava. He was born on July 31, 1880 in Lamahi near Varanasi where his father Munshi Azaayab Lal was a clerk in the post office. Premchand lost his mother when he was just seven years old. His father married again. Premchand was very close to his elder sister. His early education was in a madarasa under a Maulavi, where he learnt Urdu. When he was studying in the ninth class he was married, much against his wishes. He was only fifteen years old at that time.

Premchand lost his father when he was sixteen years old. Premchand was left responsible for his stepmother and stepsiblings. He earned five rupees a month tutoring a lawyer's child. Premchand passed his matriculation exam with great effort and took up a teaching position, with a monthly salary of eighteen rupees. While working, he studied privately and passed his Intermediate and B. A. examinations. Later, Premchand worked as the deputy sub-inspector of schools in what was then the United Provinces.

In 1910, he was hauled up by the District Magistrate in Jamirpur for his anthology of short stories Soz-e-Watan (Dirge of the Nation), which was labelled seditious. His book Soz-e-Watan was banned by the then British government, which burnt all of the copies. Initially Premchand wrote in Urdu under the name of Nawabrai. However, when his novel Soz-e-Watan was confiscated by the British, he started writing under the pseudonym Premchand.

Before Premchand, Hindi literature consisted mainly of fantasy or religious works. Premchand brought realism to Hindi literature. He wrote over 300 stories, a dozen novels and two plays. The stories have been compiled and published as Maansarovar. His famous creations are: Panch Parameshvar, Idgah, Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Poos Ki Raat, Bade Ghar Ki Beti, Kafan, Udhar Ki Ghadi, Namak Ka Daroga, Gaban, Godaan, and Nirmala.

Premchand was a great social reformer; he married a child widow named Shivarani Devi. She wrote a book on him, Premchand Gharmein after his death. In 1921 he answered Gandhiji's call and resigned from his job. He worked to generate patriotism and nationalistic sentiments in the general populace. When the editor of the journal _Maryaada_ was jailed in the freedom movement, Premchand worked for a time as the editor of that journal. Afterward, he worked as the principal in a school in the Kashi Vidyapeeth.

The main characteristic of Premchand's writings is his interesting storytelling and use of simple language. His novels describe the problems of rural and urban India. He avoided the use of highly Sanskritized Hindi and instead used the dialect of the common people. Premchand wrote on the realistic issues of the day -communalism, corruption, zamindari, debt, poverty, colonialism etc.

Premchand's writings have been translated not only into all Indian languages, but also Russian, Chinese, and many other foreign languages. He died on October 8, 1936.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:04:05 AM

Rabindranath Tagore Biography

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Born: May 7, 1861
Died: August 7, 1941
Achievements: Rabindranath Tagore became the first Asian to became Nobel laureate when he won Nobel Prize for his collection of poems, Gitanjali, in 1913; awarded knighthood by the British King George V; established Viswabharati University; two songs from his Rabindrasangit canon are now the national anthems of India and Bangladesh

Rabindranath Tagore was an icon of Indian culture. He was a poet, philosopher, musician, writer, and educationist. Rabindranath Tagore became the first Asian to became Nobel laureate when he won Nobel Prize for his collection of poems, Gitanjali, in 1913. He was popularly called as Gurudev and his songs were popularly known as Rabindrasangeet. Two songs from his Rabindrasangit canon are now the national anthems of India and Bangladesh: the Jana Gana Mana and the Amar Shonar Bangla.

Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861 in a wealthy Brahmin family in Calcutta. He was the ninth son of Debendranath and Sarada Devi. His grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore was a rich landlord and social reformer. Rabindra Nath Tagore had his initial education in Oriental Seminary School. But he did not like the conventional education and started studying at home under several teachers. After undergoing his upanayan (coming-of-age) rite at the age of eleven, Tagore and his father left Calcutta in 1873 to tour India for several months, visiting his father's Santiniketan estate and Amritsar before reaching the Himalayan hill station of Dalhousie. There, Tagore read biographies, studied history, astronomy, modern science, and Sanskrit, and examined the classical poetry of Kalidasa.

In 1874, Tagore's poem Abhilaash (Desire) was published anonymously in a magazine called Tattobodhini. Tagore's mother Sarada Devi expired in 1875. Rabindranath's first book of poems, Kabi Kahini ( tale of a poet ) was published in 1878. In the same year Tagore sailed to England with his elder brother Satyandranath to study law. But he returned to India in 1880 and started his career as poet and writer. In 1883, Rabindranath Tagore married Mrinalini Devi Raichaudhuri, with whom he had two sons and three daughters.

In 1884, Tagore wrote a collection of poems Kori-o-Kamal (Sharp and Flats). He also wrote dramas - Raja-o-Rani ( King and Queen) and Visarjan (Sacrifice). In 1890, Rabindranath Tagore moved to Shilaidaha (now in Bangladesh) to look after the family estate. Between 1893 and 1900 Tagore wrote seven volumes of poetry, which included Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat) and Khanika. In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore became the editor of the magazine Bangadarshan. He Established Bolpur Bramhacharyaashram at Shantiniketan, a school based on the pattern of old Indian Ashrama. In 1902, his wife Mrinalini died. Tagore composed Smaran ( In Memoriam ), a collection of poems, dedicated to his wife.

In 1905, Lord Curzon decided to divide Bengal into two parts. Rabindranath Tagore strongly protested against this decision. Tagore wrote a number of national songs and attended protest meetings. He introduced the Rakhibandhan ceremony , symbolizing the underlying unity of undivided Bengal.

In 1909, Rabindranath Tagore started writing Gitanjali. In 1912, Tagore went to Europe for the second time. On the journey to London he translated some of his poems/songs from Gitanjali to English. He met William Rothenstein, a noted British painter, in London. Rothenstien was impressed by the poems, made copies and gave to Yeats and other English poets. Yeats was enthralled. He later wrote the introduction to Gitanjali when it was published in September 1912 in a limited edition by the India Society in London. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for Gitanjali. In 1915 he was knighted by the British King George V.

In 1919, following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Tagore renounced his knighthood. He was a supporter of Gandhiji but he stayed out of politics. He was opposed to nationalism and militarism as a matter of principle, and instead promoted spiritual values and the creation of a new world culture founded in multi-culturalism, diversity and tolerance. Unable to gain ideological support to his views, he retired into relative solitude. Between the years 1916 and 1934 he traveled widely.

1n 1921, Rabindranath Tagore established Viswabharati University. He gave all his money from Nobel Prize and royalty money from his books to this University. Tagore was not only a creative genius, he was quite knowledgeable of Western culture, especially Western poetry and science too. Tagore had a good grasp of modern - post-Newtonian - physics, and was well able to hold his own in a debate with Einstein in 1930 on the newly emerging principles of quantum mechanics and chaos. His meetings and tape recorded conversations with his contemporaries such Albert Einstein and H.G. Wells, epitomize his brilliance.

In 1940 Oxford University arranged a special ceremony in Santiniketan and awarded Rabindranath Tagore with Doctorate Of Literature. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore passed away on August 7, 1941 in his ancestral home in Calcutta.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:07:14 AM

Anita Desai Biography

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Born: June 24, 1937
Achievement: Won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize for her novel "Fire on the Mountain" and her children's book "The Village by the Sea" (1982), won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.

Anita Desai is an Indian novelist and short story writer. She is known for her sensitive portrayal of the inner feelings of her female characters. Many of Anita Desai's novels explore tensions between family members and the alienation of middle-class women. In her later novels, Anita Desai wrote on varied themes such as German anti-Semitism, the demise of traditions, and Western stereotypical views of India.

Anita Desai was born as Anita Mazumdar on June 24, 1937 in Mussoorie. Her mother was German and her father was Bengali. Anita Desai completed her schooling from Queen Mary's Higher Secondary School in Delhi and graduated in English literature from the University of Delhi (Miranda House).

Anita Desai made her debut as novelist in 1963 with "The Peacock". It was followed by "Voices of the City" (1965)- a story about three siblings and their different ways of life in Calcutta. Her novel "Fire on the Mountain" (1977) won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize. Anita Desai's other works include "Clear Light of Day" (1980), "In Custody" (1984) and "Fasting, Feasting" (1999), each of which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. "In Custody" was made into a film by Merchant Ivory productions. Her children's book "The Village by the Sea" (1982), won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award. Anita Desai's most recent novel is "The Zig Zag Way" (2004), set in 20th century Mexico.

Anita Desai is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Girton College, Cambridge and Clare Hall, Cambridge. Presently, Anita lives in the United States, where she is the John E. Burchard Professor of Writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:10:49 AM

Arundhati Roy Biography

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Born: November 24, 1961
Achievement: Won the Booker Prize in 1997 for her first novel "The God of Small Things"; Awarded Sydney Peace Prize in 2004.

Arundhati Roy is a famous Indian novelist and social activist. Arundhati Roy came into limelight in 1997 when she won the Booker Prize for her first novel "The God of Small Things". She was awarded Sydney Peace Prize in 2004.

Arundhati Roy was born November 24, 1961 in Assam. Her mother was a Keralite Christian and her father was a Bengali Hindu. Their marriage was not successful and Arundhati Roy spent her childhood years in Aymanam, Kerala with her mother. Arundhati's mother, who was a prominent social activist, founded an independent school and taught her daughter informally.

At age of sixteen Arundhati left home, and eventually enrolled at the Delhi School of Architecture. There she met her first husband, Gerard Da Cunha, a fellow architecture student. Their marriage lasted four years. Both of them did not have great love for architecture, so they quit their profession and went off to Goa. They used to make cake and sell it on the beach to make living. This continued for seven months after which Arundhati returned back to Delhi.

She took a job at the National Institute of Urban Affairs, rented a barsati near the dargah at Nizamuddin and hired a bicycle. One day film director Pradeep Krishen saw her cycling down a street and offered her a small role of tribal girl in the film "Massey Saab". Arundhati Roy accepted the role after initial reservations. She later on married Pradeep Krishen. Meanwhile, Arundhati got a scholarship to go to Italy for eight months to study the restoration of monuments.

After returning from Italy Arundhati Roy linked with her husband to planned a 26 episode television serial for Doordarshan called the Banyan Tree. The serial was later scrapped. She wrote screenplays for a couple of TV films - "In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones" and "Electric Moon". Arundhati Roy also wrote screenplay for Shekhar Kapur's controversial film 'Bandit Queen'. The controversy escalated into a court case, after which Arundhati Roy retired to private life to concentrate on her writing, which eventually resulted in "The God of Small Things".

After winning the Booker Prize for "The God of Small Things", Arundhati Roy has concentrated her writings on political issues. She has written on varied topics such as Narmada Dam project, India's nuclear weapons and American power giant Enron's activities in India. Arundhati Roy strongly associated with anti-globalization movement and is a staunch critic of neo-imperialism.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:13:37 AM

Jhumpa Lahiri Biography

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Born: July 1967
Achievement: First Asian to win Pulitzer Prize. She won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her book "Interpreter Of Maladies"

Jhumpa Lahiri is a famous Indian American author of Bengali origin. Her first novel, "The Namesake" was a major national bestseller and was named the New York Magazine Book of the Year. Jhumpa Lahiri became the first Asian to win the Pulitzer Prize when she won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her book "Interpreter Of Maladies".

Jhumpa Lahiri was born in July 1967 in London and was raised in Rhode Island. Jhumpa is an alumnus of Barnard College, where she received a B.A. in English literature, and of Boston University, where she received an M.A. in English, M.A. in Creative Writing and M.A. in Comparative Studies in Literature and the Arts, and a Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies. She took up a fellowship at Provincetown's Fine Arts Work Center for two years. Jhumpa Lahiri also taught creative writing at Boston University and Rhode Island School of Design.

Much of Jhumpa Lahiri's fiction deals with the lives of Indian-Americans, particularly Bengalis. Her debut collection "Interpreter of Maladies" won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It was a collection of nine distinct short stories addressing the sensitive dilemmas in the lives of Indians or Indian immigrants. "The Namesake", her second book and first novel, came out in 2003. It was named the New York Magazine Book of the Year. Mira Nair is making an eponymous film based on the novel.

Jhumpa Lahiri has won a number of awards. These include: TransAtlantic Award from the Henfield Foundation (1993), O. Henry Award for short story "Interpreter of Maladies" (1999), PEN/Hemingway Award (Best Fiction Debut of the Year) for "Interpreter of Maladies" (1999), Addison Metcalf Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2000), The New Yorker's Best Debut of the Year for "Interpreter of Maladies" (2000), M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation (2000), and Guggenheim Fellowship (2002).

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:16:29 AM

Mulk Raj Anand Biography

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Born: December 12, 1905
Died: September 28, 2004
Achievement: Mulk Raj Anand was among the first writers to incorporate Punjabi and Hindustani idioms into English.

Mulk Raj Anand was an Indian novelist, short-story writer. He was among the first writers to incorporate Punjabi and Hindustani idioms into English. Mulk Raj Anand's stories depicted a realistic and sympathetic portrait of the poor in India.

Mulk Raj Anand was born on December 12, 1905 in Peshawar. He graduated with honors from Khalsa College, Amritsar in 1924. Mulk Raj Anand went to England and studied at University College London and Cambridge University. He completed his PhD in 1929. Mulk Raj Anand also studied - and later lectured - at League of Nations School of Intellectual Cooperation in Geneva. Between 1932 and 1945 he lectured intermittently at Workes Educational Association in London.

Mulk Raj Anand was initiated into the literary career by a family tragedy, instigated by the rigidity of the caste system. Anand's first prose essay was a response to the suicide of an aunt, who had been excommunicated by his family for sharing a meal with a Muslim. Mulk Raj Anand's first novel, "Untouchable", (1935), was a stark reflection of the day-to-day life of a member of India's untouchable caste. The book was widely acclaimed and Mulk Raj Anand was hailed as India's Charles Dickens. His second novel "Coolie" depicts the plight of India's poor through the story of a 15-year-old boy, trapped in servitude as a child labourer, who eventually dies of tuberculosis.

In the 1930s and 1940s Mulk Raj Anand divided his time between London and India. He joined the struggle for independence, but also fought with the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. After the war Anand returned permanently to India and settled in Bombay. In 1946 he founded the fine-arts magazine Marg. He also became a director of Kutub Publishers. From 1948 to 1966 Anand taught at Indian universities. Mulk Raj Anand was fine art chairman at Lalit Kala Akademi (National Academy of Arts from 1965 to 1970. In 1970, he became president of Lokayata Trust, for creating a community and cultural center in the village of Hauz Khas, New Delhi.

Mulk Raj Anand died on September 28, 2004.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:20:11 AM

R.K. Narayan Biography

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Born: October 10, 1906
Died: May 13, 2001
Achievement: Felicitated with Sahitya Akademi Award and Padma Bhushan.

R.K. Narayan is one of the most famous and widely read Indian novelists. His stories were grounded in a compassionate humanism and celebrated the humour and energy of ordinary life.

R.K. Narayan was born on October 10, 1906 in Madras. His father was a provincial head master. R.K. Narayan spent his early childhood with his maternal grandmother, Parvathi in Madras and used to spend only a few weeks each summer visiting his parents and siblings. R.K. Narayan studied for eight years at Lutheran Mission School close to his grandmother's house in Madras, also for a short time at the CRC High School. When his father was appointed headmaster of the Maharaja's High School in Mysore, R.K. Narayan moved back in with his parents. He obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Mysore.

R.K. Narayan began his writing career with Swami and Friends in 1935. Most of his work including Swami and friends is set in the fictional town of Malgudi which captures everything Indian while having a unique identity of its own. R.K. Narayan's writing style was marked by simplicity and subtle humour. He told stories of ordinary people trying to live their simple lives in a changing world.

R.K. Narayan's famous works include The Bachelor of Arts (1937), The Dark Room (1938), The English Teacher (1945), The Financial Expert (1952), The Guide (1958), The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961), The Vendor of Sweets (1967), Malgudi Days (1982), and The Grandmother's Tale (1993).

R.K. Narayan won numerous awards and honors for his works. These include: Sahitya Akademi Award for The Guide in 1958; Padma Bhushan in 1964; and AC Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature in 1980; R.K. Narayan was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1982. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1989. Besides, he was also conferred honorary doctorates by the University of Mysore, Delhi University and the University of Leeds.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:25:01 AM

Salman Rushdie Biography

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Born: June 19, 1947
Achievement: Awarded the 'Booker of Bookers' prize in 1993 for his novel "Midnight's Children"

Salman Rushdie is one of the most famous Indian origin authors. He is best known for the violent backlash his book The Satanic Verses (1988) provoked in the Muslim community. Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomenei issued a fatwa against Salman Rushdie, calling for his assassination, forcing Rushdie to go underground.

Salman Rushdie was born in Mumbai on June 19, 1947. When Rushdie was 17 his family migrated to Pakistan. Rushdie did his schooling from Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, and Rugby School in Warwickshire. Salman Rushdie did his graduation in History from King's College, Cambridge. Following an advertising career with Ayer Barker, Salman Rushdie became a full-time writer.

Salman Rushdie began his writing career began with Grimus, which was published in 1975. He gained literary fame with his second novel "Midnight's Children." The book was awarded the 'Booker of Bookers' prize in 1993 after being selected as the best novel to be awarded the Booker Prize in its first 25 years. The novel narrates key events in the history of India through fiction. His third novel "Shame", depicted the political turmoil in Pakistan with characters based on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Salman Rushdie's latest novel was Shalimar The Clown. The novel was shortlisted for the 2005 Whitbread Novel Award.

Salman Rushdie has won many awards and honors. These include: Booker Prize for Fiction, James Tait Black Memorial Prize (Fiction), Arts Council Writers' Award, "Booker of Bookers" or the best novel among the Booker Prize winners for Fiction, and Writers' Guild Award.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 18, 2012, 11:28:56 AM

Vikram Seth Biography

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Born: June 20, 1952
Achievement: Won the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize for his novel, A Suitable Boy. His travelogue "From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet" won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.

Vikram Seth is a famous Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, children's writer, biographer and memoirist.

Vikram Seth was born on June 20, 1952 at Kolkata. His father, Prem, was an employee of the Bata India Limited shoe company who migrated to post-Partition India from West Punjab in Pakistan. Vikram Seth's childhood was spent in the town of Batanagar near Calcutta, Patna, and London. His mother Leila Seth was the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court as well as the first woman to become Chief Justice of a state High Court. She was the Chief Justice of Shimla High Court.

Vikram Seth did his schooling from The Doon School in Dehradun. He took his undergraduate degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University. He was enrolled in postgraduate economics courses at Stanford University and was also attached to Nanjing University for his intended doctoral dissertation on Chinese population planning.

Vikram Seth's first novel, "The Golden Gate" (1986), describes the experiences of a group of friends living in California. His other novel, "A Suitable Boy" (1993) is an acclaimed epic of Indian life. The novel won the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book). Set in India in the early 1950s, it is the story of a young girl, Lata, and her search for a husband. "An Equal Music" (1999), is the story of a violinist haunted by the memory of a former lover.

Vikram Seth has also written a travelogue "From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet" (1983). The book is an account of a journey through Tibet, China and Nepal that won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. He also wrote a libretto, Arion and the Dolphin (1994), which was performed at the English National Opera in June 1994, with music by Alec Roth. Vikram Seth is also an accomplished poet. His works in poetry include Mappings (1980), The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985), which was a winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize (Asia), and All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990). Vikram Seth has written a story book for children Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992), which consists of ten stories about animals told in verse.

Vikram Seth's latest work is Two Lives (2005). The book is a memoir of the marriage of his great uncle and aunt.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 10:55:08 AM

V.S. Naipaul Biography

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Born: August 17, 1932
Achievement: Won Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001; Won the Booker Prize in 1971 and became the first person of Indian origin do so.

V.S. Naipaul is a noble laureate who won Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. Though of Indian origin, V.S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad and is currently a British citizen.

V.S. Naipaul (Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul) was born on August 17, 1932, at Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago. His forefathers came as indentured labourers from India. Naipaul's upbringing familiarised him with every sort of deprivation, material and cultural. He got a scholarship to Oxford University and thus came to England. It was at Oxford that V.S. Naipaul discovered the writer in him.

V.S. Naipaul traveled extensively in India and Africa. At that time decolonisation was taking place and Sir V.S. Naipaul observed from close quarters the resulting turmoil of emotions. These observations were reflected in his writings. V.S. Naipaul has written about slavery, revolution, guerrillas, corrupt politicians, the poor and the oppressed, interpreting the rages so deeply rooted in our societies.

V.S. Naipaul's fiction and especially his travel writing have been criticised for their allegedly unsympathetic portrayal of the Third World. But his supporters argue that he is actually an advocate for a more realistic development of the Third World. V.S. Naipaul's contempt for many aspects of liberal orthodoxy is uncompromising, but at the same time he has exhibited an open-mindedness toward some Third World leaders and cultures that isn't found in western writers.

V.S. Naipaul has discussed Islam in several of his books and he has been criticised for harping on negative aspects of Islam. V.S. Naipaul's support for Hindutva has also been controversial. He has been quoted describing the destruction of the Babri Mosque as a "creative passion", and the invasion of Babur in the 16th century as a "mortal wound."

V.S. Naipaul has won several awards and honors for his writings. In 1971, Naipaul won the Booker Prize for his book "In a Free State" and became the first person of Indian origin do so. He won the Jerusalem Prize in 1983 and Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 10:58:41 AM

Kiran Desai Biography

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Daughter of a well known Indian author, she is the winner of the 2006 Booker prize. Well, we are talking about the eminent Indian novelist Kiran Desai. She was born on the 3rd of September in the year 1971 in Chandigarh. She spent the early years of her life in Pune and Mumbai. She studied in the Cathedral and John Connon School.

Life History
When she was around nine years old, her family shifted to Delhi. By the time, she turned fourteen, the family moved to England. A year later, they shifted to the United States. Kiran completed her schooling in Massachusetts. She did her graduation from Hollins University and Columbia University. Thereafter, she took a break of two years to write her first book "Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard".

Career
Her maiden novel "Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard" was published in the year 1998. It was an amazing piece of work, for which Kiran received many accolades. Her second book "The Inheritance of Loss" was also well acclaimed. She also received the 2006 Man Booker Prize and 2006 National Book Critics Circle Fiction Award for it.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 11:04:17 AM

Mahadevi Varma Biography

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She is a well known Hindi poet of the Chhayavaad generation, the times when every poet used to incorporate romanticism in their poetry. She is more often called the modern Meera. Well, we are talking about the famous Mahadevi Varma, who achieved the Jnanpith award in the year 1982.

Life History
Mahadevi was born in the family of lawyers in 1907 in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh. She completed her education in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. At a young age of nine in the year 1914, she was married to Dr Swarup Narain Varma. She lived with her parents till the time her husband completed his studies in Lucknow. It is during this period that, Mahadevi pursued further education at the Allahabad University. She did her masters in Sanskrit from there.

She met her husband for sometime in the princely state of Tamkoi somewhere around 1920. Thereafter, she moved to Allahabad to further her interest in poetry. Unfortunately, she and her husband mostly lived separately and were busy pursuing their individual interests. They used to meet occasionally. Her husband died in the year 1966. Then, she decided to permanently shift to Allahabad.

She was highly influenced by the values preached by the Buddhist culture. She was so much inclined towards Buddhism that, she even attempted to become a Buddhist bhikshuni. With the establishment of Allahabad (Prayag) Mahila Vidyapeeth, which was primarily set up to impart cultural values to girls, she became the first headmistress of the institute. This famous personality died in 1987.

Writings
Mahadevi Varma is one amongst the other major poets of the Chhayavaadi school of the Hindi literature. She is the epitome of child prodigy. Not only she wrote fabulous poetry, but also made sketches for her poetic works such as Deepshikha and Yatra. Deepshikha is one of the best works of Mahadevi Varma. She is also famous for her book of memoirs.

Notable Works of Mahadevi Varma

Prose
Ateet Ke chalchitra
Kshanda'
Mera Parivaar
Path ke Saathi
Sahityakaar ki Asatha
Sambhashan
Sankalpita
Shrinkhla ki kadiya
Smriti Ki Rekhayen

Poetry
Deepshikha
Himalaya
Neerja
Nihar
Rashmi
Saandhya geet
Saptaparna

Collection
Geetparva
Mahadevi sahitya
Parikrama
Sandhini
Smarika
Smritichitra
Yama

Honors
Her writings were well acclaimed and earned her an important position in the world of Hindi literature. She is believed to be one of the supporting pillars of the Chaayavad movement. Her amazing poetry collection Yama brought her the Gyanpeeth award (1940), the highest Indian literary award. In the year 1956, the Government of India honored her by conferring the title of Padma Bhushan upon her. She was the first Indian woman to become a Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi in the year 1979.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 02:56:19 PM

Shashi Deshpande Biography

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Shashi Deshpande is a well known name in the field of Indian literature. She was born in Dharwad in Karnataka as the daughter of the renowned Kannada dramatist as well as a great Sanskrit scholar Sriranga. She pursued her education in Dharwad, Bombay and Bangalore. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Shashi Deshpande.

Life History
Shashi Deshpande had a very sharp mind. She received degrees in Economics and Law. Infact, she was a gold medalist. After getting married, she shifted to Bombay (now Mumbai). During her stay in Mumbai, she decided to pursue a course in Journalism. So, she got herself enrolled in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Thereafter, she took up a job as a journalist in the magazine "Onlooker". She worked there for a couple of months. Read on to know the complete life history of Shashi Deshpande.

While working in the magazine, she began writing and the first short story that she wrote got published in 1970. Her short stories headed their way in popular magazines like Femina, Eve's Weekly etc. Her maiden collection of short stories was published under the title "Legacy" in the year 1978. Her first novel, "The Dark Holds No Terrors" was published in 1980.

She had written a novel titled "That Long Silence", which brought her lot of praise and appreciation. Infact, for her fabulous work in this novel, she received the Sahitaya Akademi Award and Nanjangud Thirumalamba award. She has been actively involved in writing books for children.

Notable Works of Shashi Deshpande
The Binding Vine
Matter of Time
That Long Silence
Dark Holds No Terrors

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:00:08 PM

Shobha De Biography

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Shobha De is an eminent Indian novelist, who is often known as India's Jackie Collins. She was born as Shobha Rajadhyaksha to the Saraswat Brahmin family of Maharashtra on the January 7, 1947. She completed her graduation from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and obtained degree in Psychology. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Shobha De, a well known Indian writer.

In the beginning of her career, she worked as a model and made a name for herself. Thereafter, she thought of changing her profession. Then, she pursued her career in Journalism. She brought out three magazines namely Stardust, Society, and Celebrity. Presently, she is working as a freelance writer for a couple of newspapers and magazines. To know the complete life history of Shobha Dey, read on.

These days, she is staying with her second husband Dilip De along with their children in one of the posh colonies of Mumbai. Most of her writings focus on different aspects of urban India. The erotic matter that she has written in the past has become the subject of controversy. She has also been actively involved in writing scripts for various TV soaps like Swabhimaan.

At present, she is working as a columnist and writes for a fortnight magazine "The Week". In this periodical, she writes on varied issues concerning the society. She speaks her mind in her writings. She often expresses her dissatisfaction with respect to the behavior exhibited by the present day generation. Many a times, she has been held responsible for accelerating the pace and bringing about a sexual revolution through her writings in the column "The Sexes" of the magazine "The Week". She has also written a couple of erotic novels.

Notable Works of Shobha De
Starry Nights
Socialite Evenings
Sultry Days
Sisters
Small betrayals
Second Thoughts
Surviving Men
Spouse
Snapshots
Selective Memory

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:03:31 PM

Khushwant Singh Biography

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Born - 2 February 1915
Achievements - A significant post-colonial writer in the English language, Khushwant Singh is known for his clear-cut secularism, wit and a deep passion for poetry. A regular contributor to various national dailies, Singh is also famous for his novel 'Train to Pakistan penned in the year 1956.

Khushwant Singh is a senior prominent Indian novelist cum journalist. He was born on 2 February 1915 at Hadali in British India that is now a part of Punjab in Pakistan. A significant post-colonial writer in the English language, Khushwant Singh is known for his clear-cut secularism, humor and a deep passion for poetry. His assessment and comparison of social and behavioral traits of people from India and the West is full of outstanding wit. Here's more information on the biography of Khushwant Singh.

Infact, Khuswant Singh's writing is so popular that his weekly newspaper column, "With Malice towards One and All", published in many Indian national dailies is among the most widely-read commentaries in the country. Singh completed his bachelor's from the Government College at Lahore and thereafter, pursued further studies in law at King's College in London, UK. Sir Sobha Singh, Khushwant Singh's father, then used to work at a reputed builder in Lutyens' Delhi. Read on about life history of Khuswant Singh.

Once while still practicing as a lawyer in the High Court of Lahore, Khushwant Singh was on his way to his family's summer residence at Kasauli at the foothills of the Himalayas. It was just days prior to the partition of India and Pakistan in August 1947. Singh was driving his car when he came across a jeep full of Sikhs on an unusually vacant road that day. The Sikh men pridefully narrated to him how they had just butchered away all residents of a Muslim village.

All these instances found vivid description in the book 'Train to Pakistan' Khushwant Singh later wrote in 1956. In the time to come, Singh was appointed to edit Yojana, a journal published by the Indian government. Other publications whose editing Singh was encharged with were the Illustrated Weekly of India, a newsweekly and two other major Indian dailies - The National Herald and the Hindustan Times. Under his leadership, The Illustrated Weekly came to be hailed as India's pre-eminent newsweekly.

There's many other kudos bagged by Khushwant Singh. For instance, Singh was a Rajya Sabha member of the Indian parliament from 1980 to 1986. He was also honored with the Padma Bhushan award in the year 1974 for service to his country, but he returned the award in protest against the siege of the Golden Temple by the Indian Army in 1984. Undeterred, the Indian government awarded Singh an even more prestigious honor, the Padma Vibhushan in the year 2007.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:06:16 PM

Nirad C. Chaudhuri Biography

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Born - 23 November 1897
Died - 1999
Achievements - Nirad C. Chaudhuri was an eminent Bengali Indian writer and journalist. He was appointed the political speaker for the Calcutta branch of the All India Radio and has also edited several prestigious magazines. He will always be remembered for his phenomenal biography 'The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian' published in the year 1951.

Nirad C. Chaudhuri was a famous Bengali Indian writer. He was born on 23 November in 1897 at Kishoreganj located in the Mymensingh district of East Bengal of those days or today's Bangladesh. He studied at Kishorganj and then in Kolkata city. As a student of history at the Scottish Church College, Nirad C Chaudhuri topped the University of Calcutta, which was a rare distinction at that time. Read on further about the biography of Nirad C Chaudhuri.

Nirad C Chaudhuri began his career as clerk in the accounting department of the Indian Army and also started writing stories for popular magazines. His first article on Bengali poet, Bharat Chandra was published in Modern Review, a popular English magazine of those times. After this, he entered the field of journalism and began editing various magazines. Nirad C Chaudhuri also temporarily introduced two highly esteemed Bengali magazines, Samasamayik and Notun Patrika.

Finally in the year 1938, Nirad bagged a job as the secretary to the great Indian political leader, Sarat Chandra Bose. Due to this, he got ample opportunity to meet various renowned leaders of India like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and others. In the year 1932, Nirad C Chaudhuri married Amiya Dhar who was herself a very prolific writer. Later on, Nirad C Chaudhuri was elected as a political speaker for the Calcutta branch of the All India Radio.

Writing was Nirad C Chaudhuri's innate passion and he pursued this until the very end. His last work was published at the age of 99. Nirad will always be remembered for his phenomenal biography 'The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian' published in the year 1951. It put him directly on the short list of great Indian English writers of those days. The book traces the height of the British Raj in India till its eventual dissolution. He died at Oxford in England two months short of his 102nd birthday in the year 1999.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:09:41 PM

Subhadra Kumari Chauhan Biography

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Born - 1904
Died - 1948
Achievements - Subhadra Kumari Chauhan was a distinguished Indian poetess, whose compositions used to be very emotionally charged. Her most well-known composition is Jhansi Ki Rani narrating the life of the brave Jhansi Ki Rani, Lakshmi Bai. Of the entire Hindi literature, it is this poem that's most recited and sung by the people of India. The government of India has named an Indian coast guard ship in her remembrance.

Subhadra Kumari Chauhan was a prominent poetess in India, whose writings used to be very emotionally charged. She was born in 1904 at the Nihalpur village in Allahabad district. But after her wedding to a Thakur Laxman Singh of Khandwa, Chauhan shifted to Jabalpur in the year 1919. Here, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan joined the famous non-cooperation movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 and became the very first woman Satyagrahi in the country to court arrest at Nagpur.

Read on this biography to know more about the life history of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan. Infact, she was put behind the bar twice because she dared to raise her voice against the British rule in India. Chauhan has also penned a plethora of works in Hindi poetry. Her most well-known composition is Jhansi Ki Rani narrating the life of the brave Jhansi Ki Rani, Lakshmi Bai. Of the entire Hindi literature, it is this poem that's most recited and sung by the people of India. Some of her other famous poems include Veeron Ka Kaisa Ho Basant, Rakhi Ki Chunauti and Vida. These too explicitly talk about the freedom movement.

The poems and songs written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan have served as a source of motivation for so many Indian youths to take part in the Indian independence struggle. She predominantly used the simple and clear Khariboli dialect of Hindi in her writings. Other than these, Chauhan also used to write poems for children. She has penned many short stories based on the lifestyle of the middle-class Indians. However, she died suddenly in a car accident in 1948. The government of India has named an Indian coast guard ship after her.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:12:03 PM

Subramanya Bharathi Biography

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Born - 11 December 1882
Died - 11 September 1921
Achievements - Subramanya Bharathi was a Tamil poet, reformer and freedom fighter during the pre-independence era. His used the adeptness at poetry to the best of his ability to coax the masses in the south to join the great Indian struggle for independence. Bharathi's name is counted amongst the most celebrated bards of the country.

Subramanya Bharathi was a Tamil poet, reformer and freedom fighter during the pre-independence era. Also referred to by the name of Mahakavi Bharathiyar meaning Great Poet of Tamil, Bharathi's name is counted amongst the most celebrated bards of the country. He was an expert at both prose and poetry and used these to the best of his ability to coax the masses in the south to join the great Indian struggle for independence. His time was the most eventful one in the history of India and his contemporaries included the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sri Aurobindo and V.V.S. Aiyar.

Read on to know more about Subramanya Bharathi, who got attracted to the Hindu spirituality and nationalism during his stay at Varanasi. He attended the meeting of the All India National Congress in the year 1905 here and on his return also got the opportunity to meet Sister Nivedita, the spiritual daughter of the great Indian philosopher and thinker, Swami Vivekananda. Subramanya Bharathi felt very impressed on meeting Sister Nivedita. This phase proved to be a crucial turning point in the life history of Subramanya Bharathi.

He now began to take active interest in the affairs of the outside. As such, Subramanya Bharathi entered the sphere of journalism by joining as assistant editor of a Tamil daily 'Swadeshamitran' in 1904. In the coming time, he became the editor of a Tamil weekly 'India' and another English newspaper 'Bala Bharatham' in 1907. These newspapers not only helped to awaken the feeling of nationalism among the masses and inform about the daily affairs of the outside world, but also served to bring out the creativity of Bharathi.

Bharathi began to publish his poems regularly in these editions and the themes often delved from complex religious hymns to rousing nationalist sentiments to songs on the Russian and French revolutions. He was simultaneously against social poverty, exploitation and abuse of the downtrodden people and the British ruling over the country. Though he lived a life of utter poverty, he was always positive in his thoughts and action.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:15:51 PM

Mahasweta Devi Biography

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Born - 1926
Achievements - Mahasweta Devi is an eminent Indian Bengali writer, who has been studying and writing incessantly about the life and struggles faced by the tribal communities in the states like Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Mahasweta Devi is a reputed Indian writer who was born in the year 1926 into a middle class Bengali family at Dacca, which is located in present day Bangladesh. She received her education from the prestigious Shantiniketan set up by great Indian philosopher and thinker, Rabindranath Tagore that went on to become a part of the Visva Bharti University later on. Mahasweta Devi graduated from the University of Calcutta and this was followed by an MA degree in English from the Visva Bharti University.

Read on to know more about the biography of Mahasweta Devi. Since her entire family had shifted to India by now, Devi began teaching at the Bijoygarh College in 1964. In those times, this particular college was a forum operating for elite female students. This phase was also utilized by Mahasweta Devi to work as a journalist and a creative writer. Of late, Mahasweta Devi is known to have been studying the life history of rural tribal communities in the Indian state of West Bengal and also women and dalits.

Mahasweta Devi is a social activist who has wholly involved herself to work for the struggles of the tribal people in states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In the fiction themed on Bengal which Devi writes, she often narrates the brutal oppression faced by the tribal people at the hands of the powerful upper caste persons comprising landlords, money lenders and government officials in this belt.

During the 2006 Frankfurt Book Fair when India happened to be the first country to have been invited to this fair for a second time, Mahasweta Devi made a very touching inaugural speech which moved many among the listeners to tears. Inspired by the famous Raj Kapoor song, she said: "This is truly the age where the Joota (shoe) is Japani (Japanese), Patloon (pants) is Englistani (British), the Topi (hat) is Roosi (Russian), But the Dil (heart) is always Hindustani (Indian)"

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 19, 2012, 03:22:05 PM

Dilip Chitre Biography

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Born On: September 17, 1938
Born In: Baroda, Gujarat
Died On: December 10, 2009
Career: Poet, Painter & Filmmaker
Nationality: Indian

Dilip Purushottam Chitre is often described in epitaphs with titles such as 'legendary', "the rarest of rare" and "all rounder", which had sat lightly on the unfazed shoulders of the man. And when one reads the ideas and thoughts described in words that had flown out of his pen, the experience can only be described as nothing short being impeccable. As an artist there are perhaps very few who can equal him and it is hard to find someone with such an enormous body and diversity of work. From filmmaking to painting to poetry in which he had been considered as a master, Dilip Chitre had made enormous contributions. When most writers found it tough to master even one language, Dilip Chitre had honed his art in both English and Marathi and emerged as the titan in both of these languages. It can safely be said that he had the Midas touch, no matter what he did whether writing, translating, composing, or making movies; he managed to wow critics and win awards. A multi-faceted personality, Dilip Chitre had left a mark as an artist and critic. He is considered to be one of the foremost writers to have emerged after independence.

Childhood & Early Life
Dilip Chitre was born to Purushottam Chitre, in the year 1938 in Gujarat. His father was the publisher of a critically-acclaimed periodical called Abhiruchi. In 1951, at the age of 12, his family moved to Mumbai. Initially he studied at an English-medium school, but after three years he shifted to a Marathi-medium school. While in school, junior Chitre became fluent in Gujarati, Hindi and English and obviously Marathi which was his mother tongue. He then learned Bengali and Urdu as well. From the age of sixteen, Chitre began to seriously write poetry. His literary career took a definite shape when he started writing for the Marathi magazine, Satyakatha, while as a student in Mumbai. In Mumbai, Chitre graduated in English honors and then worked as a journalist and a college tutor.

Middle Years
He was the most important influences in the 'little magazine movement' of the sixties in Marathi. Together with Ramesh Samarth and Arun Kolatkar, he started the magazine 'Shabda' devoted exclusively to poetry in 1954. In the year 1959, Dilip Chitre published his first book of poems in Marathi titled Kavita. A year later, in 1960, he bagged a contract to teach English in government high schools in Ethiopia for 3 years. There he even learned the language Amharic. At the age of 25 with the expiration of the contract, Chitre returned to Mumbai and lived here till the age of 37. During this time, he dabbled at various jobs ranging from stints at an advertizing agency, a pharmaceutical company, a civil rights NGO to freelancing as a film scriptwriter, translator and journalist. At the age of 37, the Indian Express group hired Dilip Chitre as a Creative Executive. During the emergency era of 1975 to 1977, he accepted an invitation from the University of Iowa to join their International Writing Program as a Fellow. He stayed on in the US even after his fellowship tenure ended and returned only at the end of 1977. In US, Chitre conducted creative writing workshops for school kids at Cedar Rapids.

Interests & Influences
Since the age of 10, Dilip Chitre had a passionate interest in drawing, painting, music and photography. During his student years in Mumbai, he had the opportunity to meet and mingle with artists, musicians and photographers. At the age of 16, he met the vocalist Pandit Sharadchandra Arolkar, to whose house he would visit frequently. The maestro had a huge influence on young Chitre's ideas in life and art. The city of Mumbai also had a deep influence on his early work, both in his Marathi and English poetry. Apart from these, Chitre was also deeply influenced by his maternal grandfather, as it was his grandfather who introduced him to the 17th century saint-poet Tukaram.

Later Life
In the year 1985, Dilip Chitre was the convener of the Valmiki World Poetry Festival held at New Delhi. He was also the director of Vagrant World Poetry Festival, held at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal. From 1991 to 1992, he was the D.A.A.D (German Academic Exchange) Fellow and Writer-in-Residence at the Universities of Heidelberg and Bamberg in Germany. He was also a member of the International Jury at the literature festival in Berlin. Throughout his later career, Chitre traveled widely giving lectures, readings, participating in talks and seminars and conducting creative writing workshops in both India and abroad.

Poetry
Dilip Chitre has published poetry collections in both Marathi and English. His early poems have been described as stylish, metrical, and spontaneous as well as erotic and sensuous. In his later works, various other big cities of the world figure prominently as he considered these cities to "connect with all the major themes of life and death". Though proficient in English, Chitre's first collection of poems in this language was published only in 1980, about 20 years after the publication of his Marathi collection. His most notable works include the 'Travelling in the Cage', a collection of English poems and 'Ekun Kavita', the three volumes of collected poems in Marathi. One of his collections of poems even won the Sahitya Academy Award, India's highest literary award, in 1994.

Translation
Dilip Chitre was also recognized as an accomplished translator as he had translated both prose and poetry. His best known work was the English translation of the devotional poems of the 17th century bhakti poet, Tukaram published as 'Says Tuka'. This translation received the Sahitya Academy Award in the same year as when he won for a collection of poems. He had also translated Anubhavamrut by the twelfth century bhakti poet, Dnyaneshwar.

Films
In 1969, Dilip Chitre started his professional film career with documentaries and short films. He had made only a single movie called 'Godan', in 1984 which was in Hindi and won several awards including the Prix Special du Jury in France in 1984. However, apart from that one movie, Chitre made about twenty video documentary features, a dozen documentary films, and a few short films. He also wrote the scripts and sometimes, scored the music as well. With Henning Stegmuller, Chitre produced the film Bombay: Geliebter Moloch for a German TV channel.

Personal Life And Death
Dilip Chitre married his wife Viju when he was only 22 years old. Their only son was a victim of the Bhopal Gas Tradegy. He was suffering from cancer for five years and after a prolonged illness, succumbed to the disease on 10th December, 2009 at his home in Pune.

Awards & Honors

Worked as an honorary editor of the quarterly journal New Quest, Mumbai.

Was honored with several Maharashtra State Awards.

Was facilitated with the Prix Special du Jury for his film 'Godam', at the Festival des Trois Continents at Nantes in France, in 1984

Earned the Ministry of Human Resource Development's Emeritua Fellowship, the University of Iowa's International Writing Program Fellowship, the Indira Gandhi Fellowship, the Villa Waldberta Fellowship for residence given by the city of Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Held the position of Director of Vagarth, Bharat Bhavan Bhopal and the Convenor-Director of Valmiki World Poetry Festival (New Delhi, 1985) and International Symposium of Poets (Bhopal, 1985)

Was D.A.A.D. (German Academic Exchange) Fellow and Writer-in-Residence at the Universities of Heidelberg and Bamberg in Germany, from 1991 till 1992.

Won the Sahitya Academy Award, India's highest literary award, twice in 1994.

Was a keynote speaker at the World Poetry Congress in Maebashi, Japan (1996) and at the Ninth International Conference on Maharashtra at Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA in 2001

Was a member of the International Jury at the recent Literature festival Berlin, 2001.

Timeline

1938: Dilip Chitre was born in a traditional Marathi family.

1951: Moved with his family to Mumbai.

1960: Published his first collection of poems.

1969: Started his career in film industry.

1975: Went to the University of Iowa for a writing program.

1980: Published the first English collection of poems.

1984: Won the Prix Special du Jury for the film 'Godan'.

1994: Won the Sahitya Academy Award once for his poetry collection and again for translation.

2009: Passed away after a long bout of illness on December 10.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 03:24:15 PM

Sarat Chandra Chatterji Biography

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Born On: September 15, 1876
Born In: Debanandpur, Hooghly
Died On: January 16, 1938
Career: Bengali Novelist
Nationality: Indian

His stories and novels speak for themselves. Poverty showered through his materialistic situations while his psychosomatic dimensions supported him. Sarat Chandra Chatterji was one such eminent Bengali writer who flourished throughout the country despite tasting poverty since birth. But his monetary conditions did not stop this legendary writer from exploring his writing skills and emerging as one of the most recognized litterateurs the 20th century had ever given to India. In fact, his inspiration, ingredients, and storylines were derived from his life-like characters that helped him create his own inimitable style. The distinctive features and essence of purpose further added to his writing skills, displaying a more attractive and lucrative technique. It was for this reason that his several novels were translated into other languages and even filmed.

Early Life
Sarat Chandra Chatterji was born in the village of Devanandpur in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Born in an extremely deprived and poor family, he and his family members were financially supported by other members. Until his father was employed in Bihar, Sarat and the rest of the family resided with his paternal uncle in Bhagalpur. However, the frequent changing financial conditions led to a number of school changes for Sarat. He received his formal education in Bhagalpur before clearing the entrance exam and attaining admission in Tejnarayan Jubilee College in 1894. It was here when he got in touch with English literature and read Charles Dickens' novels "Tale of Two Cities" and "David Copperfield", and Lord Litton's "My Love".

Literary Career
Sarat Chandra Chatterji claimed that his father's unfinished and unpublished literary work served as his greatest inspiration for writing. Thus, with the creation of handwritten children's magazine called "Shisu" by Bhagalpur Shitya Sabha, his first two stories "Kakbasha" and "Kashinath" were published in 1894. But to his dismay, his mother passed away in 1895. As if this was enough, Sarat had to drop out of college the following year due to financial instability wherein his father was forced to sell the Devanandpur house at a mere Rs. 225. The entire family shifted to Bhagalpur finally, where Sarat met a number of people who played an important role in his writing career. Some amongst them include Anupama (later known as Nirupama Devi, author of Annapurnaar Mandir), her brother Bibhutibhushan Bhatta, and Rajendranath Majumdar, nicknamed as Raju. He started working in Godda's Banali Estate which he gave up to begin work at Santhal district settlement.

However, he gave up this job as well and left home after a disagreement with his father. After wandering for days, he joined a party of Naga Monks and went to Muzaffarpur in 1902. During this period, his father died and came back to Bhagalpur for a short period to complete his last rites. From here, he traveled to Calcutta where he found a job offering him a meager salary of Rs. 30. A year later in 1903, he went to Rangoon, Burma in search of a better career prospect. However, on request from his Surendranath uncle, he sent his short story "Mandir" for a competition and won the first prize. It was later published in 1904 in his uncle's name. Besides, he wrote several stories in other people's name, such as his elder sister, Anila Devi, and Anupama, in the Jamuna magazine. He wrote a long story titled "Bada Didi" which was published in two installments in the magazine Bharati in 1907. With this, began the journey of a poor struggling person who grew to become a noteworthy novelist. His other striking works included Bindur Chele, Ramer Sumati, and Arakshaniya. Since he was highly influenced by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, his works resembled the latter's style, some of them being Devdas, Parinita, Biraj Bau, and Palli Samaj.

Later Life
After struggling with small jobs, he found permanent employment in the accounts department of Public Works, where he served until his return to Calcutta in 1916. In Calcutta, he continued to write on a regular basis and his works were published in all magazines. It was during this period that he gained enormous popularity. His "Viraj Bou" was staged for the first time in Star Theatre in 1918. Further, it was the first novel to be translated into Hindi by Chandrashekhar Pathak in 1919. This was followed by "Datta" into Marathi in 1920 and later in Gujarati in 1921. The first part of "Srikanto" was translated and published in English by Oxford University Press in 1922. This was later converted into Italian in 1925. He was honored with the Jaggattarini Gold Medal in 1923, followed by worldwide recognition as one of the best novelists by Romain Rolland in 1925. He was further conferred upon with a D. Litt. Degree by Dacca (now Dhaka) University in 1936.

Bartaman Hindu-Mussalman Samasya
Apart from his literary and painting career, Sarat Chandra Chatterji took active participation in Indian freedom movement. As a result, he even became the president of Howrah District Congress. He stood for the equality of Hindu-Muslim rites and essayed the issues of love and marriage. To illustrate these problems, he penned an essay titled "Bartaman Hindu-Mussalman Samasya", meaning Contemporary Hindu-Muslim Problem, which was presented at Bengal Provincial conference of 1926. He spoke for the Muslim behavior that was characterized as brutal, barbaric, and fanatic. He supported the internal unity of the Hindu community.

Personal Life
Sarat Chandra Chatterji first married Shanti Devi in 1906 and had a son in 1907. However, both his wife and son succumbed to plague and died in 1908. To fill his disastrous and miserable life, he indulged himself into studying sociology, politics, philosophy, health sciences, psychology, and history from books borrowed from Barnerd Free Library. To add to his depression, he was advised to cut short his study hours due to health issues in 1909. As such, Sarat discovered a new interest in painting, his first being Ravan-Mandodori. His second marriage took place in 1910 to an adolescent widow Mokshada, who was later renamed as Hiranmoyee.

Death
Sarat Chandra Chatterji, popularly known as the Immortal Wordsmith throughout Bengal, died on January 16, 1938 in Park Nursing Home, Calcutta. He was suffering from liver cancer. The entire Bengal mourned his death.

Notable Works
Mandir, 1904
Baradidi (The Elder Sister), 1907
Bindur Chhele (Bindu's Son), 1913
Parinita/Parineeta, 1914
Biraj Bou (Mrs. Biraj), 1914
Ramer Shumoti (Ram Returning to Sanity), 1914
Palli Shomaj (The Village Commune), 1916
Arakhsanya (The Girl Whose Marriage Is Overdue), 1916
Debdas/Devdas, 1917 (written in 1901)
Choritrohin (Characterless), 1917
Srikanto (4 parts, 1917, 1918, 1927, 1933)
Datta (The Girl Given Away), 1917-19
Grihodaho (Home Burnt), 1919
Dena Paona (Debts and Demands), 1923
Pather Dabi (Demand for a Pathway), 1926
Ses Prasna (The Final Question), 1931
Bipradas, 1935

Timeline
1876: Sarat Chandra Chatterji was born in Devanandpur, Hooghly
1894: Took admission in Tejnarayan Jubilee College
1894: His first two stories 'Kakbasha' and 'Kashinath' were published
1902: Joined Naga Monks in Muzaffarpur
1903: Went to Rangoon, Burma
1904: His short story 'Mandir' won the first prize and got published
1906: Married first wife Shanti Devi
1907: His famous 'Bada Didi' was published in two installments
1908: Wife Shanti Devi and one-year old son die
1910: Married second wife Mokshada, later renamed Hiranmoyee
1916: Returned to Calcutta
1923: Honored with Jaggattarini Gold Medal
1926: Presented the essay 'Bartaman Hindu-Mussalman Samasya'
1936: Dacca (now Dhaka) University awarded the D. Litt. Degree
1938: Died on January 16, at the age of 61 years.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 03:29:23 PM

Dharamvir Bharati Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/Dr._Dharamvir_Bharati.jpg)

Born On: December 25, 1926
Born In: Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died On: September 4, 1997
Occupation: Novelist, Poet, Playwright
Nationality: Indian

The name Dharamvir Bharati brings to mind a collection of Hindi poems, plays and novels that are still used by the present generation for organizing stage plays and making films. Dharamvir Bharati is the greatest author in the world of Hindi literature. However, his contribution does not end there. Dharamvir Bharati was also a social thinker who believed in extending a helping hand towards the society. During his lifetime, Dharamvir Bharati had been the editor-in-chief of the famous Hindi magazine "Dharmayug". Some of his most famous writings "Gunahon Ka Devta", "Andha Yug" and "Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda" are referred to as classics today.

Early Life
Dharamvir Bharati was born on Christmas Day in the year 1926 in the city of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. His parents Chiranji Lal and Chanda Devi had two children, Dharamvir and his sister Veerbala. His father died at a very early age after they were hit by an acute financial crisis. Dharamvir continued to secure good results in his studies despite his personal loss and completed his master's degree in Hindi from the Allahabad University in the year 1946. It was in college itself that his talent in the Hindi language was identified by teachers who rewarded him with the 'Chintamani Ghosh Award' for scoring the top marks in Hindi during his session. Dharamvir started working immediately after completing college and it was only a few years later that he was able to complete his research work, thus getting the Ph. D degree.

Career
After completing his masters in Hindi, Dharamvir joined the "Abhyudaya" and "Sangam" magazines as the sub editor. After working for more than five years, Dharamvir started working on his thesis paper choosing to do a research work on Siddha Sahitya, under Dr Dhirendra Verma. When he earned his Ph. D degree in the year 1954, Dharamvir Bharati secured a position of lecturer in Hindi at the Allahabad University. While he continued to educate students in his alma mater, Dharamvir also utilized his free time to write his own poems, novels and plays. Reports claim that it was during this time that Dharamvir Bharati wrote the maximum part of his huge collection of poems and stories.

In the year 1960, Dharamveer quit his position from Allahabad University to shift base to Bombay where he became the chief editor of the popular Hindi magazine "Dharmayug". "Dharmayug" was the most widely selling Hindi language magazine in India during that point of time. It was published by the Times India Group. Dharamvir Bharati's stint with "Dharmayug" took the magazine to greater heights of popularity in the field of Hindi journalism. Dharamvir Bharati served under the magazine from 1960 to 1987, during which he did not only do the editing work, but also parts of the reporting work for the magazine. The poet and playwright personally covered the Indo-Pak war of 1965 for "Dharmayug".

Collection of Writing

Poetry
"Thanda Loha", "Sapana Abhi Bhi", "Saat Geet Varsh" and "Kanupriya" are the most famous poems that have been written by Dharamvir Bharati.

Novels
"Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda" was probably the most famous work of Dharamvir Bharati in this genre. The set of narrations written in this novel became so popular that it was later translated to the Bengali language by eminent poet Malay Roy Choudhury and also won him the Sahitya Academy Award. The novel was also adapted to the big screen by filmmaker Shyam Benegal, for which he won the National Award. "Gunahon Ka Devta", "Prarambh Va Samapan" and "Giyara Sapno Ka Desh" are the popular novels written by Dharamvir Bharati.

Plays
"Andha Yug" was and will always remain one of the most popular plays ever written in Hindi literature. It is still enacted on stage. This play, the dialogues for which have been written in poetry-style, was inspired from the Mahabharata. Dharamvir Bharati based the story of "Andha Yug" on the last day of the famous Indian epic.

Essays
Apart from novels, poems and plays, Dharamvir Bharati also compiled a collection of essays during the 1950s. "Thele Par Himalayas", "The River Was Thirsty", "Apshynty Stories: Unkahi, Human Values and Literature", "Neil Lake" and "Cold Iron" were some of the essays that Dharamvir Bharati wrote.

Short Stories
Dharamvir Bharati was an expert in all genre of writing in Hindi. He wrote a couple of short stories to be published under a single heading. "Swarg Aur Prathvhi", "Band Gali Ka Aakhkri Makhaan", "Chand Aur Tuthe Hue Log", "Samast Kahaniya Ek Saath" and "Saas Ki Kalam Se" are the collection of stories written by Dharamvir Bharati.

Awards & Recognition
To reward an illustrious career in Hindi writing spanning several decades, the government of India conferred prestigious awards to Dharamvir Bharati at several stages of his life. A list of the awards that Dharamvir Bharati won has been listed below:

Padmashree Award in the year 1972

Rajendra Prasad Shikhar Samman

Kaudiya Nyas

Valley Turmeric Best Journalism Awards in 1984

Bharat Bharati Samman

Vyasa Samman

Maharana Mewar Foundation Award for best playwright in 1988

The Sangeet Natak Akademi award in the year 1989

Maharana Gaurav award in 1994

Dr Dharamvir Bharati was also remembered and honored through the screening of a documentary feature film on his life and works. The film 'Dr Bharati’ was made and showcased posthumously by storywriter Uday Prakash. This documentary was screened in the year 1999 at the Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi.

Personal Life
Dharamvir Bharati was married twice and shares three children with his two wives. He married Kanta Bharati in the year 1954 but the marriage ended in divorce. The couple had a daughter named Parmita. Dharamvir Bharati tied the nuptial knot again this time to Pushpa Bharati. The couple was blessed with two children Kinshuk Bharati and Pragya Bharati.

Death
Dharamvir Bharati died at the age of 70. He was suffering from a heart disease for several years, which became the cause of his sudden death on September 4, 1997. Dharamvir will always be remembered as the greatest writer that Hindi literature has ever produced.

Timeline
1926: Dharamvir Bharati was born on December 25.
1946: Completed his MA from Allahabad University.
1954: Completed his PhD and joins Allahabad University as lecturer.
1954: Married Kanta Bharati.
1960: Became editor-in-chief of "Dharmayug" magazine.
1972: Won Padmashree Award from Indian government.
1984: Was bestowed with Valley Turmeric Best Journalism Award.
1987: Retired from position in "Dharmayug" magazine.
1988: Received Maharana Mewar Foundation Award for best playwright.
1989: Won award from Sangeet Natak Akademi.
1992: His novel "Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda" was made into a film by Shyam Benegal.
1994: Felicitated Maharashtra Gaurav award.
1997: Died on September 4.
1999: His life is recorded in a documentary film by Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 03:34:47 PM

Harivansh Rai Bachchan Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Harivansh_Rai_Bachchan.jpg)

Born On: November 27, 1907
Born In: Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Died On: January 18, 2003
Career:Poet
Nationality: Indian

"A body of clay, a mind full of play, a moment's life - that is me". That is how one of the doyens of Hindi literature, Harivansh Rai Bachchan described himself. And indeed, reading his poems, one feels a sense of life and playfulness, the two aspects which would become the hallmark of his poetry. In a career that spanned for about 60 years, he was the torch bearer of the Chhayavaad or Romantic upsurge literary movement, though later in life he came to be known more because of his famous son, Amitabh Bachchan, than his poetry. But there was a time when thousands and thousands would fill into theaters and auditoriums just to listen to him recite his poems, a particular favorite being the epochal 'Madushala'. His poetry is noted for its lyrical beauty and rebellious attitude with imagery that is unfettered and sensuous that placed him in a different league from his contemporaries in the Chhayavaad movement. Harivansh Rai Bachchan became the epitome of the romantic rebel. Through his poems he focused on the common man's urge for freedom and the sensuousness underlying in this quest, which made him a literary star embraced by the public.

Childhood
Harivansh Rai 'Bachchan' Srivastav was born in the year 1907 in the village Babupatti near Allahabad in a Kayastha family to Pratap Narayan Shrivastav and Saraswati Devi. He was their eldest born. As a child, he was fondly called 'bachchan' because of his child-like ways. The moniker stuck with him, thus becoming one of the most recognizable names.

Early Life
Harivansh Rai Bachchan started his education from a municipal school. It was the same time that he also started learning Urdu from Kayasth Paathshaalas. Later, he pursued his higher education from Allahabad University and Banaras Hindu University. In 1941 he joined the English department of Allahabad University as a faculty and taught there till 1952. He then went to Cambridge for two years to do his doctoral thesis on W.B Yeats and occultism, becoming the second Indian to get a Ph. D. in English Literature from this university. It was also during this time that he dropped Srivastav from his name and used Bachchan as his last name. He then came back to India and took up teaching, while at the same time, serving sometime at the Allahabad Station of All India Radio.

Later Life
Harivansh Rai Bachchan later moved on to Delhi in 1955 to join the External Affairs Ministry as a Special Officer in the Hindi cell, translating official documents into Hindi. He served for a period of ten years. During this time, he also worked on promoting Hindi as the official language of India as well as translating some of the major works into Hindi like Macbeth, Othello, Bhagvad Gita, the works of W.B Yeats and the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

Works
Harivansh Rai Bachchan is best remembered for his 142 verse lyrical poem "Madhushala" (The House of Wine), which was published in 1935. This work catapulted him as the foremost Hindi poet and was subsequently, translated into English and a number of Indian languages. The poem became a craze and was even performed on stage. "Madhushala" was a part of his poetic trilogy, the other two being Madhubaala and Madhukalash. It is on this trilogy that his fame rests. In 1969, he published the first of his four part autobiography 'Kya bhooloon kya yaad karoon'. The second part 'Need ka nirmaan fir' was published in 1970, the third 'Basere se door' in 1977 and the last part 'Dashdwaar se sopaan tak' in 1985. The series was well received and an abridged English translation by Rupert Snell, 'In the Afternoon of Time', was published in 1998. It is now considered to be a landmark in Hindi literature. Throughout his teaching career and while working in the External Affairs ministry and later, Bachchan published about 30 poetry collections as well as other works in Hindi like essays, travelogues and a few songs for the Hindi film industry. He also read his poems to large audiences. His last poem 'Ek November 1984' based on Indira Gandhi's assassination was written in November 1984.

Awards And Recognition
In 1966, Harivansh Rai Bachchan was nominated to the Rajya Sabha and in 1969 he received the Sahitya Akademi Award. Seven years later the Government of India bestowed on him the Padma Bhushan in recognition for his contribution to Hindi literature. In addition he was also awarded the Sovietland Nehru Award, the Lotus Award of the Afro-Asian writers' conference and the Saraswati Samman. The Uttar Pradesh government conferred him the "Yash Bharati" Samman in 1994. A postage stamp was released in 2003 in his memory.

Personal Life
Bachchan first married in the year 1926 when he was just 19 years old and his wife, Shyama, was 14 years old. In 1936, she passed away succumbing to TB. Five years later, Bachchan married Teji Suri with whom he had two children Amitabh and Ajitabh.

Death
At the age of 95, in 2003, Harivansh Rai Bachchan breathed his last. He was suffering from respiratory ailments. Four years later his wife passed away at the age of 93.

Timeline
1907: Harivansh Rai Bachchan was born in a Kayastha family in Uttar Pradesh.
1926: Married his first wife.
1935: Madhushala, his seminal work, was published.
1941: Became a faculty of the English department in Allahabad University and marries a second time.
1953: Went to Cambridge to pursue his doctoral thesis.
1955: Joined the Hindi Cell of the External Affairs ministry.
1984: Published his last poem.
1966: Nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.
1969: Received the Sahitya Academi Award.
2003: Harivansh Rai Bachchan breathed his last.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:09:36 PM

Hasrat Jaipuri Biography

(http://www.hindilyrics.net/profiles/pics/hasrat-jaipuri.jpg)

Born On: April 15, 1922
Born In: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Died On: September 17, 1999
Occupation: Poet and Bollywood lyricist
Nationality: Indian

Hasrat Jaipuri is one of those celebrated poets who have gone down as immortal in the history of Hindi film songs. A poet who composed lines in Urdu, Persian and Hindi, he went on to become one of the most popular lyricists that the Hindi film industry in India has ever seen. His poetry and film compositions reflected an amalgamation of both Hindi and Urdu. Born in a Muslim family of Rajasthan in India, poetry was a part of Hasrat Jaipuri's life from the early years of his childhood. Once a bus conductor by profession, little did the world know then that there was so much talent hidden within Hasrat Jaipuri, who may be referred to as a 'shayar' in Indian society.

Life
Hasrat Jaipuri was born as Iqbal Husain in a Muslim family of Rajasthan on April 15, 1922. Iqbal spent his entire childhood in the city of his birth, Jaipur, before shifting to Bombay where he received the best rewards for his talent of poem and song writing. Iqbal Husain was educated in only English language during the initial years of his schooling. It was later that Iqbal Husain received the title of Hasrat Jaipuri and also started his education in Urdu and Persian languages. Hasrat Jaipuri's grandfather Fida Husain was his chief tutor for both the languages. By this time, Hasrat Jaipuri was already a young man of 20. He not only learnt the two languages of Urdu and Persian, he also composed several verses in both languages. Many of his verses were composed for the love of his life Radha, a Hindu girl residing in Jaipur. The two fell in love when Hasrat Jaipuri had started writing his own poems in Urdu, Persian and also Hindi. "Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padh Kar, Ke Tum Naaraaz Na Hona" was one of the most famous lines found in his love letter to Radha. The line was immortalized almost twenty years later in a Hindi song filmed on the Bollywood heartthrob, Raj Kapoor in his film 'Sangam'. Hasrat Jaipuri was a die hard romantic who was of the opinion that love should not be categorized by religion and castes. Hasrat Jaipuri had famously said in an interview that he never expected his love to be reciprocated by Radha, and yet he loved her dearly.

Career As A Poet
Hasrat Jaipuri was equally popular as a poet and a lyricist. He wrote several poems, which were later published in his books of poetry in Hindi and Urdu. It was these two languages that found predominant use in his writings. Hasrat Jaipuri felt that both the Hindi and Urdu languages complement each other and one is incomplete without the other. Hasrat Jaipuri thought of himself as a messenger whose main motive was to spread love through his work. All his writings reflected this sentiment of Hasrat Jaipuri. According to him, he was a 'shayar' who existed in the world to fill each empty space with love. He was deeply aware of the fact that he would die soon, therefore as long as he is in this world, he believed it was his duty to spread love and cheer all over.

Career As A Lyricist
Hasrat Jaipuri began his career by selling tickets in local buses of Bombay. After traveling from Jaipur and settling in Bombay in the year 1940 with his wife Radha, Hasrat Jaipuri took up occupation as a bus conductor, earning a paltry sum of Rs. 11 at the end of each month. However, he also made sure that enough time was given towards the practice of poetry. Hasrat Jaipuri was a regular face in some of the most famous mushairas (a place where Urdu poets used to gather to share with each other their individual compositions) of Bombay during the 1940s. Therefore, Hasrat Jaipuri was in regular touch with the first love of his life, poetry.

Word has it that it was in a mushaira that legendary Bollywood actor Prithviraj Kapoor took note of the poetry composed by Hasrat Jaipuri and took the first step towards introducing him to the world of Hindi films. When his son Raj Kapoor heard about Hasrat Jaipuri, he decided to give the poet a break in his forthcoming Bollywood production 'Barsaat'. The 1949 film had music by Shankar - Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri. He debuted by penning the lyrics of the song 'Jiya Beqaraar Hai' for 'Barsaat'. This was followed by the equally popular composition 'Chhod Gaye Baalam'. 'Barsaat' was only the beginning of the success story of Hasrat Jaipuri in Bollywood and the start of his blossoming association with actor Raj Kapoor.

From 1949 through 1971, almost every single Bollywood film starring Raj Kapoor in the lead credited either had Hasrat Jaipuri or Shailendra as the lyricist. The music in these films was also composed by Shankar - Jaikishen only. With the death of Jaikishen in 1971 also ended a glorious era of Bollywood songs. Hasrat Jaipuri did not find favor from Raj Kapoor anymore largely because of the fact that songs from films 'Mera Naam Joker' and 'Kal Aaj Aur Kal' failed to draw the attention of the audience. As a result of this, Raj Kapoor was inspired to sign new lyricists and music composers for his upcoming movies.

Subsequently 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili' and 'Sangam' happened, enabling to a great extent to bring back the real flavor of a Hasrat Jaipuri writing. 'Sun Sahiba Sun' and 'I Love You' were indeed chartbuster numbers of their generation. After Raj Kapoor died in the year 1988, Bollywood was not the same place for Hasrat Jaipuri. New music composer Ravindra Jain had no respect for the genius and deliberately barred the famous lyricist from writing for further films. Help came in the form of Shailendra when he invited Hasrat Jaipuri to write the lyrics of his Bollywood production 'Teesri Kasam'. The last Hindi film song he penned was used in the 2004 release 'Hatya: The Murder'.

Career As Screenplay Writer
Bollywood lyrics and poems were not the only fields in which Hasrat Jaipuri flourished. The first part of his career with Bollywood saw the maestro in the role of screenplay writer for the movie 'Hulchul' in 1951.

Awards and Recognition
Needless to say, as a lyricist of Raj Kapoor films, Hasrat Jaipuri was successful in winning the attention and love of the Bollywood audience. Hasrat Jaipuri also received widespread critical acclamation for his contribution to Bollywood cinema. He won his first Filmfare award in the year 1966 for the wonderful poetry in the song 'Phool Barsao' from 'Suraj'. The Filmfare success was repeated with 'Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana' from 'Andaz' in 1972. Hasrat Jaipuri was also the recipient of the Josh Malihabadi Award from an Urdu conference and the Dr Ambedkar Award for his lyrics in the Brajbhasha song 'Jhanak Jhanak Tori Baaje Payalia'.

Personal Life and Death
In spite of his phenomenal rise in Bollywood, Hasrat Jaipuri never forgot his roots and remained the simple man that he was from the very first day in Bombay. Several credit his lifestyle to his very supportive wife Radha, who helped him to remain grounded in spite of fame and money coming his way. Even during times when Hasrat Jaipuri did not have work in his hands and therefore no money on him, he had enough savings in property, thanks to his wife, which could help him survive lavishly. According to reports, Hasrat Jaipuri considered himself a very ordinary man and therefore always traveled by train even if he could afford the airfare. Hasrat Jaipuri died on September 17, 1999.

Timeline
1922: Hasrat Jaipuri was born as Iqbal Husain on April 15.
1940: Migrated to Bombay.
1949: Composed his first lyrics for 'Barsaat'.
1951: Wrote screenplay for 'Hulchul'.
1966: Received his first Filmfare Award for lyrics in 'Suraj'.
1972: Received second Filmfare Award.
1999: Hasrat Jaipuri died.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:12:59 PM

Jaishankar Prasad Biography

(http://www.indianetzone.com/photos_gallery/37/JaishankarPrasad_24325.jpg)

Born On: January 30, 1889
Born In: Varanasi, India
Died On: January 14, 1937
Occupation: Poet, Novelist, Playwright
Nationality: Indian

If you are interested in Hindi literature, then you surely must have heard the name of Jaishankar Prasad. If Dharamvir Bharati is referred to as the Father of Hindi Literature, Jaishankar Prasad cannot be too far behind for he too needs to be credited for making Hindi language popular amongst the present generation. Jaishankar Prasad is truly one of the most notable figures in the world of modern Hindi literature. Although he had to drop out of school at a very early age due to financial problems that his family faced, his love for literature never died down. Apart from Hindi, Jaishankar Prasad was interested in a number of languages and their evolution. However, it was Hindi that he chose while penning his thoughts in the form of poems and novels. He was one of the greatest literary figures during his time and the best modern Hindi writer.

Childhood
Jaishankar Prasad was born in a well-to-do madheshiya vaishya family of Varanasi. However, the family's condition deteriorated over the years after the death of Jaishankar Prasad's father, when the future litterateur was still young. His father Babu Devki Prasad earned a living by buying and selling tobacco in the markets of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Jaishankar Prasad's family was always known as one of the elite units in Varanasi. His father passed away when he was still in school and thus, had to leave his studies after the eighth standard to help the family which was then affected by financial problems. This, however, did not mean that Jaishankar Prasad gave up on his studies. He thoroughly read books at home, mastering the grammar and literature and the evolution of many a language. It was language that interested Jaishankar Prasad, but he later shifted his attention to the study of the Vedas, an aspect that reflected in his writings that were penned later. Apart from writing poetry from a very early age, Jaishankar Prasad also had an interest in reciting poems. As a child and in his later life, he spent much of his time playing chess and doing gardening work at home.

Writing Style
Jaishankar Prasad was interested in the Vedas. The content as well as the writing pattern of the Vedas thus influenced him deeply, while he penned his own poetry, plays and novels. The first collection of poems that Jaishankar Prasad penned, named 'Chitraadhar', was written in the Braj dialect of Hindi, a dialect that is widely used in Uttar Pradesh. The entire collection of poems written by Jaishankar Prasad can best be described as touching and emotional. Not only did he pay attention to the language of his poems, but also look at their philosophic content. It is to be remembered that this ace Hindi litterateur was a philosopher as well, apart from being a writer. Therefore, this aspect too reflected in his poems. The content of Jaishankar Prasad's poetry ranged from the romantic to the patriotic. 'Himadri Tung Shring Se' is the most famous patriotic poem written by Jaishankar Prasad in the length of his career. It was written before India won its independence from the British, and was successful in popularizing the name of Jaishankar Prasad among the common masses.

During the middle of his career as a novelist, playwright and poet, Jaishankar Prasad was highly influenced by Sanskrit and other languages which originated from Sanskrit. According to reports, he read a lot of Bengali and Persian works to seek inspiration before penning his own. Jaishankar Prasad's most famous dramas 'Chandragupta', 'Skandagupta' and 'Dhruvaswamini' are inspired from Persian and Bengali plays. During the later stages of his career, Jaishankar Prasad wrote in the Khadi dialect of Hindi. The stories of the plays written by Jaishankar Prasad were most often based on true incidents taken from the history of India. The writer loved reading books on history and therefore his writings were influenced by historical incidents and also mythology. Jaishankar Prasad wrote a couple of short stories as well during the span of his brief career as a writer of Hindi literature. Expectedly, the plots of his short stories were also based either in Indian history or mythology. 'Mamta' and 'Chhota Jadugar' are two of the most popular short stories written by Jaishankar Prasad.

Kamayani
No discussion on the collection of writings by Jaishankar Prasad is complete without a special reference to 'Kamayani'. 'Kamayani' is, by far, not only the most popular work of Jaishankar Prasad; it is also one of the best collections of poetry that the Hindi literary circuit has ever seen. 'Kamayani', which has received popular and critical appreciation ever since it was published some decades ago, is still the most popular and best mahakavya that the Hindi language has witnessed. The epic poem may be described as an amalgamation of knowledge, desire and action, the three basic elements in the life of a human being. The central characters of the mahakavya, Manu, Ida and Shradha describe through their actions in the poem, the evolution of culture in humans and the mythological story of the great flood. The three characters Manu, Ida and Shradha represent human psyche, rationality and love respectively in 'Kamayani'.

Death and Beyond
Jaishankar Prasad died at a very early age of 47 on January 14 of 1937. The great Hindi litterateur is survived by three wives and their children. After his death, Shanta Gandhi, a 1960s professor of ancient Indian drama at the National School of Drama in New Delhi, took the initiative to stage several of Jaishankar Prasad's plays for the modern Indian theater. Shanta Gandhi took note of the fact that not many changes were made in the original writing of Jaishankar Prasad so that the modern generation gets a taste of the real Jaishankar Prasad writing. The first play staged by her was 'Skandagupta' which was written by the Hindi litterateur in 1928. Jaishankar Prasad is still fondly remembered as one of the pillars of Hindi literature, the other two being Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla and Munshi Premchand. Jaishankar Prasad was not only a great writer; he also made a mark as a historian and a philosopher.

Timeline
1889: Jaishankar Prasad is born on January 30.
1915: He wrote his first significant drama, 'Rajyasri'
1928: Wrote his famous play 'Skandagupta'.
1935: The long poem 'Kamayani' was published
1937: Died on January 14 aged only 47.
1960s: The National School of Drama staged plays written by Jaishankar Prasad.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:20:48 PM

Sahir Ludhianvi Biography

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qqaAERewxh8/T2dPTJSJ9EI/AAAAAAAAAEY/w2Hza2Ecr2s/s1600/sahir+ludhianvi.jpg)

Born On: March 8, 1921
Born In: Ludhiana, Punjab
Died On: October 25, 1980
Career: Poet, Lyricist
Nationality: Indian

Best remembered for penning the renowned "Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein" song from the movie "Kabhie Kabhie", Sahir Ludhianvi etched a permanent mark on songs and ghazals in the Hindi film industry. True to his name, Sahir was a magician who fascinated his listeners and readers through his marvelous compositions. His wordings have successfully created a plethora of emotions with its simple language and distinguished feelings. Despite being unable to praise God, beauty, and wine, he divulged his bitterness with sensitive lyrics through his pen. For his illustrious and magnificent compositions, he was honored with two Filmfare Awards and Padma Shri Award during his lifetime.

Early Life
Sahir Ludhianvi was born as Abdul Hayee into a rich Muslim Gujjar family in Ludhiana in Punjab. His father was a wealthy zamindar, while mother was Sardar Begum. Since birth, his parents were undergoing an estranged relationship and chose to separate when Sahir was just 13 years old. His father married for the second time and chose to take custody of Sahir, but lost due to his second marriage. As such, he threatened to snatch Sahir from his mother, no matter what step he had to take. Due to this, Sahir spent his childhood surrounded by fear and financial deprivation. He attained his formal education from Khalsa High School in Ludhiana. Thereafter, he graduated to Satish Chander Dhawan Government College For Boys in Ludhiana to pursue his higher studies. But he was expelled just after one year for being caught sitting with a female in the lawns in 1943. He left Ludhiana and traveled to Lahore in search of a better career prospect.

Bollywood Career
In Lahore, Sahir completed his first work in Urdu "Talkhiyaan" but was unable to find a publisher for the same. Finally, after two years of shuffling between Ludhiana and Lahore, he found a publisher in 1945. Thereafter, he started editing four magazines, "Adab-e-Lateef", "Shahkaar", "Prithlari", and "Savera". These magazines achieved immense success. However, due to his explosive writing in "Savera", the government of Pakistan issued an arrest warrant against him. As such, he fled from Lahore in 1949 and landed in Delhi. After spending a couple months there, he traveled to Bombay where he settled for the rest of his life and created history through his illustrious works. He made his debut into Bollywood by writing the lyrics for "Aazadi Ki Raah Par" in 1949. Though he wrote four songs, both the film and the songs sank unnoticed.

Sahir was next seen in 1951 "Naujawaan" with S.D. Burman as the music director. This movie acted as the stepping stone for him as the film worked decently. But his major recognition came with Guru Dutt's directorial debut "Baazi" in 1951, again paired with Burman. Thereafter, he was amongst the team of Guru Dutt. The combination delivered some marvelous musical performances that became legendary hits. Over his entire Bollywood career, Sahir delivered evergreen and immortal pieces of Hindi film music. Some of the most prominent movies include "Pyaasa", "Hum Dono", "Taj Mahal", "Phir Subah Hogi", "Trishul", and "Waqt". His 1976 "Kabhie Kabhie" saw the best in Sahir that went on to break all records, and bestowing him with another Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist, second to "Taj Mahal".

Poetry Career
While writing lyrics for Bollywood films were reaching skies at that time, his poetry was not left behind either. His poetry revealed a "Faizian" quality of writing. His works had that intellectual element that caught the attention of people during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Though Sahir was egoistic by nature, probably due to his zamindari background, he was a compassionate man and felt for others, often neglecting his own needs. This nature reflected in his poetry which wrote as he aged. With different periods progressing, Sahir narrated various ages, which is not very common in many writers' style. Kahat-e-Bangal (The Famine of Bengal) talked about early maturity, while Subah-e-Navroz (Dawn of a New Day) spoke about the conditions of the poor. He was one amongst the few Urdu poets who illustrated his views towards the Taj Mahal in an entirely different manner.

Personal Life
Sahir Ludhianvi did not marry in his life and chose to remain a bachelor throughout. After experiencing two failed relationships, one with journalist Amrita Pritam and another with singer-actress Sudha Malhotra, he resolved to excessive drinking and became an alcoholic. Both the ladies' fathers rejected Sahir due to his perceived religion and atheism. Sahir and Amrita were so passionately in love with each other that she wrote his name a hundred times in sheets of paper during one press conference. Though the couple met quite often, they never spoke a word during their date. After Sahir was done with smoking and left, Amrita would pick up the butts and smoke them, hoping that they would meet someday in the other world. Another reason for rejecting Sahir as a compatible partner for Amrita's father was Sahir's inability to afford a house. As a result, Sahir built a taller house opposite Amrita's residence in Ludhiana.

Death
Sahir Ludhianvi was honored with Padma Shri Award in 1971. He suffered a major heart attack on October 25th, 1980 and passed away in the arms of his friend Dr. R.P. Kapoor. He was 59 years old then. He was later buried in Juhu Muslim cemetery, but his tomb was destroyed in 2010 to make space for other dead bodies.

Notable Films
Aazadi Ki Raah Par, 1949
Naujawaan, 1951
Baazi, 1951
Shahenshah, 1953
Humsafar, 1953
Alif Laila, 1953
Taxi Driver, 1954
House No. 44, 1955
Marine Drive, 1955
Devad, 1955
Pyaasa, 1957
Naya Daur, 1957
Phir Subah Hogi, 1958
Barsat Ki Raat, 1960
Hum Dono, 1961
Taj Mahal, 1963
Gumraah, 1963
Chitralekha, 1964
Waqt, 1965
Humraaz, 1967
Naya Rasta, 1970
Dastan, 1972
Joshila, 1973
Deewar, 1975
Zameer, 1975
Laila Majnu, 1976
Kabhie Kabhie, 1976
Trishul, 1978
Kala Patthar, 1978
The Burning Train, 1980

Distinguished Songs
Aana hai to aa (Naya Daur, 1957)
Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kya hai (Pyaasa, 1957)
Wo subah kabhi to aayegi (Phir Subah Hogi, 1958)
Tu Hindu banega na musalman banega (Dhool ka Phool, 1959)
Allah tero naam, ishwar tero naam (Hum Dono, 1961)
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaye hum dono (Gumraah, 1963)
Aye meri zohrajabein (Waqt, 1965)
Aagey bhi jane na tu (Waqt, 1965)
Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon (Kabhie Kabhie, 1976)
Kabhie kabhie (Kabhi Kabhie, 1976)

Timeline
1921: Was born on March 8th in Ludhiana, Punjab
1934: Parents got divorced
1942: Admitted to Satish Chander Dhawan Government College For Boys, Ludhiana
1943: Expelled from college and went to Lahore
1945: Got his first Urdu poetry "Talkhiyaan" published
1949: Ran away from Lahore to Delhi and later to Bombay
1949: Got a break in his first Bollywood movie "Aazadi Ki Raah Par"
1951: Gained recognition with Guru Dutt's "Baazi"
1964: Won the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for "Taj Mahal"
1971: Honored with Padma Shri Award
1977: Won the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for "Kabhie Kabhie"
1980: Died in Mumbai on 25th October, aged 59

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:26:33 PM

Anand Bakshi Biography

(http://www.recordsindia.com/images/anand_bakshi.jpg)

Born On: July 21, 1920
Born In: Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan)
Died On: March 30, 2002
Occupation: Bollywood Lyricist
Nationality: Indian

The name, Anand Bakshi is familiar to Hindi film lovers both young and old. In a career spanning several decades, Anand Bakshi penned some of the most memorable songs that has ever been produced by the Hindi film industry. With dreams of becoming a singer, a young man landed in Bombay to acquire a foothold in Bollywood - little did he know then that destiny had different plans for him. With over 600 films to his credit and having worked with the best people in the Hindi film industry, Anand Bakshi earned himself a reputation of a respectable man in Bollywood. All actors wanted to be part of films which had lyrics penned by the legendary Anand Bakshi. And this factor came into play when several actors opted to work with only Anand Bakshi when they inaugurated their respective production houses. Bollywood actors from Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra to Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, and music directors from Laxmikant Pyarelal to R D Burman loved and respected the powerhouse called Anand Bakshi.

Early Life
Anand Bakshi was born on July 21, 1920 in the city of Rawalpindi now situated in Pakistan. The lyricist’s forefathers were from the Kuri village situated close to Rawalpindi and some of them also lived in Kashmir. Anand Bakshi’s mother Sumitra died when he was a mere five-year old kid. Hence, it was under the care of his father that Anand Bakshi completed his school and college education. After completing his elementary schooling, Anand Bakshi joined the Cambridge College in Rawalpindi, only to leave his studies midway on March 6 1943, when he was selected to join the Royal Indian Navy as a post boy in 1944.

Anand Bakshi had aspired to become a singer since he was a child and this was precisely why he boarded the H M I S Dilawar and H M I S Bahadur Ship after his appointment in the Indian Navy, thinking that the ship would halt in Bombay, the land of his film ambitions. Unfortunately, the ship did not reach the Bombay docks, leaving Anand Bakshi to work with the Navy for two years followed by a six year stint in the Indian Army before he could finally fulfill his dreams of penning Hindi film songs. On April 5, 1946, Anand Bakshi was expelled from his position in the Indian Navy after he was caught participating in a naval mutiny against the British from the Bombay harbor.

Years Of Tryst
After being expelled from the Indian Navy, Bakshi joined the Indian Army the following year. He served the Indian Army for a period of six years, in between which he went to Bombay to try his luck in Hindi films. Reports claim that during his stay with the Army, Anand Bakshi used to entertain the other soldiers by singing to them his own composed songs. All his friends in the Indian Army always encouraged Anand Bakshi to shift to Bombay and seek employment as a Hindi film writer, singer or actor. Meanwhile, after India got its independence, the family left Rawalpindi and settled at Lucknow in the October of 1947. Four years later, in the year 1951, Bakshi left the Corps of Signals and arrived in Bombay for the first time looking for work. But his efforts went in vain forcing him to return to his home and his job with the Army with the E.M.E. (The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).

Meanwhile, Anand Bakshi settled down with Kamla Mohan, a girl who had been his childhood neighbor in Rawalpindi, in the year 1954. Anand Bakshi quit his position in the Indian Army on August 27, 1956 and in the month of October of the same year, traveled to Bombay again in the hope of work. His luck did not favor him the second time too, leaving Anand Bakshi jobless and moneyless on the platforms of local Bombay stations. But not the one to be disillusioned or disheartened, he continued to pen songs, though by then, he already had a collection of more than 60 songs all written by himself. His first poem, which Anand Bakshi had composed as a song, was published in the Sainik Samachar magazine brought out by the Indian Army. This gave Bakshi the impetus to go ahead and try harder to bring to life his dreams.

Living The Dreams
The big break in Anand Bakshi’s life came towards the end of the year 1956. Though Anand Bakshi had planned to enter Bollywood as a singer or a scriptwriter for Hindi films, he was chosen to write the lyrics for the Hindi film 'Bhala Aadmi’. Anand Bakshi penned four songs for the Brij Mohan film and his first written song 'Dharti Ke Laal Na Kar Itna Malaal’ was recorded on November 9, 1956. Nine years later in the year 1965, Anand Bakshi was an established lyricist of Bollywood with films like 'Himalay Ki God Mein’, 'Jab Jab Phool Khile’ and 'Milan’ in his kitty. The latter two endured that Anand Bakshi would further get work with only the best music composers and producers in the world of Hindi cinema. But the first film that made Anand Bakshi popular among the masses was the 1972 Hindi film 'Mome Ki Gudiya’.

'Mome Ki Gudiya’ was also the beginning of the success story between lyricist Anand Bakshi and music director Laxmikant Pyarelal. They went on to work together in a number of films later on, making some of the best songs that Bollywood has ever heard. 1972 also saw the release of popular Hindi film track 'Dum Maro Dum’ from the film 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna’, a track which brought to light the versatility of Anand Bakshi as a lyricist. While he had already made a mark as a Bollywood lyricist, Anand Bakshi got his first opportunity to sing for a Bollywood production in a duet with Lata Mangeshkar. The song 'Baaghon Mein Bahaar Aayee’ was accepted well and Anand Bakshi went on to sing other songs for films like Sholay, Maha Chor, Charas and Balika Badhu. Anand Bakshi loved quawwalis and he wrote as well as sang a number of quawwalis during this part of his career.

His Work
In the span of a very successful career, Anand Bakshi worked in at least 300 films with Laxmikant Pyarelal, almost a 100 films with R D Burman, more than 30 films with Kalyanji & Anandji and a couple of films with new age music composers Anu Malik and Rajesh Roshan.

Trivia
Anand Bakshi was the lyricist of the first recorded songs of popular Bollywood singers Kumar Sanu, Kavita Krisnamurthy, Udit Narayan and Shailendra Singh.
Anand Bakshi worked with such composers who were the sons of popular erstwhile musicians with whom he had also worked. The most popular pairs are S D & R D Burman and Roshan & Rajesh Roshan. In addition, Anand Bakshi also worked with father - son duo film directors Yash Chopra & Aditya Chopra and Manmohan Desai & Ketan Desai.
Such was the popularity of Anand Bakshi that Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Shashi Kapoor, Sunil Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan and also Sunny Deol, Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan chose him as their first production’s lyricist.
Anand Bakshi penned the lyrics for the debut films of several Bollywood actors like Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Amrita Singh, Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar.
Anand Bakshi’s lyrics have been used and reused in Bollywood and Hollywood. For instance, the song 'Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai’ was used by Mira Nair for her 2001 Hollywood production 'Monsoon Wedding’. Similarly, the Bollywood hit 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai’ was used in the 2009 release 'Slumdog Millionaire’.

Awards
Anand Bakshi received a record breaking 40 nominations for lyrics written for Hindi films. He has a total of four Filmfare Awards for the best lyricist to his name:
'Aadmi Musafir Hai’ for Apnapan in the year 1977
'Tere Mere Beech’ for Ek Duuje Ke Liye in 1981
'Tujhe Dekha’ for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in the year 1995
'Ishq Bina’ for Taal in 1999

In addition to Filmfare Awards, Anand Bakshi also won the best lyricist awards at different events like the Screen and Zee Awards, the Stardust Hero Honda Awards, the Ruby Film Awards, the Aashirwad Film Awards and the Sushma Shama Awards.

Death
Anand Bakshi was a patient of heart and lung ailments in the later stages of life. He was a smoker throughout his life and this had an ill effect on his system. He underwent a heart surgery at Nanavati Hospital in Bombay after being admitted under a condition of bacterial infection in 2001. Anand Bakshi succumbed to multiple organ failure and breathed his last on March 30, 2002 in the same hospital. Anand Bakshi was 81 years of age at the time of his death.

Posthumously
Anand Bakshi’s lyrics continued to be used in films released after his death. His last writing was for the film 'Mehbooba’ released in the year 2008.

Timeline
1920: Anand Bakshi was born on July 21.
1925: His mother Sumitra died.
1943: Left college to join the Indian Navy on March 6.
1944: Joined the Indian Navy on July 12.
1946: Was expelled from the Navy for taking part in a mutiny against the British Empire on April 5.
1947: Joined the Indian Army on April 12.
1947: Migrated from Rawalpindi to Lucknow after independence on October 2.
1951: Came to Bombay in search of work in Bollywood.
1954: Married kamla Mohan on October 2.
1956: Quit his position with the Indian Army on August 27.
1956: Came to Bombay the second time in the month of October to look for work as singer and writer in Bollywood.
1956: Recorded his first song for Bollywood on November 9.
1962: Wrote his first quawwali for 'Kaala Samundar’.
1972: Sung his first song for a film with Lata Mangeshkar.
1977: Received the first Filmfare Award for best lyricist for the film 'Apnapan’.
1981: Received the second Filmfare Award for 'Ek Duje Ke Liye’.
1995: Won his third Filmfare Award for 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’.
1999: Won his final Filmfare Award for 'Taal.
2001: Was hospitalized with bacterial infection.
2002: Died in hospital on March 30.
2008: His last movie as lyricist 'Mehbooba’ was released.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:30:22 PM

Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi Biography

(http://www.bookchums.com/author_photos/AU_2012040504:08:12.jpg)

Born On: February 9, 1913
Born In: Kapurthala, Punjab
Died On: August 19, 1986
Career: Urdu Poet
Nationality: Indian

Fame came to Mehr Lal Soni very early in life, even before he went to college. His knack for composing poems in Urdu was recognized and celebrated in Urdu poetic circles long before he found fame throughout the subcontinent. His talent and love for Urdu poetry blossomed during his childhood and grew into a large tree as he went from strength to strength composing his melodious poems. His poems, or ghazals and nazams, were characterized by their ability to touch the heart and mind because of their soft and sweet melody and powerful themes. At the same time, his hand was quite good at prose and the different formats of poetry. He was also quite at ease in molding himself to the changing trends in Urdu literature and this reflected in his ghazals, sonnets, rubiaats and nazms. His voluminous work in Urdu language shows his enormous command and mastery over the language. His work in over six decades had ensured that he is counted as one of the foremost exponent of the Urdu language, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Kaifi Azmi and Nida Fazli. It can safely be said that Mehr Lal added simplicity to colorful Urdu poetry.

Childhood & Early Life
Born in 1913 in Kapurthala, Punjab, Mehr Lal Soni Fatehabadi was the eldest born of a Civil Engineer, Munshi Ram Soni and Shankari Devi. Later in life he adopted the name Zia meaning light as his pen name on the suggestion of his teacher Ghulaam Qadir Farkh Amritsari. He was born into a family whose pedigree can be traced to the Mogul era, when his forefathers migrated to Punjab from Rajasthan. Written records from his family priests show that his great-great-great grandfather was Tansukh Rai Soni. Mehr Lal started his education from the Khalsa Middle School, in Peshawar in 1920 but in 1923 shifted to Maharaja High School, in Rajasthan and completed his schooling in 1929. Mehr Lal went to Lahore in 1930 and received his B.A degree in Persian in 1933 and Masters in English in 1935 from Forman Christian College.

Mehr Lal was an exceptional student and edited the Urdu section of the college magazine publishing what is considered to be the first ever Urdu short story in 1932 called “Sadhu” written by Krishan Chander. At college, he also became infatuated with a Bengali girl called Meera Sen who studied in his college. She would become his friend and muse and was the inspiration for his love poems, which were dedicated to her. Her name also figured prominently in many of his works. During his college days, his literary life was shaped and influenced by Shabbir Hussain Josh Malihabadi and Samdayaar Khan Saghar Nizami with whom he had developed a close friendship. After completing his Master’s, Mehr Lal joined the Reserve Bank of India in 1936, in Delhi, and after 35 years of service, he retired in July 1971. During the course of his service, he was posted to Madras, Bombay and Kanpur.

His Works
The earliest instance of Mehr Lal’s bend towards poetry can be traced back to the year 1925, when he, as a 12-year old, was taught Urdu by Moulvi Asghar Ali Haya Jaipuri, who also imparted him knowledge of Urdu poetry. He also credited his interest in poetry to his mother’s supervision. By the age of sixteen, he had become a familiar name in the Urdu literary circles. In 1930, Mehr Lal became a disciple of Syed Aashiq Hussain Siddiqui Seemab Akbarabadi (1882-1951). Three years later his first book, “Tullu” meaning Dawn was published, while he was still at college. The book received critical comments, due to which he got so disillusioned that he thought of giving up writing as a whole. However, with encouragement from his friends and elders he continued to write. By the time he completed his college education, Mehr Lal had established a name for himself as a respected poet in Urdu. 

With a career spanning 60 years, Mehr Lal produced eighteen works of Urdu literature consisting of one volume each of short stories “Suraj Doob Gayaa” (1981), essays Zaaviyaa Hai Nigaah (1984), presidential addresses “Masnad-e-Sadaarat Se” (1985) and biography “Seemab Akbarabadi- Zikr-e-Seemab” (1985). Apart from that, he penned three volumes of letters and eleven collections of poetry. Additionally, there are numerous works which have remained unpublished. There are also a few works that have been influenced by English poets. They include “Noor e Mashriq" published in 1937, "Gard e Raah” published in 1963 and “Meri Tasveer" published in 2011 in which he even composed Urdu sonnets. Some of Mehr Lal’s other poetic works that were instrumental in giving him fame and renown are “Nai Subah” (1952), “Husn-e-Ghazal” (1964), “Dhoop Aur Chaandni” (1977), “Rang-o-Noor” (1980), “Soch Kaa Safar” (1982) and “Naram Garam Hawaain” (1987).

Style
Mehr Lal wrote rubiaats, qatehs, geets, ghazals, nazms and sonnets, but it is the mastery and command over nazams and ghazals that he is best remembered for. While strictly not under any particular literary group, his compositions seemed to have the traces of many groups. His works have been known for their lyrical beauty, and lucid phrases, which addressed his deepest thoughts and feelings in a delicate and soulful manner. However, the compositions remain rooted in their classical style.

Personal Life
He married Raj Kumari, the daughter of Murli Ram Berera in the year 1942. They had six sons of which the eldest and the youngest followed in his footsteps albeit in English poetry and prose.

Death
In 1986, after a prolonged illness, Mehr Lal Zia Fatehabadi passed away.

Timeline
1913: Mehr Lal was born in Kapurtala.
1929: Completed his schooling from Maharaja High School in Rajasthan.
1930: Became a disciple of Syed Aashiq Hussain Siddiqui Seemab Akbarabadi.
1933: First book “Tullu” was published; Completed his B.A in Persian.
1935: Completed his M.A in English.
1936: Joined the Reserve Bank of India.
1942: Got married to Raj Kumari.
1971: Retired from the Reserve Bank of India.
1986: Mehr Lal passed away after a prolonged illness.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:34:12 PM

Rahul Sankrityayan Biography

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-29xjePJ2yyI/TZAy8p5uJcI/AAAAAAAACzM/TQgyGzKmxZw/s1600/rahul+sankrityayan.jpg)

Born On: April 9, 1893
Born In: Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh (British India)
Died On: April 14, 1963
Career: Writer, Scholar, Nationalist, Traveler, Polymath, Polyglot
Nationality: Indian

Kedarnath Pandey, who later changed his name to Rahul Sankrityayan, after Gautam Buddha’s son, Rahul and Sankrityayan, meaning Assimilator; did perfect justice in giving himself this new name, for he went on to become a renowned Buddhist scholar. Popularly recalled as the Father of Hindi Travel Literature, his collection of knowledge had begun at an early age of nine, when he ran away from home in order to explore the unexplored. His journey took him to many parts of India and abroad. Even though he had a limited formal education, Sankrityayan learnt many languages all by himself and wrote around 150 books. His writings included an array of subjects. He traveled all around, participated in the Indian Freedom Movement and got jailed thrice for creating anti-British writings and speeches. Sankrityayan became a Buddhist monk and eventually, took up Marxist Socialism. He is often referred to as a Mahapandit (greatest scholar), polymath and polyglot.

Life
Rahul Sankrityayan aka Kedarnath Pandey was born on 9th April, 1893 in Azamgarh District of Uttar Pradesh, India to an orthodox Brahmin family. His father, Govardhan Pandey was a farmer by profession, while his mother, Kulawanti stayed with her parents. Sankrityayan received formal education only up to 8th grade in Urdu medium. However, this didn’t deter him from educating himself as he went on to master many languages by reading and frequently traveling across India and abroad. After the death of both his parents, mother at the age of twenty eight and father at the age of forty five, he was brought up by his grandmother. It was when Rahul was nine that he first ran away from home to explore the world. He visited many pilgrim centers of India and mainly survived on alms. In 1919, the Jallianwala Holocaust impacted him to such a level that he turned into a nationalist, participated actively in Indian freedom for independence, and even went to jail three times in his life.

Career
A writer, a scholar, a socialist, a nationalist, a traveler, a polymath, and a polyglot - with a career as broad as that, it’s highly unlikely that India or any other country for that matter will come across such a figure in a very long time. Even though Sankrityayan’s formal education had ended by 8th grade, he climbed the mountain of paramount knowledge that many educated people across the world failed to. It was as much as theoretical education as it was practical: involving a lot a travel that took him to many parts of India including Ladakh, Kashmir, Kinnaur etc and countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tibet, China, Iran, and Soviet Union. It was Sankrityayan’s urge to learn and search for prestigious artifacts including manuscripts of Pali and Sanskrit, paintings, and even books. Such was his glory that the Patna Museum in Patna, Bihar has dedicated a special section to a number of items brought back by Rahul.

His Writings
Rahul Sankrityayan’s writing and scholarly career had begun when he was in his twenties. Over the years, he had written around 150 books covering a variety of subjects such as sociology, history, philosophy, Buddhism, science, drama, folklore, politics, tibetology, lexicography, biographies, autobiography, essays, and pamphlets in as many as five languages: Hindi, Sanskrit, Bhojpuri, Pali, and Tibetan. His book “Volga se Ganga” translating to “A journey from Volga to Ganga”, a 7500-years of historical accounts woven with fiction and then published, is one of his major accomplishments. The book begins in 6000 BC and ends in 1942 AD and presents a fictional account of migration of Aryans from the steppes of the Eurasia to regions around the Volga river; then their movements across the Hindukush and the Himalayas and the sub-Himalayan regions; and their spread to the Indo-Gangetic plains of the subcontinent of India. The book got translated in Tamil, Telegu, and Malayalam and remains hugely popular among youth intellectuals in Kerala till date. His book “Madhya Asia ka Itihaas” even won him the Sahitya Academy Award in 1958 and a Padmabhushan Award in 1963. If this wasn’t all, Sankrityayan was made the professor of Indology by the University of Leningrad, twice.

Personal Life
Since Sankrityayan got married at a very young age, he never came to know who his child-wife was. It was on his second visit to Soviet Union where he went to teach about Buddhism in the University of Leningrad, when he met Ellena Narvertovna Kozerovskaya aka Lola, a Mongolian scholar. The two got married and had a son named Igor. However, both mother and child were not allowed to travel to India when Rahul went back after completing his teaching assignment. It is said that later in his life he married a Nepali lady and had a daughter named Jaya and a son named Jeta.

Death
During his teaching stint at the Sri Lankan University, a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure, a stroke had left Sankrtiyayan seriously ill. It was in Darjeeling that he breathed his last breath and passed away on 14th April, 1963.

Awards in His Honor
Rahul Sankrityayan National Award - Awarded to those who have contributed to Hindi travel Literature (also called Travel Litterateur's Honour) by the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, Government of India
Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan Paryatan Puraskar  - Awarded for contributing significantly in the field of travelogue and Discovery and Research in Hindi, for books written originally in Hindi on Tourism related subjects by the Ministry Of Tourism, Government of India

Timeline
1893: Rahul Sankrityayan was born.
1937-38: Was appointed as the Professor of Indology by the University of Leningrad.
1947-48: Was appointed as the Professor of Indology by the University of Leningrad, for the second time.
1958: Received Sahitya Academy Award for his book Madhya Asia ka Itihas.
1963: Received a Padmabhushan Award.
1963: Died at the age of 70.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 21, 2012, 04:39:10 PM

Kazi Nazrul Islam Biography

(http://www.theenchantingverses.org/uploads/4/6/1/6/461698/5892213_orig.jpg)

Born On: 25th May 1899
Born In: Churulia, Burdwan District of West Bengal
Died On: 29th August 1976
Career: Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary
Nationality: Indian

Nazrul said, "Even though I was born in this country (Bengal), in this society, I don't belong to just this country, this society. I belong to the world." Also known as the 'Vidrohi kobi' or 'rebel' poet' in Bengali literature and 'bulbul' or 'nightingale' of Bengali music, Kazi Nazrul Islam was one of the most inspiring personalities of undivided Bengal between 1920 and 1930. For a significant part of his life, he was considered as the pioneer of post Tagore modernity in Bengali poetry. The several ways in which he expressed himself include poems, short stories, plays and political activities. Most of his works protested against the slavery, communalism, feudalism and colonialism forced upon India by the British rule. To sum it all up, in the 1000 year history of Bengali music, K. N. Islam was the most original and creative. He brought traditional music to the people by fusing different elements of North Indian classical music.

Early Life
Kazi Nazrul was born on May 24th 1899 in Churulia village in the district of Burdwan, West Bengal. He lost his father, Kazi Fakir Ahmed at an early age and was nicknamed 'Dukhu Mia' or 'sorrow' by the village people because of the hardships and misery he faced in his early life.

He became the muazzin of the village mosque at the age of ten and started teaching at the local school. It was at this point that he leaned about the practices of Islam which led him to join his uncle, Bazle Karim's folk group as a performer and composer. It is believed that his motivation in literature came from this stint.

At 11 years, he resumed his studies only to discontinue them again due to financial crisis and work in a bakery and tea shop in Asansole. However, in 1914, he re-entered school in Mymensingh district and managed to complete class 10.

In 1917, he joined the Indian Army and served it for three years as Battalion Quarter Master Havildar. Nazrul's engagement with a girl called Nargis ended in 1921 owing to her father's unreasonable conditions and he later married Pramila Devi in 1924.

Career
In May 1919, while serving the army, Nazrul composed and published his first piece 'The Autobiography of a Delinquent' or "Saogat". He was already publishing literary periodicals like Parbasi, Bharatbarsha and others from the Karachi Cantonment.

After leaving the army in 1920, he settled in Calcutta and joined the 'Bangiya Mussalman Sahiya Samiti' where he wrote his first poem 'Bandhan-hara' or 'Freedom from bondage'. He kept adding other poems viz., 'Bodhan', Shat-il-Arab', 'Kheya-parer Tarani' and 'Badal Prater Sharab' etc. to the same collection for several years and was critically acclaimed all over the country for these.

Nazrul worked with great writers like Mohammas Mozammel Haq, Afzalul Haq, Kazi etc and also visited the Shantiniketan to meet Rabindranath Tagore in 1921 with whom he maintained close association.

In 1922, he reached the peak with his work with 'Bidrohi' which appealed to the classes and the masses alike. It was published in 'Bijli' (Thunder) magazine and was co-incidentally in accordance with the civil disobedience movement of 1942.

In 1922, a bi-weekly magazine, 'Dhumketu' ('Comet'), published his political poem which led to Nazrul's arrest. On April 14th 1923, he was transferred to Hooghly in Calcutta and was later released in December 1923. While imprisoned, he composed a large number of poems and songs.

Kazi Nazrul Islam became a critic of the "Khilafat" struggle and the Indian National Congress for not embracing political independence from the British Empire. He encouraged people to fight against the British and organized the 'Sramik Praja Swaraj Dal'. On 16th December 1925, Nazrul started publishing the weekly 'Langal' as the chief editor.

In 1926, he settled in Krishnanagar and wrote poetry and songs for the downtrodden and weak classes of the society. His famous poem 'Daridro' ('Pain or Poverty') was written during this time. Nazrul also composed ghazals in Bengali and became the first person to introduce Islam into traditional music. The first record was a huge success. Shamasangeet, Bhajan and Kirtan that combined Hindu devotional music was also created by him.

In 1928, he started working as a lyricist, composer and music director for 'His Master's Voice Gramophone Company'. His songs, together called 'Nazrul geet', were broadcasted over several radio stations and he was enlisted with the Indian Broadcasting Company.
After his mother's demise, Nazrul's works changed from topics of rebellion to religion. He got into mainstream Bengali folk music and explored 'namaz' (prayer), 'roza' (fasting) and 'hajj' (pilgrimage). He devoted works to 'Qu'ran' and the life of Islam's prophet 'Muhammad'.

In 1933, he published a collection of essays - 'Modern World Literature' - which had different themes and styles of literature. He also published 800 songs based on classical ragas, kirtans and patriotic songs in 10 volumes.
Nazrul slowly moved in Indian theatre in the year 1934 and the first picture for which he acted was based on Girish Chandra's story called 'Bhakta Dhruva'. He also composed and sang for this movie. A film "Vidyapati", based on his play, was featured in 1936. One of his biggest moves in the industry was writing songs and directing music for 'Siraj-ud-Daula' - a bioepic play.

1939 was a good year for him where he began working for the Calcutta radio and he started producing music such as 'Haramoni' and 'Navaraga-malika'. He sang predominantly in the raga 'Bhairay'. In 1940, he started working as a chief editor for 'Nabayug', founded by A.K. Fazlul Huq.

When Rabindranath Tagore died on 8th August 1941, he composed two poems dedicated to the veteran.

Death
Nazrul's health started deteriorating as a result of Pramila Devi's paralysis and he underwent several mental treatments after 1941. He even stayed at a mental asylum for four months in 1942 and was re-admitted in Ranchi in 1952. A group of admirers called "Nazrul Treatment Society" along with his prominent supporters, sent Nazrul and Pramila to London and Vienna where Nazrul was diagnosed of Pick's disease. His condition was incurable and he returned to India in 1953. Later, his wife's demise in 1962 followed by his youngest son's in 1974 took a toll on Nazrul and he succumbed to his illness on the 29th of August 1976. In accordance to his last wishes, he was buried on the campus of University of Dhaka near the mosque.

Awards And Accolades
Nazrul was awarded the Jagattarini Gold Medal in 1945, by the University of Calcutta for his work in Bengali Literature.
He got the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honours, in 1960.
He was conferred the title of 'national poet' and 'Ekushey Padak' by the Government of Bangladesh.
He was also honoured with Honours in D. Litt. by the University of Dhaka.

Legacy
Kazi Nazrul Islam's works have been acclaimed as well as criticized for egoism, but his admirers who supported him throughout his life, considered this as self-confidence more than ego. They said that he had the ability to defy God and yet be devoted.

As against Tagore's sophisticated style, he was rugged and unique. He used Persian in his works but compensated this with his use of rich and imaginative language for children's works.

He is still regarded for his secularism and was the first person to include the rise of Christians in Bengal in his books. He was regarded for the cultural renaissance that he brought out through his literature.

Several learning centers were opened in his memory including the Nazrul Endowment. Here, large collections of his works are preserved till date. The Bangladesh Nazrul Sena is an organization that works on children education throughout Bangladesh.

Timeline
1899: Born on May 24th in Churulia of West Bengal.
1917: Joined the Indian Armed Forces.
1919: Wrote 'Autobiography of a Delinquent'.
1920: Left the forces and composed Bandhan-hara, his first poem.
1921: Visited Santhiniketan and met Rabindranath Tagore.
1922: Peaked with his work called 'Bidrohi', 'Agniveena' and so on.
1923: Was arrested for the content in his magazine called 'Dhumketu'
1924: Married Pramila Devi.
1925: Became the Chief Editor of 'Langal'.
1926: Started composing 'mass music' and was known for his poem called 'Daridro'.
1928: Lyricist, composer and music director with 'His Master's Voice Gramophone Company'.
1933: Published 'Modern World Literature'.
1934: Acted and composed music for 'Bhakta Dhruva'.
1936: A play based on his work 'Vidyapati' was released.
1939: Started working for Calcutta radio.
1940: Chief Editor of 'Nabayug'.
1941: Tagore's death which led to writing of 'Rabihara'.
1962: Nazrul's wife died.
1974: Nazrul's son died.
1976: Died on 29th August of an unnatural cause.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 23, 2012, 09:36:11 AM

Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay Biography

(http://entforo.com/attachments/bibhutibhushan_bandopadhyay_300-jpg.728/)

Born On: 12 September 1894
Born In: Ghoshpara-Muratipur village, Bengal, British India
Died On: 1 November 1950
Career: Writer, novelist
Nationality: Indian

A renowned figure and a celebrated name amongst the Bengali literary fraternity, Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay was a critically acclaimed Bengali novelist and writer born on the 12th of September 1894. He is known for his autobiographical novel "Pather Panchali", which got incorporated into 'Apu Trilogy' films by Satyajit Ray. Bibhutibhushan was a man of simple living and simple words and his ideologies were very visible in his writings. Realism was one of the main plots of his writings apart from the themes he picked up from the happy and sad real life experiences. He was a writer who portrayed a beautiful combination of human beings and nature and showed the peaceful aspect of life. It was his ability of putting across serious thoughts and realms of life in simple language to the people that gained him the popularity and respect he enjoys. In order to learn more on Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay's profile, childhood, life, and timeline read on.

Childhood
Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay was born on the 12th September 1894, in Kalyani, Muratipur village in the Nadia of Bengal, British India. He was born at his maternal uncle's house in a Hindu Brahmin family. His father Mahananda Bandopadhyay, was a 'Kathak' - a person who recites stories for a living - and also a Sanskrit scholar. Bibhutibhushan finished his schooling in Bongaon High School, which happened to be one of the oldest institutions in British India. He also taught in the same school at the beginning of his work life. Bibhutibhushan's childhood and early life was shadowed by the clouds of poverty, but he nevertheless fought his way through to complete his undergraduate degree in History from the Surendranath College in Kolkata. However, since he was not financially strong to enrol for the postgraduate course at the University of Calcutta, he had to discontinue his studies. After this, the burden of his family's economic wellness came on to his shoulders.

Early Life
The career of a writer did not come easy to Bandopadhyay. Due to the economic crisis of his family, he had to take up various odd jobs to make ends meet before taking up writing seriously. He taught at the school from where he completed his schooling, he also took up the job of a secretary and even managed an estate until finally, in 1921 he got an opportunity to publish his first short story "Upekshita" in a leading literary magazine of Bengal named 'Probashi'. But, it was not until 1928 that Bandopadhyay published his first novel, "Pather Panchali", for which he received critical attention and acclaim. It was with this novel that he became a prominent name in Bengali literature.

Career And Work
Bibhutibhushan took up writing novels and short stories at a time when there was a lot of research going on regarding the social degradation and economic imbalance. However, his writings did not emphasize on these aspects of research, rather they focused on simple life, human figures and the environmental pleasure of rural Bengal and the people of Bengal. He wrote in simple language and in a way that his ideas reached the common man. Realism is another major aspect that his writings portrayed. His writings picturised the subtle relationship shared by human beings and nature and put across a peaceful picture of human beings, animals, birds, rivers and other aspects of nature.

Bandopadhyay used to walk miles into the woods every day and carried a book along usually. He loved to put down his thoughts in writing amongst the peaceful environment of wilderness. His famous novel "Pather Panchali" was picked up by film-maker Satyajit Ray and converted into a movie of the same name as a part of the memorable 'Apu Trilogy'. Some of the famous works of Bandopadhyay apart from 'Pather Panchali' are 'Aparajito', 'Aranyak', 'Chander Pahar', 'Heera Manik Jwale', 'Adarsha Hindu Hotel', 'Ichhamati', 'Bipiner Sangsar', 'Anubartan', 'Kosi Pranganeyer Chitthi', 'Dristi Pradeep', 'Debjan', 'Ashani Sanket', 'Kedar Raja', 'Dampati', 'Sundarbane Sat Batsar' (which he couldn't complete), 'Dui Bari', 'Kajol' (Sequel of Aparajito, completed by his son Taradas), 'Mismider Kabach', 'Jatrabadol', 'MeghaMallar', 'Mauriphool' and 'Tal Nabami' etc.

Marriage And Relationships
Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay's first wife, Gouri Devi, died during childbirth one year after their marriage. This tragic occurrence and the loneliness that it brought about and shadowed his life became a prominent theme in his early writings. He remarried at the age of 46 to his second wife, Rama Chattopadhyay, from whom he had his only son, Taradas, in 1947.

Death
Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay left for holy abode on the 1st of November 1950 after suffering a coronary attack. He was 56 years old then and was staying in Ghatshila.

Timeline And Literary Works
1894: Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay was born on 12th September
1921: He published his first short story "Upekshita" in a leading Bengali literary magazine
Early 1920s: Married Gouri Devi who died in childbirth a year after the marriage.
1928: Bandopadhyay published his first novel, "Pather Panchali"
1940: Got married to Rama Chattopadhyay
1947: His only son Taradas was born.
1950: Bandopadhyay suffered a fatal heart attack and breathed his last on 1st November in Ghatshila.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 23, 2012, 09:41:01 AM

Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane Biography

(http://www.questionpapers.net.in/general_knowledge/images/Dr._Pandurang_Vaman_Kane.jpg)

Born On: 1880 (date unknown)
Born In: Maharashtra, India
Died On: 1972 (date unknown)
Career: Indologist and Scholar
Nationality: Indian

Some of the greatest writings on social reforms of India came from this man, Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane. He was conferred with an honorary degree of doctor of law at a special convocation ceremony. He was an indologist, i.e., a person who excels at languages and literature, and could converse easily in both Sanskrit and English. He authored several books, especially on religious and civil law. In these books, he compiled the scriptures of ancient and medieval India. Being a scholar, this great person was revered all over the country. The book 'History of Dharmasastra', penned by Dr. Kane is, by far, one of the most inspiring books written about the social reforms of ancient India. The title 'Mahamahopadhyaya' (the greatest teacher of all teachers) was bestowed upon him in his later days and in 1963, he was given the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna.

Early Life
Dr. Kane was born in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra to a very conservative Chitpavan Brahmin family. Not much is known about his background or his family history. Dr. Kane graduated from the University of Mumbai and worked there as a historian and Vice Chancellor. He also helped in establishing the Kurukshetra University in Indic studies.

Career
In 1930, Dr. Kane's best known work, 'History of Dharmasastra' - which was under the subtitle 'Ancient and Medieval Religions and Civil Law in India' - was published. This book's launch was announced by Dr. Radhakrishnan and it has been a significant landmark in the history of India. The book was a true combination of conception and execution and has nearly 6500 pages of information, such as several texts and manuscripts, all compiled in one. It is also known to contain certain information on the Mahabharat, Puranas and Kautilya in Sanskrit. Dr. Kane's basic idea behind writing the book was to make the public aware of the ancient social laws and customs in India and also to study the social processes that were prevalent in ancient India. The last publication was on November 17th 1962. He was said to have used reliable resources like the Asiatic Society of Bombay and the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.

His next work as an author was a book called 'Vyavaharamayukha'. An introductory paragraph on the history of Dharmasastra was included in this book so that the reader got a fair idea of the subject, apart from the contents of the book itself. This became one of his major works and was translated into English and Marathi, apart from being written in Sanskrit. It was made up of nearly 15000 pages.

An additional part of Dr. Kane's career was spent in debating the Indian constitution. He believed that these set of rules and regulations were a break from traditional ideas that were widespread in India. He further implied that people residing in this country have rights but no obligations.

Several issues were brought to light due to the nature of his work and writings. During the reign of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee in India, there was a discussion whether the ancient Indian ate beef. For answers, they reverted to Dr. Kane's works to prove that Hindus respected and worshipped the Cow and eating beef was not allowed. Another example was the issue of whether girls in India were allowed to wear the sacred thread. But, it was found out, through his books, that it was restricted only to men.

Death
The exact date and cause of Dr. Kane's death remain unknown. However, it is confirmed that it happened in the year 1972 when he was 92 years old.

Awards And Accolades
He was the Mahamahopadhyaya for his excellence in writings. Therefore, his name is always prefixed with an MM.
He was awarded the prestigious, Sahiya Akademi Award in 1956 for 'History of Dharmasastra, Vol IV' under the category of Sanskrit translation.
Dr. Kane was also an esteemed honorary member of the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan where he achieved new heights of greatness.
Becoming a part of the Rajya Sabha as a Member of Parliament (MP) was also under his list of achievements and he was there for having a distinguished record in the field of academics.

Last but not least, he was conferred with the highest civilian accolade of India, the Bharat Ratna, in 1963.

Legacy
In 1974, for his study on Religious and Civil Law, the town hall of the Asiatic Society of Bombay (where he conducted his research) commemorated him with an institute called the MM P. V. Kane Institute for Post Graduate Studies and Research.

His legacy is furthered by the fact that a P. V. Kane Gold Medal is given to scholars for their outstanding contribution in the study of Vedic, Dharmasastra or Alankara Literature.

Timeline
1880: Pandurang Kane was born to a conservative family in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
1930: First publication of 'History of Dharmasastra' was released.
1956: Dr. Kane received the Sahitya Akademi Award for 'History of Dharmasastra, Vol IV' under the category of Sanskrit translation.
1962: Last publication of the 'History of Dharmasastra' was released.
1963: The Government of India bestowed Dr. Kane with the Bharat Ratna (highest civilian award in the Republic of India) for excellence in Literature.
1972: Died at the age of 92.
1974: The Asiatic Society dedicated an institute in his name for study in Religions and Civil Law.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 23, 2012, 09:54:01 AM

Jiddu Krishnamurti Biography

(http://www.onelittleangel.com/common/images/auteur/Jiddu_Krishnamurti_165.jpg)

Born On: 12th May, 1895
Born In: Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh
Died On: 17th Feb, 1986
Career: Public Speaker, Author, Philosopher
Nationality: Indian

"I maintain that Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect" - J. Krishnamurti. Jiddu Krishnamurti was considered a revolutionary writer and speaker on philosophical meditation and was someone who brought about a change in society. Krishnamurti believed that social reforms could only be possible if the minds of the individuals change. He also talked about spiritual issues and urged every human being to think about religious, political and social revolution. He was a 'guru' who never wanted to be one. It is said that Jiddu did not remember much of his childhood. Some called him delusional and others said that this was a sign that he was a self-realized master.

Early Life
Jiddu Krishnamurti was born in a Telugu speaking Brahmin family to Narainiah and Sanjeevamma. His father was employed with the British administration and his mother died when he was just ten years old. In 1903, he shifted base to Cudappah where he attended school. Here, he was considered 'vague and dreamy' and 'mentally retarded'. He started penning childhood memoirs when he was eighteen years old and claimed to have had a psychic vision of his dead sister. His father retired in 1907 and then wrote to the then President of the 'Theosophical Society', Annie Besant seeking employment. He was hired as a clerk and he and his sons moved to the Theosophical Society headquarters in Chennai in 1909.

In May 1909, Krishnamurti met the influential theosophist called Charles Webster Leadbeater. Despite Krishnamurti's unpleasant physical appearence, Leadbeater saw a 'spark' in him and said that he would become a spiritual leader, a great orator and a vehicle for Lord Maitreya - a spiritual entity who appears on earth as a 'World Teacher' to look into the evolution of mankind. After this he was privately tutored under the wing of the Theosophical Society. It was here that he developed such a strong bond with Annie Besant that his father gave Besant a legal guardianship over Krishnamurti.

Career
In 1911, the Theosophical Society named Krishnamurti the head of a new organization called the 'Order of the Star in the East' (OSE) which was to prepare the world for a new 'World Teacher'. This mission received publicity and worldwide press coverage. It is said that he was uncomfortable with publicity surrounding him and his future being foretold.

He was taken to England in 1911 where he gave his first public speech to the members of 'Order of the Star in the East' in London. At the same time, he started writing in magazines and booklets published by the Theosophical Society. After World War I, Krishnamurti gave a series of lectures and held meetings around the world regarding his role as the head of the 'Order of the Star in the East'. He continued writing, most of which revolved around work of the 'Order in preparation for the Coming'.

In 1922, he met Rosalind Williams and they discussed the 'World Teacher Project' at Ojai Valley in California which later became his official residence. During the month of September, he went through a life changing spiritual experience. He experienced a mystical union followed by immense peace. Slowly, the 'process' began and Krishnamurti felt this initially as bodily pain and then unconsciousness, but he always claimed to know his surroundings. Over the next few years, he started talking about more abstract and flexible concepts. On 3rd August 1929, he dissolved the 'Order' in front of Besant in a speech known as the 'Dissolution Speech' which was heard over the radio.

He kept denying the fact that he was a 'World Leader' and never clarified his position. He eventually dissociated himself from the Theosophical Society. He never had the concept of followers and a teacher. J. Krishnamurti spent the rest of his life holding dialogues and giving public talks on nature, beliefs, truth, sorrow, freedom and death. This wise man never believed in dependency and exploitation and never accepted gifts showered on him for his works. He urged people to think independently and gave lecture tours all over the world, published books and transcripts for half a century.

In the years between 1930 and 1944, he engaged himself in speaking tours with a publication company trust called 'Star Publishing Trust'. Rishi Valley School was opened based on his educational ideas. It operated under the 'Krishnamurti Foundations' banner. Throughout the 1930s, he spoke in Europe, America and Australia and spoke about everything that he accepted was true. He faced opposition for this.

Krishnamurti talked of meditation in every discussion and also brought in new terms like 'choiceless awareness' and 'a single consciousness'. In 1938, he spoke of World War-II and for this he came under the surveillance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He stopped giving lectures until 1944, after which when he again became regular. All his lectures were published in 'Krishnamurti Writings Inc'.

In 1953, he started writing prose and his first book was published by a mainstream commercial publisher. Majority of his writings were in third person and he increased the number of talks and dialogues. He met prominent personalities like the Dalai Lama and Jawarhalal Nehru during his time. In 1961, he found a physicist called David Bohm, whose beliefs were parallel to his. They had several discussions together and even met a scientific community.

In the late 1980s Jiddu Krishnamurti wrote the basic elements of his teachings called 'Core of the Teaching', in which he stressed on knowledge and man being built as a sense of his images - religious, political and personal.

Contributions

Books
'Freedom from Known', 'Awakening of Intelligence', 'The Ending of Time', 'The Future of Humanity', 'Truth and Actuality', 'The First and Last Freedom', 'Wholeness of Life', 'Think on these Things' and some meditation books are major contributions by Krishnamurti.

Poems
'Hymn of the Innate Triumphant', 'My Beloved and I are One', 'Thou Art There' and 'From Darkness To Light: Poems of the Parable' were some of the poetic works of Jiddu Krishnamurti.

Education
'A Purpose of Education', 'The Act of Learning', 'Discussion with the Teachers', 'On Order', 'The Fundamental Meaning of Co-operation' and 'A Different Kind of Education' were some of his most influential works.

Death
Jiddu Krishnamurti died on 17th February, 1986 at the age of 90 in California, due to pancreatic cancer.

Legacy
Krishanmurti's works were inspiring and many take interest in reading them even today. His books have been brought out in the form of videos and audio books. The 'Krishnamurti Foundation' still has archives of his teachings and it continues to grow. The schools that were started based on his teachings have reported huge growth. Unofficial Krishnamurti committees are operating in several countries and his biographies and research papers are continually referred to even to this day.

Timeline
1895: Birth of Jiddu Krishnamurti in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh.
1907: His father consulted Annie Besant for employment in the Theosophical Society.
1909: He met Charles Leadbeater who said he would become a spiritual leader.
1911: Became the Head of the Order of the Star to prepare for the 'World Teacher' and gave his first speech to OSE, London.
1922: Experienced the 'process'.
1929: 'Dissolution Speech' that ended the Order.
1930-1944: He published under the 'Star Publishing Trust'.
1944: Publishing house called 'Krishnamurti Publishing Inc.' is formed
1953: Published his first book under a mainstream publisher.
1961: Giving speeches to the scientific community along with David Bohm.
1980s: Core of his teaching was released where his basic elements were documented.
1986: He died at the age of 90 in Ojai, California.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 23, 2012, 10:01:33 AM

Kaka Hathrasii Biography

(http://www.india-world.net/pictures/kaka_hathrasi.jpg)

Born On: 18th September, 1906
Born In: Hatharas, Uttar Pradesh
Died On: 18th September, 1995
Career: Satirical Poet
Nationality: Indian

This renowned poet was known for his humorous and satirical poems. The basic intention of his literature was to make people aware of the social and religious evils that were prevalent during his time. Kaka Hathrasi also wrote sharp satires based on corruption and greed that engulfed India during his time. His unique style and sarcasm found its way into the hearts of people which gave him one of his biggest achievements of being named the 'Jan Kavi' or the 'people's poet'. He had inspired the rise of satire through his writing and poetry so much so that several other aspiring writers still do the same. One of his famous sayings included - "Eat until you are half full, drink twice the amount of water, work three times that much and laugh four times as much. Then you will live to be a hundred and twenty five".

Early Life
Not much is known about the early life of this prominent poet except that his actual name was Prabhulal Garg and he was born in the Hathras village of Uttar Pradesh in North India and he wrote under the pen name of 'Kaka Hathrasi'. The name of his parents and his background are not yet known, but Ashok Chakradhar, another renowned Hindi poet, is his relative by virtue of marriage to Kaka Hathrasi's niece. Kaka was also a musicologist and a fine painter in his days.

Career
As a poet, Kaka Hathrasi wrote in simple and fluent language that appealed to the masses and hence the title 'people's poet'. He had about 42 verses of humorous poetry under his belt.

In 1932, he established the 'Sangeet Karyalaya' at Hathras, his hometown, which was originally under the name of 'Garg & Co'. It was at this time that he decided to revive and bring Indian classical music back into the temples and palaces. He realized that the best way to do this was by analyzing old literature, translating and reworking on them to appeal to the layman. To achieve this objective, Kaka Hathrasi did extensive research on the same.

In 1935, he started a magazine called 'Sangeet' which showed people the various forms and nuances of classical music. This magazine showcased various forms of classical music such as taraana, thumri, dhamaar and dhrupad etc. along with folk music and other popular forms of music like geet, ghazal, qawwali and so on. He worked relentlessly to promote this magazine and it still continues to be one of the best and longest monthly magazines of India.

During his time, Kaka Hathrasi was also featured on the radio program called 'Meethi Meethi Hasaivan' that was on air for 11 years. A total of 786 shows were broadcast during those 11 years, which again created the record for longest running program in India. This was supposedly mentioned in the 'Limca Book Of Records' as well!
In the year 1985, he was honored with the prestigious Padmashri award by the President of India, for his contributions in the field of versatile poetry.

'The Kaka Hathrasi Puraskaar' is an award that is given to humourous poets every year and the 'Kaka Hathrasi Sangeet Sammaan' is awarded to the most distinguished musician/musicologist.

Contributions
'Stri-ling Pul-ling' or 'feminine-masculine' was a poem that depicted, in a very unique style, the differences between the two genders. He was one of the best known 'hasya kavi' or 'funny poet' of all times and 'Teli ka Byah' was an apt representation of his humour in the form of a story. In 'Naam Bada Aur Darshan Chota', he made fun at how people's personalities were not in tune with their names. Other poems include: 'Kuch Toh Standard Badao', 'Jalebee', 'Aiyi Mein Aaa Gayi', 'Murghi Aur Neta' and so on. Some of his famous works also include 'Kaka Ke Kartoos', 'Kakadoot', 'Kaka Ke Kehkahe' and 'Kake Ke Prehsan'. Other books are 'Kaka Tarang', 'Kaka Ki Pati', 'Kaka Ki Fuljhariya', 'Kaka Ke Cuthkule', 'Kaka Ke Vyangye Ban' etc.

Death
It is said that Kaka Hathrasi attained nirvana before death. He died on his birthday on the 18th of September, 1995 at the age of 89. In memory of this great poet, this day was declared as 'Hasya Divas' (Humor Day) and a park called 'Kaka Hathrasi Udyaan' was also opened in his name in New Delhi.

Legacy
Jaipur's 'Sangeet Sankalp' has highlighted Kaka Hathrasi's work and a number of publications about the theory and history of classical music are still remnant due to his legacy. There are inquisitive practitioners and followers of classical, semi-classical and rich folk music of India, who have been inspired by his contributions. Several blogs still discuss his poetry and their meanings.

Awards And Accolades
Entered Limca Book Of Records for his radio show "Meethi Meethi Hasivan" (not confirmed)
Padmashri Award in 1985

Timeline
1906: Born in Hatharas in UP as Prabhulal Garg.
1932: Established the Sangeet Karyalaya that was a centre for Indian classical music.
1935: Started a magazine called 'Sangeet' which promoted different forms of music.
1935 - 1985: A period of great accomplishments like featuring in a radio program and writing several works which are still treasured.
1985: Awarded the Padmashri Award by the President of India
1995: Died on his birthday on 18th September at the age of 89.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 23, 2012, 10:09:07 AM

Makhanlal Chaturvedi Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Makhan_lal_Chaturvedi.jpg)

Born On: April 4, 1889
Born In: Bavai Village, Hoshangabad District, Madhya Pradesh
Died On: January 30th, 1968
Career: Hindi Poet
Nationality: Indian

Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi was a prominent freedom fighter, an acclaimed poet and such a meticulous journalist that Asia's first University of its kind dedicated to journalism and communication is named after him. It is called the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication and is situated in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He is particularly remembered for his contribution to the freedom movements like Non-Cooperation Movement and Quit India Movement during the British Raj. He was the first person to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1955 for his exceptional contribution to the Neo Romanticism Movement in Hindi literature. His work 'Him Taringini' remains popular among the literary circles even today. He was also honoured by the Sagar University with a 'D.Lit.' (Doctorate of Literature) honorary in the year 1959. Makhanlal was the editor of nationalistic journals, "Prabha" and later "Karmaveer". He was also repeatedly imprisoned during the British raj and was one of those few freedom fighters who refrained from seeking a position in the government after the Indian independence. He continued to speak and write against social evils and supported an exploitation-free, equitable society as dreamt by Mahatma Gandhi. Even in his poems this unconditional love and respect towards his country can be clearly seen and that is why he was also referred to as "a true indian spirit".

Early Life
Panditji was born on 4th April, 1889 in a village located in Madhya Pradesh called Bavai. This was a time when the British reigned over India and the freedom struggle was gaining impetus. He pursued a career of a school teacher during the period 1906-1910 but soon found his real calling in the freedom fight for his motherland. He participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Quit India Movement among the many others during that time. He was even imprisoned countless number of times during the British rule but that did not bend his daunting spirits.

Career
After 1910, he became the editor of various nationalistic journals such as 'Prabha' and later, 'Karmaveer'. Possessing a great patriotic fervour, he had the spark to instigate the masses with his dynamic speeches and writings. He presided over the All India Hindi Sahitya Sammelan held at Hardar in 1943. Makhanlal Chaturvedi was a son of India whose 'true Indian spirit' infused hope and anticipation in the masses. His sensitive portrayal of the common man's plight in works such as 'Him Kirtini', 'Him Tarangini', 'Kaisa Chhand Banaa Deti hei', 'Amar Rashtra' and 'Pushp ki Abhilaasa' find an audience even till date. With notable contribution to the Hindi literature, he earned an honorary 'D.Lit.' from Sagar University and was the first individual to win the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1955.

Contribution To Literature
The collection of his poems include, 'Him Tarangini', 'Samarpan', 'Him Kirtini', 'Yug Charan', 'Sahitya Devta', 'Dip Se Dip Jale', 'Kaisa Chhand Banaa Deti hei' and 'Pushp ki Abhilaasa'.

Other noteworthy poems written by Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi are:
Amar Rashtra
Anjali Ke Fool Gire Jate Hai
Aaj Nayan Ke Bangle Mein
Is Tarah Dhakkan Lagaya Raat Ne
Uss Prabhat Tu Baat Na Mane
Kirno Ki Shaala Bandh Ho Gayi Chup-Chup
Kunj Kutire Yamuna Teere
Gaali Mein Garima Ghol-Ghol
Bhai, Chero Nahi, Mujhe
Madhur-Madhur Kuch Ga Do Malik
Sandhya Ke Bas Do Bol Suhane Lagte Hai

Death
The literary society of India lost one of its key visionary and crown jewels on 30th January, 1968 when Panditji passed away at the age of 79 years.

Legacy
Many universities have been built and awards created to commemorate this maestro's excellence and to honour his countless contributions. The Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi, which is the Madhya Pradesh Cultural Council, organises the annual 'Makhanlal Chaturvedi Samaroh' that bestows the 'Makhanlal Chaturvedi Puraskar' to deserving Indians for excellence in poetry in any Indian language. This prestigious honour was created in 1987, nineteen years after Panditji's death.

The Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita University, situated in Bhopal, Madhya Pradeh, was the first of its kind in the whole of Asia. This university was established in the year 1991 and was named after Panditji to honour his exceptional involvement in the freedom struggle through his journalism and writings.

The Posts and the Telegraphs Department of India has also brought out a commemorative postage stamp of Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi to honour this brave son of India. This stamp was issued way back on the 4th of April, 1977 to mark Panditji's 88th birth anniversary.

Awards & Accolades
In 1954, Makhanlal Chaturvedi won the Sahitya Akademy Award for his work 'Him Tarangini', becoming the first recipient of this Award in Hindi literature.

He was also conferred the honorary degree of D.Litt. by Sagar University in 1959.

Timeline
1889: Born on April 4th in Bavai village, Madhya Pradesh
1906-1910: Pursued a career as a school teacher
1935: Inaugurated the Conference for the Raipur District Council in December of this year.
1943: President of All India Hindi Sahitya Sammelan held at Hardar
1955: Won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his work 'Him Tarangini'
1959: Conferred the 'D.Lit.' honorary by Sagar University
1968: Passed away on 30th January at the age of 79 years.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 11:02:16 AM

Manik Bandopadhyay Biography

(http://www.bihardays.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/index210.jpg)

Born On: May 19th, 1908
Born In: Dumka, Santal Paragona, Bihar
Died On: December 3rd, 1956
Career: Bengali Writer
Nationality: Indian

Producing forty two novels and more than two hundred short stories, Manik Bandopadhyay or Manki Banerjee, is rightly named 'Manik' which means a jewel in Bengali. He is also known as the father of modern Bengali fiction. His notable works like 'Divaratrir Kavya' (A Poem of the Day and the Night), 'Padma Nadir Majhi' (The Boatman of Padma River), Putul Nacher Etikatha (The Tale of Puppet Dance), Chatushkone (Quadrilateral), Janani (Mother), Atasi mami (Aunt Atasi), Pragaitihasik (Pre-historical), Mihi O Mota Kahini (Stories of thin and thick), etc. are fondly remembered even till date and the number of readers increases even as we speak.

Early Life
Born in a small town called Dumka, in Santal Paragona district of Bihar, Manik Bandopadhyay was the fifth of the fourteen children born to Harihar Bandopadhyay and Niroda Devi. He was named Prabodh Kumar Bandopadhyay at birth which he later gave up to write under the pen name of 'Manik'. Being born to a father who was a government official, young Manik had the chance to experience different lifestyles and meet different people of Bengal. These experiences were later reflected in his novels and short stories. On 28th May 1924, at a tender age of sixteen, he lost his mother and this unfortunate incident left a deep and permanent mark in the mind of Manik Bandopadhyay. It ultimately led him to become a recluse and he cut off ties with his immediate family. In 1926, Manik Bandopadhyay passed the entrance examination from Midnapore Zilla School with a first division and a distinction in optional and compulsory Mathematics. He then joined Welleslyvan Mission College at Bankura and came in contact with a professor named Jackson. This professor highly influenced Manik Bandhopadhyay to read the Bible and cultivate a broader outlook towards religion in general. In 1928, Bandopadhyay cleared the Indian School Certficate exam or the 12th board's exam with first division. It was not difficult for this illustrious student to gain admission in the prestigious Presidency College, Calcutta for a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. This degree, however, he couldn't complete on account of lack of funds. With degrees in the field of Mathematics, it was poverty that propelled Manik Bandopadhyay to write. He joined the Mymensingh Teacher's Training School as its headmaster. He married Kamala Devi in Dhaka, Bangladesh and had two sons and two daughters.

Career
Manik Bandopadhyay was one of the most important and influential novelists in Bengali literature. He had his own unique way of presenting the rich and culturally vibrant rural life on Bengal. Unlike his contemporary authors, who only wrote about the scenic beauty and the simplicity of village life, Manik Bandopadhyay delved deep into the complicated human psyche and the truth of existence in the villages of India. His works also dealt with complicated human psychology and even today, the simplest of his novels leave the readers spell bound as they find themselves into an identifiable position with the characters. He edited the famous magazine 'Nabarun' for a few months in 1934 and worked as an assistant editor for the same in 1937-1938. He established a printing and publishing house in 1939 and worked as a Publicity Assistant for the Government of India in 1943. Manik Bandopadhyay tried to enhance his earnings through these various involvements but writing was his main source of income. It is said that he languished in poverty throughout his life. 'Atasi Mami' or Aunt Atasi in 1935 was the first story that he wrote for a magazine called, 'Bichitra'. He became an active Marxist after joining the Communist Party of India in 1944. However, it is said that he regretted this decision and thought of the Communist Party as an increasingly hollow and tyrannical organization.

Contribution To Literature
With a collection of thirty-four novels and approximately two hundred short stories in a span of twenty seven years, Manik bandopadhyay was a prolific writer throughout his lifetime. Over the years, his works have been published in many different magazines and journals which include 'Bichitra', 'Bangasree', 'Purbasha', 'Ananda Bazaar Patrika', 'Jugantor', 'Satyajug' and Swaraj etc. The novels he wrote established him as the most notable novelist in Bengali literature since Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore and Saratchandra Chatterji. These novels include 'Diba-Ratrir Kabya' (A Poem of the Day and the Night), 'Padma Nadir Majhi' (The Boatman of Padma River) and 'Putul Nacher Itikotha' (The Tale of Puppet Dance). His treatment of human sexuality in 'Chatushkone' (Quadrilateral), 1948 was path-breaking in that time and age.

Death
Manik Bandopadhyay passed away in 1956, at the age of 48. He had struggled hard with poverty and epilepsy from an early age. On 3rd December 1956, this highly talented writer collapsed and fell into a coma. He was admitted to the Nilratan Government Hospital, Calcutta on 2nd December where he breathed his last the next day. Following his death, there was a gathering held on 7th December which was attended by a huge crowd of mourners.

Legacy
'Putul Nacher Itikotha' (The Tale of Puppet Dance) which was written by Manik Bandopadhyay in 1936 and was published in 'Bharatbarsha'. A movie was also produced based on this novel in 1949. Almost four decades after Manik's death, West Bengal Government published a book on his lifetime contribution to Bengali literature.

Timeline
1908: Born on 19th May
1924: Manik's mother passed away on the 28th of May
1934: Editor of 'Nabarun' for a few months
1935: Wrote his first short story, 'Atasi Mami'
1936: Wrote 'Putul Nacher Itikotha' (The Tale of Puppet Dance) which was later made into a movie.
1936-37: Co-edited 'Nabarun'.
1943: Publicity Assistant for the Government of India
1944: Joined the Communist party
1956: Passed away at an early age of 48

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 11:06:17 AM

Manohar Shyam Joshi Biography

(http://www.csee.umbc.edu/~kjoshi1/msjoshi.jpg)

Born On: August 9, 1933
Born In: Ajmer, Rajasthan
Died On: March 30, 2006
Career: Hindi Writer, Journalist, Scriptwriter
Nationality: Indian

'The Father of Soap Operas' was the title bestowed on Manohar Shyam Joshi for his pioneering work in this field. Manohar enjoyed a reputation for creating works of value that managed to influence entire generations. His first creation was 'Humlog' that instantly became a huge success due to its ability to draw the attention of Indian households. Apart from television, he was also noted for his novels and political satires. His works were written in modern Hindi which made him one of the first authors of modern literature. If at all you said Manohar Shyam Joshi was versatile you would only be saying too less! He tried his hand at journalism, broadcasting and print media editing for local newspapers. The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, once called him 'one of the most influential writers and commentators in Hindi''.

Early Life
Manohar Shyam Joshi led an extremely private life and not much is known of his early days. He was born in Rajasthan to a Kumaoni Brahmin family from the Almora district in Uttarkhand. His father was a noted educationist and musicologist.

Career
He started his career of writing dialogues for shows in 1982, with serials such as 'Humlog', that were targeted at middle-class Indians who could easily identify with the situations presented in the show. After tasting success, Joshi created the famous 'Buniyad' between 1987 and 1988 which was directed by veteran director, Ramesh Sippy. Again, this turned out to be a hugely popular show, mostly because it dealt with the Partition of India and the conditions prevalent in 1947. Following this, he scripted a few more shows such as 'Hamrahi' and 'Zameen Aasmaan'.

Next, Joshi turned to conceptualizing and penning down novels. His topics ranged from love to political issues in the form of sharp and funny satires. 'Kasap' written during this period was considered one of the greatest love stories of all times. Satires like 'Netaji Kahin' were inscribed on paper to garner the attention of the people and the problems in the politics. Manohar Joshi was also instrumental with his works in cult novels like 'Kuru Kuru Swaahaa'.

Films were Joshi's forte and he loved exploring various genres such as comedy, romance and satire. Not many people know this about him but he was a dubbing expert as well! His dubbings include mainstream movies like 'Hey Ram', 'Appu Raja', 'Papa Kehte Hain' and 'Brastachar'.

The last part of Joshi's career orbited around journalism where he did exceptionally well. Being a part of the All India Radio and the Films Division in Mumbai had given him immense exposure to both broadcast and print media. Here, he wrote scripts for many documentaries. Not long after this, he interviewed the masses and added the outcome into the 'Sarika' magazine. A Hindi news magazine 'Dinmaan' was released by the Times Group with Joshi as the assistant editor. Several projects came to him after this stint. He played another editing role in 'Saptahik Hindustan', 'English Weekend Review' and even the prestigious 'Morning Echo' which was brought out by the Hindustan Times. He wrote for Outlook India's column 'Outlook Saptahik'. In the field of journalism, Joshi was known to experiment with different subjects like politics, science and even travel journals.

Literary Contributions
'Kasap' was Joshi's biggest literary publication and made for one of the greatest love stories of all time. A political drama called 'Netaji Kahin' was so popular with other authors that it was converted into a TV series called 'Kakkaji Kahin'. He had also written short stories, namely 'Prabhu Tum Kaise Kissago' and 'Mandir Ghaat Ki Pauriyaan'. As part of his success, his story 'Hariya Hercules Ki Hairani' was translated into 'The Perplexity of Haria Hercules' by Robert Hueckstedt while 'Kuru Kuru Swaahaa' turned out to be a famous cult novel. Joshi also noted his memoirs from his college days into a book called 'Lucknow Mera Lucknow'. Before his death, he wrote 'Vadhasthal' and 'Kapeeshji' with the former being about the killings in Cambodia and the latter based on the evolution of a self-made God-man.

Television
'Humlog' in 1982 was the first and best impression that Joshi left on the small screen. In the year 1987, he helped in the making of 'Buniyaad' by crafting some beautiful dialogues. Other serials he contributed to include 'Kakaji Kahin', 'Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne', 'Hamrahi', 'Zameen Aasman' and 'Gatha'.

Films
Once Joshi stepped into the world of movies, there was no turning back for him. He started with a screenplay in 'Bhrastachar' in the late 1980's and then moved on to script writing. 'Hey Ram', 'Papa Kehte Hain' and 'Appu Raja' serve as examples for the kind of work Shyam Joshi produced.

Death
It is said that Manohar Shyam Joshi died a sudden death owing to acute respiratory failure at the age of 79. He breathed his last in New Delhi on 30th March 2006. His demise shocked the entire film fraternity and myriad Hindi authors who were inspired by him. He was cremated at the Nigambodh Ghat.

Awards And Accolades
Manohar Shyam Joshi, during his lifetime, was no stranger to awards. He was honoured with the MP Sahitya Parishad Samman Award, Shard Joshi Samman Award, Shikhar Award, Delhi Hindi Academy Award, Onida and Uptron Award for TV Writing and, just before his death, the Sahitya Akademi Award for 'Kyap' in 2005.

Timeline
1933: Born in Ajmer.
1982: Started his career with 'Humlog', India's first soap opera.
1987: Continued with 'Buniyaad', a television show about the Partition of India.
1997: 'Gatha', his last small screen attempt.
2000: Penned dialogues for the movie 'Hey Ram'.
2005: Won the prestigious Sahitya Award for his book, 'Kyap'
2006: Died on 30th March at the age of 73.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 11:14:17 AM

Michael Madhusudan Dutt Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/MichaelMadhusudanDatta.jpg)

Born On: 25 January, 1824
Born In: Sagardari, Jessore
Died On: 29 June, 1873
Career: Writer, Lecturer
Nationality: Indian

Michael Madhusudan Dutt, was a man most famous for being associated with the Bengali renaissance movement. He was born on the 25th of January, 1824 in Sagardari, Jessore district, now in Bangladesh. He was the pioneer of Bengali dramas and well known for his poems as well. 'Meghnadh Badh Kabya', his most famous work, was a tragic epic that comprised of nine cantos. Influenced by the English style of living and European literature, Madhusudan was a gifted linguist who mastered several oriental and occidental languages. He is credited for his poetic innovations that were created by merging Bengali language and stories with western styles and forms. This helped mark the beginning of modern Bengali literature, as we know it! Not many people may know this, but Madhusudan is known as 'the father of the Bangla sonnet'. He also pioneered 'amitrakshar chhanda' (blank verse), which is a unique style of composing or writing poems. Madhusudan was an intellectual rebel who, through his writings and compositions, challenged the value systems encoded in traditional literature.

Michael Madhusudan Dutt Profile, Childhood, Life, Timeline

Childhood
Michael Madhusudan Dutt was born into an aristocratic family on the 25th of January, 1824, in Jessore, Bangladesh. He was the only son of a wealthy 'Kayastha family' and his father was a law practitioner in Kolkata. Madhusudan received his early education at home under the guidance of his mother, Jahnabi Devi and he later joined the Sagardari Primary School. Madhusudan also learnt Persian in an old mosque in his neighbouring village. He was a gifted student with exceptional literary expression. Madhusudan's family moved to Kolkata when he was only 7 years old. There he attended the Hindu college of Kolkata in 1843 and studied Sanskrit and Persian along with Bengali.

Early Life
Madhusudan became a self proclaimed ambassador of English mannerisms and intellect, due to his early exposure to English education and European literature. Inspired by his thoughts and to escape a marriage arranged by his father, Madhusudan left home on the 9th of February 1843 and soon became a Christian. On the day of his baptism, Madhusudan adopted his first name 'Michael'. He was forced to leave the Hindu college on becoming a Christian, since Christians were not allowed to study in the college. He then got himself a seat at the Bishop's college in 1844 and studied there till 1847. Due to lack of funds, Madhusudan left for Madras (now Chennai) in 1848 and taught at the Madras Orphan Asylum School from 1848-1852 and then at the Madras University High School from 1852-1856.

Career And Work
Apart from teaching, Madhusudan also worked as a journalist and a translator, however, he was most noted for his drama compositions and poetry writing skills. Some of his early works in the field of literature helped him earn a reputation of a talented writer. In 1849, he wrote and published his first poem 'Captive Lady and Visions of the Past' in English. Madhusudan, after a brief stint in Madras, returned to Kolkata in 1856 and realized the dearth of good literary works in Bengali. He translated Ramnnarayan Tarkaratna's play 'Ratnavali' into English in 1858. Realizing his ability to fill up the vacuum in Bengali literature, he associated himself with the Belgachhiya theatre in Kolkata where he came up with his first play 'Sarmistha' in 1859. His play was followed by two farces and a drama namely, 'The Bristles of the Neck of the Aged Sparrow', 'Is This What You Call Civilization' and 'Padmavati' respectively, all of this in the year 1860. Madhusudan, for the first time, used 'blank verses' in 'Padmavati' in 1860 and became the first ever person to use such verses. The success of these compositions inspired him to pen down his first Bengali poem 'Tilottama Sambhava' in the same year.

Madhusudan was at the peak of his career from 1861-62, when he published "Meghnad-Badh", "Krishna-Kumari", "Vrajangana" and "Virangana-Kavya". He also worked for a brief period as an editor of the Hindu Patriot, before he left for England on 9th of June 1862 to study law. From England he travelled to Versailles in France in the year 1863 where he stayed for two years. It was here in France that Madhusudan overcame his craving for the English way of living that had inspired most of his works in the early stages and realised the importance of his mother tongue. He returned to England in 1865 and in 1866 became a barrister. On the 5th of January he returned to Kolkata to practice law, but he was not well accepted as a barrister and in 1870 he was obliged to give up the practice. Thankfully, Madhusudan never gave up writing and in 1871 he penned down 'Hectarbadh' and his last composition 'Mayakanan' came in the year 1873.

Marriage And Relationships
In his lifetime, Madhusudan lived with two different ladies. When in Madras, he married Rebecca Mactavys with whom he had four children. However this marriage didn't work out well and in 1856, Madhusudan started living with another woman named Henrietta Sophia White. From his second relationship he had one son and one daughter.

Death
Michael Madhusudan Dutt, the greatest poet of the Bengali renaissance movement, left for his heavenly abode on the 27th of June, 1873. He died at the Calcutta General Hospital.

Timeline
1824 - Madhusudan Dutt was born on January 25th.
1843 - He was admitted into the Hindu College, Kolkata
1843 - He left home, became a Christian.
1844 - Started attending the Bishop's College
1848 - Left for Madras
1848 - Married Rebecca Mactavys
1848-52 - Taught at the Madras Orphan Asylum School
1849 - Wrote and published his first poem 'Captive Lady and Visions of the Past' in English
1852-56 - Taught at the Madras University High School
1856 - Returned to Kolkata from Madras
1856 - Started living with Henrietta Sophia White
1858 - Translated Ramnnarayan Tarkaratna's play 'Ratnavali' into English
1859 - Wrote his first play 'Sarmistha'
1860 - Wrote two farces 'The Bristles of the Neck of the Aged Sparrow', 'Is This What You Call Civilization' and a drama 'Padmavati'
1862 - Published 'Meghnad-Badh', 'Krishna-Kumari', 'Vrajangana' and 'Virangana-Kavya'
1862 - Left for England on 9th June to study law
1863 - Left to Versailles, France
1865 - Returned to England
1866 - Became a barrister
1873 - His last composition Mayakanan was published
1873 - Passed away on 27th June at the Calcutta General Hospital.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 02:45:23 PM

Nirmal Verma Biography

(http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/11/04/images/2005110401460301.jpg)

Born On: April 3, 1929
Born In: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Died On: October 25, 2005
Career: Novelist, Writer, Activist, Translator
Nationality: Indian

Nirmal Verma, a famous name in Indian Literature, is popularly known for his famous fictional works that reflected both the sharpness of his thoughts and his expertise as a world renowned writer. He was a famous Hindi writer, novelist, activist and translator born in Shimla on the 3rd of April 1929. Call him a revolutionary writer, a guiding light of the Hindi prose, or a visionary, Nirmal Verma brought about a revolution with his contributions to 'Nayi Kahani' - the literary movement of Hindi literature, along with the likes of Mohan Rakesh, Bhisma Sahini, Kamleshwar and Amarkant. In his career of five decades, Verma set examples of the modern Indian tradition and thinking through his five novels, eight short story collections and nine non-fictionals and travelogues. Verma used to set his plot in cities, hill stations or even foreign lands in order to teach people the meaning and way of life through his themes of love, separation, alienation and nostalgia. In order to learn more about the profile, childhood, life and timeline of Nirmal Verma, scroll down.

Childhood
Nirmal Verma was born on the 3rd of April, 1929 in Shimla into an educated family. His father used to work in the defence department of the British Indian Government. He was the fifth child among the eight siblings and went to a prestigious school in Shimla followed by Master's in History from St. Stephen's College, Delhi. Nirmal Verma was introduced to the field of literature by his mother and sister who helped make him a voracious reader. Back then he was most interested in European literature.

Early Life
Nirmal took up teaching after completing his Master's in Delhi, but his love for literature kept him writing for various literary magazines. His first short story got published in a student's magazine in the early 1950's, bringing along some recognition. He then published his first book of stories called 'Parinde' in 1959 which was considered the first signature of the 'New Story' (or "Nayi Kahani")movement of Hindi Literature. This was the first step Nirmal Verma took towards the unmatched and glorious path he travelled. He was an activist from a very young age and a card holder in the Communist Party of India. He, however, resigned in 1956 after the Soviet invasion of Hungary. Nirmal was invited by the Oriental Institute in Prague to initiate a program of translation. There, he studied Czech which helped him translate nine of the world classics to Hindi. He returned to India in 1968 after staying in Prague for around ten years.

Career And Work
During the ten year stay at Prague, Nirmal Verma travelled extensively across Europe. It was an interest in learning about and penning down socio-cultural situations in European nations that initiated his need to travel. The outcome of this travel came in the form of seven travelogues which also included 'Cheeron Par Chandni' in 1962, 'Har Barish Mein' in 1970, 'Dhund Se Uthi Dhun' and also his first novel which was based on his days in Prague as a student, named 'Ve Din' in 1964. On his return from Prague Nirmal Verma's writings reflected his view on Indian traditions, which were modern. His activist nature made him stand strong against the emergency called by Indira Gandhi in 1975-1977 and also made him an advocate of the Tibetan independence movement. Verma also served as the chairperson of the "Nirala" creative writing chair in Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal from 1980-83. He was also the director of the Yashpal creative writing chair located in Shimla from 1988-90.

Nirmal Verma has to his name, five novels, eight short story collections and nine essays and travelogue books that were translated to several European languages like English, Russian, German, Italian and French. Some of his renowned pieces include Parinde (1959), Jalti Jhari (1965), Pichli Garmiyon Mein (1968), Beech Bahas Mein (1973), Meri Priya Kahanian (1973), Pratinidhi Kahaniyan (1988), Kavve aur Kala Pani (1983) and Sookha aur Anya Kahaniyan (1995).

Awards And Milestones
Kavve Aur Kala Pani, Nirmal Verma's short story, won him the Sahitya Academy award in 1985. He was also nominated for the Neustadt Award of the University of Oklahoma in the year 1996. 'Maya Darpan', a film based on the life of Nirmal Verma, directed by Kumar Shahani in 1972 won the Filmfare Critics Award for the Best Film. His book 'The World's Elsewhere' was published by the Readers International in London in 1988, also where BBC's Channel Four telecasted a film on his life. Due to the contributions of Verma to Indian Literature, he was awarded with the highest literary award of India, the 'Bharatiya Jnanpith Award' in 1999. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in the year 2002 and the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2005 which is a lifetime achievement award.

Death
The world of Indian literature lost one of its most celebrated and renowned fiction writers, Nirmal Verma, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi on 25th October, 2005 to natural causes.

Timeline
1929 - Nirmal Verma was born.
1950's - His first short story was published.
1956 - He resigned from the Communist Party of India as a protest against Hungary's invasion by Russia.
1959 - Parinde, his first book of stories was published.
1959 - He was invited by the Oriental Institute, Prague.
1959-1970 - Verma travelled extensively throughout Europe to study the continent's socio-cultural setup.
1962 - He wrote Cheeron Par Chandni.
1964 - Ve Din was written by Verma.
1970 - He wrote Har Barish Mein.
1968 - He returned to India from Prague.
1980-83 - Verma served as the Chairperson of the Nirala creative writing chair in Bhopal.
1988-90 - He was made the Director of the Yashpal creative writing chair located in Shimla.
1985 - He won the Sahitya Academy Award.
1996 - He was nominated for the Neustadt Award.
1999 - He was awarded the 'Bharatiya Jnanpith Award'.
2002 - He was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
2005 - He was given the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship.
2005 - Breathed his last in October at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 02:49:26 PM

Raghuvir Sahay Biography

(http://www.oocities.org/indian_poets/ajneya.jpg)

Born On: December 9, 1929
Born In: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Died On: December 30th, 1990
Career: Hindi Poet
Nationality: Indian

Raghuvir Sahay was not only a famous poet of his time and age but also a notable journalist, short story writer, editor, translator and social commentator whose works and achievements capture his quintessential spirit and commitment to living life to its fullest. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1984 for his Hindi poetry collection, Log Bhool Gaye Hain (People Have Forgotten - 1982). His other noted works are Atmahatya Ke Viruddh, Hanso Hanso Jaldi Hanso and Seedhiyon Par Dhoop Mein. He was also the chief editor of the prominent weekly Hindi newsletter Dinaman.

Early Life
Born in 1929, Raghuvir Sahay grew up during the period when India was struggling to free herself from the reigns of the British Empire. The writers who inspired him in his formative years include Charles Dickens and other prominent Hindi writers like Munshi Premchand etc. His commitment to the society and his desire to bring about a change in the world around him instigated Sahay to pick up the pen as his weapon of choice.

Career
Sahay's commitment to reality and his loyalty to the literary world made him choose journalism as his profession. From being the sub-editor in the news division of the All India Radio to being a special correspondent for 'Navabharat' times and finally, as the chief editor of the Hindi newsweekly called 'Dinman' for four decades, he made invaluable contribution to journalism. Believing in ideals and concepts such as 'poetry should be rooted in reality' and 'be fully alert to the social reality' (Dusra Saptak, 1996), his political journalism, literary criticism, philosophical short stories, essays and poems carry a common thread that uncovers the magic of a common man's everyday life. His vast and priceless contribution as a freedom writer, during 1972-90, continues to be appreciated till date.

Contribution To Literature
Compassion and irony are the two words that describe Sahay's poems and their emotional spectrum overwhelms the readers. His verses are short but they encapsulate the oppression and the reality of the common man's world. The 'ugliness' of these hardships are not scented or shown to the reader through rose-tainted glasses, rather the desire to live and the faith in life as a whole, is the basic undercurrent flowing through all his works. His collection named 'Hanso hanso jaldi hanso' (Laugh, Laugh, Laugh quickly) is a social mimicry and falls under the genre of satire. We see the progress of Sahay from his lyrical couplets on love and nature to chronicles on pain and sufferings in his later works. A simple everyday vocabulary and straightforward communicative tone are unique to all his poems - they help the common man understand the poet's ideas. The colloquial and easy to understand language is chiselled to a perfection that only expert craftsmen like Raghuvir Sahay could have accomplished.

With over ten books of poetries, essays, short stories, journalistic articles and translational pieces written over a span of less than twenty years by the man, the compliment of an 'epoch making poet' or 'yugantarkari kavi' is certainly not a misplaced one.

Raghuvir Sahay was an active campaigner of the Hindustani language - a Hindi-Urdu synthesis - that preserved the heritage of the country. His 1982 poetry collection Log Bhool Gaye Hain (People Have Forgotten), which won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1984, focussed on the importance of this language.

During 1988-1990, he chaired a committee of the Press Council of India to analyze the role of the press in the context of Mr. Advani's rath yatra - this yatra was one of the first steps that led to the destruction of Babri Masjid and the ensuing anti-Muslim riots.

Legacy
Together with Mohan Rakesh, Bhisham Sahni, Kamleshwar, Amarkant and others, Raghavir Sahay was the co-founder of the Nayi Kahani (New short story) Movement in Hindi literature. He pioneered this movement and was thereby responsible for the revival of Hindi literature.

A List Of All His Works
Dusra Saptak (Collection Of Poems)
Siriyon Par Dhoop Mein (On The Sunlit Stairs)
Atmahatya ke virudh (Against Suicide)
Hanso Hanso Jaldi Hanso (Laugh, Laugh, Quickly Laugh)
Kuch Pattiyan Kuch chitthiyan (Some Letters)
Ek Samaye Tha (Once Upon A Time)
Hindi
Cycle Rickshaw
Mera Ghar My Home (My House My Home)
Aanewala Khatra (Upcoming Danger)
Pool Ka Itihaas (History Of The Bridge)
Mujhe Kuch Aur Karna Tha (I Ought To Do Much)
Bache Raho (Survive)
Buddhijivi ka Vaktavya (Intellectual’s Statement)
A Sitar Concert
Kaimare Mein Apahij (The Handicapped on Camera)
Yathanh (Reality)
Your Thoughts
Aaj Fir (Today Anew)
Paani ke Sansmaran (Memories of Water)
Vasanth (Spring)
Maidan Mein (In The Field)
Seb Bechna (Selling apples)
Akeli Aurat (Woman Alone)
Manushya-Machli Yudh (War between men and fish)
Vyabharik Log (Practical People)
Foot (Rift)
Collection Of Short Stories
Rasta Idhar Se Hai (The Road Begins Here)
Jo Admi Hum Bana Rahe Hai (The Man We Are Giving Birth To)
Collection Of Essays
Dilli Mera Pardes (Delhi Is My Foreign Land)
Likhne ka Karan (The Reason To Write)
Ube Hue Sukhi (Evaporated Happiness)
Ve Aur Nahin Honge Jo Mare Jayenge (Those Who Will Be Killed Will Be No More)
Bhavr Lehren Aur Tarang (Whirlpool, Currents And Waves)
Arthat (Meaning)
Translations
Raghuvir Sahay also translated various fictional stories, poetries and dramas from the local literatures of Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia and England.

Timeline
1929: Born On December 9th in Lucknow.
1950's: Co-founded the Nayi Kahani movement.
1982: Wrote award winning 'Log Bhool Gaye'.
1984: Received the Sahitya Akademi Award for 'Log Bhool gaye'.
1988: From September 28th he chaired the Press Council of India till the time he passed away.
1989: His works in Hindi were translated to English for a bigger audience.
1990: He died on 30th December in Delhi.

Ramswarup Chaturvedi (Renowned Hindi Author) rightly said back in 1990, 'If the ability to change ordinary events and ordinary language with new power has become Nayi Kavita's special mark, much credit for that is due to Raghavir Sahay.'

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 02:53:09 PM

Tarashankar Bandopadhyay Biography

(http://im.in.com/connect/images/profile/b_profile5/Tarashankar_Bandopadhyay_300.jpg)

Born On: April 23, 1898
Born In: Labhpur, Birbhum district, West Bengal
Died On: September 14, 1968
Career: Bengali Novelist
Nationality: Indian

Tarashankar Bandopadhyay's name features in the famous trio of Bandopadhyay's along with Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and Manik Bandopadhya. He is a universal favourite among Bengali readers. There is a famous television series called 'Byomkesh Bakshi' based on a sleuth's character created by Tarashankar Bandopadhyay and his murder mysteries are a favourite among the younger generation. Tarashankar was awarded the Rabindra Puraskar, Sahitya Akademi Award, Jnanpith Award and the Padma Bhushan for his celebrated novels like Arogyaniketan, Dhatridebta, Kalindi, Panchagram, Ganadebata, Kabi, Raskali and Hansulibaker Upakatha. One of the most important aspects of his writings was his experimentation of human relationships which brought out the truth restricted by the conservatism and hypocrisy of the then society.

Early Life
Tarashankar Bandopadhyay was born at Labpur, Birbhum district, West Bengal to Haridas Bandyopadhyay and Prabhabati Debi. He cleared the Matriculation examination in 1916 and took admission in the intermediate class at the prestigious St. Xavier's College, Calcutta. While studying there, he joined the non-cooperation movement. He was jailed for a year in 1930, and after his release in 1931, he devoted himself to literature and social work. He worked diligently among the people of his village during natural calamities and epidemics. His love for the poor and the helpless is reflected in his short stories and novels. He defied social norms of those times and mixed freely with the so-called lower classes of dom, bagdi, sadgop, and bauri. He married Uma Shashi Debi and they had two sons Sanat and Sarit and two daughters who were named Ganga and Bani.

Career
Like a whiff of fresh air, Tarashankar Bandopadhyay broke the poetic tradition in novels and wrote prose touching upon the lives of ordinary people and the relationships that they have. This shattered the indifference that surrounded the conservative society which believed in hypocrisy and covering up reality. The realism in Literature was substituted by indulging in romance and unbiased writing became the norm of the time only during the third decade of the twentieth century. Tarashankar Bandopadhyay's works are like whiffs of fresh air as they do not reject the reality but look at the world with a new angle. From the rich and powerful Zamindars to the lowest of them all, i.e. the pauper, Tarashanker Bandopadhyay's protagonists are as varied as his characterisations. Some of his works like 'Radha' were scandalous mainly because of that age and time during which it was written. His thoughts were progressive and he believed that the physical relationship between a man and a woman can dominate, to an extent, the existing law and order that a society follows. He produced an enormous amount of work which is popular even today and much loved by his ardent fans and followers. This talented soul ventured into all the walks of Bengali life and reflected the vast panorama of life in the backdrop of the socio-political milieu of that age. His works are remembered by his devoted readers because if his ability to portray a non-judgemental reflection of life, in general, with care and leaving the reader's to form their own impressions.

Contribution To Literature
Tarashankar was a versatile writer whose works include 'Ganadevata', 'Jalsaghar', 'Abhijan', 'Raj Kamal', 'Bicharak', 'Kavi', 'Byomkesh Bakshi' etc. His historical novel 'Ganna Begum' is an attempt worth mentioning for its traditional values. The Jnanpith Award that Tarashankar Bandopadhyay won in 1967 was because of his novel 'Ganadevata' which revolves around the role of a schoolmaster trying to remove the tyrannies from his village. His novel 'Jalsaghar', immortalized in celluloid by Satyajit Ray, experiments with the natural decay of the feudal system and values which surround a Zamindari family that has fallen on bad times. His masterpiece would be 'Abhijan' which chronicles the exploits of a cab driver in a society filled with hypocrites. 'Bicharak' portrays the dilemma of a judge in passing his verdict for a murder case and 'Kavi' talks about the life of a gypsy poet who wanders around with a group of dancers and prostitutes. Tarashanker Bandopadhyay also went onto lead the Indian delegation of writers at the Asian Writers' Conference in Tashkent in 1957. In 1970, he was elected the president of the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad. He was a member of the West Bengal Vidhan Parishad during the time 1952-60 and the Rajya Sabha for six years from 1960-66.

Death
Tarashanker Bandopadhyay passed away on 14th September, 1981 at Ghatsila, West Bengal.

Legacy
His detective story 'Byomkesh Bakshi' is a popular Hindi television series which has a fan following even till date. His book called 'Jalsaghar' has been immortalised by the eminent film maker Satyajit Ray into an exceptional movie.

Awards & Accolades
For his novel 'Arogya Niketan', Tarashankar received the Rabindra Puraskar in 1955 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956. In 1966, he received the Jnanpith Award for his novel 'Ganadebata'. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1962 and the Padma Bhushan in 1969. He also received the Sharat Smriti Puraskar and the Jagattarini Gold Medal from the Calcutta University.

Timeline
1898: Born on April 23th
1916: Cleared Matriculation exam
1952-1960: Member of Vidhan Parishad, West Bengal
1955: Recieved the Rabindra Puraskar
1956: Recieved the Sahitya Akademi Award
1957: Led the delegation of Indian writers at Asian Writers' Conference in Tashkent
1960-1966: Member of the Rajya Sabha
1962: Honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India
1966: Recieved the Jnanpith Award
1969: Honoured with the Padma Bhushan
1970: Elected the president of the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad
1981: Passed away on 14th September at Ghatsila, West Bengal.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 02:57:24 PM

Bharatendu Harishchandra Biography

(http://covers.openlibrary.org/a/id/5571562-L.jpg)

Born On: September 9, 1850
Born In: Varanasi, India
Died On: January 6, 1885
Career: Poet, Novelist, Playwright
Nationality: Indian

Bharatendu Harishchandra is one of the most heard names in the history of modern Hindi literature. He was an imminent poet of the 19th century who also wrote several novels and plays. It was the subject and pattern of his writings which caught the attention of the critics and the masses and made Bharatendu Harishchandra such a popular name in Hindi literature. Harishchandra possessed a revolutionary spirit and made known all his nationalistic feelings through his writings. Almost every piece of work from the hands of Bharatendu Harishchandra spoke about the exploitation which existed in the Indian society during his times, the inhuman conditions that the poor and needy had to live in and the subjugation that the lower and middle classes of the society had to face in the hands of the elite ruling class. Most of his poems were an urge to the people of India to join hands in a n effort to better the living conditions in the country.

Childhood
Bharatendu Harishchandra was born on September 9, 1850 in Varanasi. His father Gopal Chandra was also a poet (by the pseudonym of Girdhar Das) and it was from his father that Bharatendu Harishchandra derived the inspiration to write in his later life. The national movement in India during the British rule moved Bharatendu Harishchandra to a great degree even when he was young. He and his family visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri in the year 1865 when Bharatendu Harishchandra was a mere 15 year old kid. But even as a child, the Bengal Renaissance deeply touched him and he was influenced into being a part of the movement by introducing the concept in Hindi literature. After returning to his native Varanasi from Puri, Bharatendu Harishchandra conducted an in-depth study of the plays, novels and poems that were being written to bring about social and historical changes during the Bengal Renaissance. And it was this study of Bengali literature that led Bharatendu Harishchandra to translate an important Bengali play 'Vidyasundar' to Hindi in the year 1868. Bharatendu Harishchandra's parents died when he was still very young, another incident which touched him and inspired him to get more involved with poetry, prose and drama writing.

Life & Works
After the death of his father, Bharatendu Harishchandra got completely immersed in Hindi literature and always adopted ways to contribute better writings for the development of Hindi literature. He introduced new concepts and ideas in Hindi prose and drama and is thus considered the pioneer of the modern age Hindi writing. However, Bharatendu Harishchandra's contribution was not just limited to the field of writing prose and poetry. He was in fact also involved with the development of Hindi journalism. He worked as an editor in magazines like Harishchandra Patrika, Kavi Vachan Sudha, Harishchandra Magazine and Bal Vodhini. It was in recognizing his efforts towards the development of the Hindi language that renowned scholars in Hindi during his age bestowed on him the title of 'Bharatendu' at a public event organized in the year 1880. It was their way of showing respect to the person who had broken new grounds and ushered in a new era of Hindi literature, thus making him the rightful owner of the title 'Father of Modern Hindi Literature'. Bharatendu Harishchandra was a notable member of the Chowdhury family residing in Varanasi. His forefathers, on the other hand, were members of the Agrawal community who were rich landlords in Bengal. Bharatendu Harishchandra wrote extensively on the life and times of his great grandfathers from the Agrawal community. His family indeed had a flourishing history to boast of and several accounts of it were highlighted in the prose and essays written by Bharatendu Harishchandra.

Notable Works of Bharatendu Harishchandra
Poetry
Prem Madhuri
Prem Pralap
Raag Sangraha
Krishna Charitra
Phoolo ka Guchcha
Drama
Vaidik Himsa Hitnda na Bhavati
Satya Harishchandra (a mythological classic)
Neel Devi
Bharat Durdasha
Andher Nagari ('City of Darkness’, which is considered as one of the most popular plays in India, being translated into a number of languages after Hindi.)
Bharatendu Harishchandra was not only a playwright but also a director and actor in plays. In fact, it was acting that first brought Bharatendu Harishchandra to theater. He later chose to write and direct plays as well.

Essay Collection
Bharatendu Grnthaaolly or Sahitya Harishchandra
Translation
Visakhadattas Mudra Rakshasa
Vidya Sundar
Harsha’s Ratnavali
Durlabh Bandhu (from Shakespeare’s Merchat of Venice. This writing was left incomplete due to Harishchandra’s death.)
Kapoor Mnajari

Death
Bharatendu Harishchandra passed away on January 6, 1885 at the age of 35, at his hometown Varanasi. His writings are still held in high regard by Hindi literature lovers all over the world.

Recognition
Bharatendu Harishchandra is such a respected name in Hindi writing that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India still honors accomplished original writings in Hindi by bestowing upon the writers the Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards instituted in the year 1983. Popular Kannada scriptwriter and director Prasanna paid tribute to his chief inspiration Bharatendu Harishchandra by preparing the play 'Seema Paar', which was staged at the National School of Drama in New Delhi. 'Seema Paar' focuses on Bharatendu Harishchandra's early life in the ghats of Varanasi and the highpoints of his career in Hindi writing. Hindi scholar and critic Ramvilas Sharma famously commented that Bharatendu Harishchandra ushered in an era of "great literary awakening" in Hindi literature. His unique approach to writing earned his the name of 'father of modern Hindi literature'.

Timeline
1850: Bharatendu Harishchandra is born on September 9.
1865: He visits Puri with family and gets inspired by Bengal Renaissance.
1868: Translates Bengali writing 'Vidyasundar' to Hindi.
1880: Conferred the title of 'Bharatendu'.
1885: Bharatendu Harishchandra dies on January 6.
1983: The Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards are instituted to celebrate original fresh talent in Hindi writing.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 03:01:06 PM

Devaki Nandan Khatri Biography

(http://im.in.com/connect/images/profile/b_profile2/Devaki_Nandan_Khatri_300.jpg)

Born In: 1861
Born In: Samastipur, Bihar, India
Died In: 1913
Career: Novelist
Nationality: Indian

Devaki Nandan Khatri was one of the most popular authors of Hindi novels, best known to have introduced the concept of mystery in Hindi novel writing. Fondly referred to as Babu Devakinandan Khatri, he was the first writer of mystery novels in the Hindi language. Devaki Nandan Khatri's writings were so popular that even people who were not Hindi literate made it a point to learn the language to be able to read his mystery novels. Therefore, it may be aptly concluded that Devaki Nandan Khatri not only contributed to Hindi literature, he also played a major role in making people of his times learn Hindi. Devaki Nandan Khatri introduced several words in his novels which went on to become an integral part of mystery novel writing in Hindi by future authors.

Early Life
Devaki Nandan Khatri was born in the year 1861 in the city of Samastipur in Bihar. After completion of his primary schooling in Samastipur, Devaki Nandan Khatri moved to the city of Tekari in Gaya for further education. He later assumed office as an employee of the Raja of Varanasi. Since his initial years of professional life, Devaki Nandan Khatri was a resident of Varanasi.

Career
It was in the year 1898 that Devaki Nandan Khatri took up novel writing in Hindi seriously. By that time, he had already started a printing press at Varanasi by the name of 'Lahari'. It was from Lahari that his first writing was published in a Hindi monthly called 'Sudarshan', also started by Devaki Nandan Khatri. The Lahari Press inaugurated by Devaki Nandan Khatri at the Ram Katora Road in Varanasi stands till today at the Ram Katora Crossing. Devaki Nandan's son and grandson followed his footsteps to take the tradition of mystery novel writing in Hindi forward.

Babu Devakinandan Khatri, as he was fondly called after his works began to be distributed in places all over India, set up a book shop by the name of Lahrai Book Depot in Varanasi. During this time, he had already acquired fame as one of the chief writers of mystery novels in Hindi. The bookshop sold Hindi books written by Devaki Nandan Khatri and other eminent authors. A unique feature of Devaki Nandan Khatri's writings was that he never published one novel at one go. The author's novels were not published in the form of a book but as parts of the story in the monthly magazine 'Sudarshan'.

At the time when entire India was disturbed by the British rule in the country, Devaki Nandan Khatri participated in the freedom struggle, while also taking time out to write parts or chapters of his novels. The chapters, or 'bayaans' as Devaki Nandan Khatri referred to them, were eagerly awaited by one and all throughout the country. In fact, it became a ritual among those who were not educated in the Hindi language to visit friends or family members who were Hindi literate so that they may also hear the latest development in Devaki Nandan Khatri's mystery saga. His works gradually gained so much popularity that people who did not know Hindi decided to learn the language only to be able to read the novels written by him. In this way Babu Devakinandan Khatri contributed to the widespread dissemination of the Hindi language in India.

As mentioned earlier, Devaki Nandan Khatri specialized in the writing of Hindi mystery novels. 'Aiyyar' and 'Aiyarra' were two of his most famous terms used to describe spies, male and female respectively, who served rulers of different regions in his novels. Both these words were previously unknown in the Hindi literary world. However, it was because of the popularity of the Devaki Nandan Khatri novels that both the terms began to be widely used thereafter. Similarly, he also introduced the word 'Tilism' in the Hindi novel writing dictionary, a term which was used to mean a maze of hiding places, prisons and unknown passages.

Popular Works
Devaki Nandan Khatri contributed some of the most popular novels that not only helped to introduce a new genre in Hindi literature, but also led to the enrichment of the Hindi language as a whole. Some of the most important works of Devaki Nandan Khatri are:
Chandrakanta
Chandrakanta Santati
Virendra Veer
Bhootnath (completed by his son after his death as 'Rohtasmath’)
Narendra Mohini
Gupt Godna
Kajar Ki Kothari
Kusum Kumari
Katora Bhar Bhoon

Personal Life
Devaki Nandan Khatri lived in his home named by him as 'Khatri Haveli' in the Ramapura region of Varanasi. His sons Durga Prasad Khatri and Kamlapati Khatri were instrumental in taking the tradition of mystery novel writing in Hindi started by their father Devaki Nandan Khatri forward. While Durga Prasad Khatri completed the last part of his father's novel 'Bhootnath' after his death, Kamalpati Khatri looked after the proper functioning of the Lahari printing press after Devaki Nandan Khatri passed away. Devaki Nandan Khatri lived in different parts of Varanasi from the beginning to the end of his career as a mystery novel author in Hindi.

Death
Devaki Nandan Khatri died in the year 1913 leaving behind a collection of mystery novels in the Hindi language, which are read by children till today. Babu Devakinandan Khatri's novel 'Chandrakanta' was adapted as a television serial in the mid-90s, though with several changes made in its plot and characters for the television audience. 'Chandrakanta' was by far the most popular novel written by Devaki Nandan Khatri and word has it that the story will soon be adapted for the big screen in Bollywood. If all goes well, we may soon see Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and also Aishwarya Rai Bachchan portraying the chief characters in the Devaki Nandan Khatri novel for the onscreen adaptation of 'Chandrakanta' in a film made by Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 03:07:17 PM

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d4/Hazari_Prasad_Dwivedi.JPG)

Born On: August 19, 1907
Born In: Uttar Pradesh, India
Died On: May 19, 1979
Career: Writer, Critic, Historian, Scholar
Nationality: Indian

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, later referred to as 'Acharya' Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, was a very popular writer and critic of Hindi literature. He is known for the numerous novels and essays that he has contributed to Hindi literature. An eminent scholar, he was also one of the best critics that Hindi literature has witnessed. Moreover, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi had an in-depth knowledge about the evolution and the history of the Hindi language, a factor which largely contributed to his rich collection of writings in Hindi. Go through the following lines to know more about his life and childhood.

Early Life
Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was born on August 19, 1907 in the small village of Arat-Dubeka Chhapra in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. It was here that he spent the maximum part of his childhood years. When Hazari Prasad Dwivedi took up the profession of teaching in his later life, he settled in a number of places from Santiniketan to Benaras and Chandigarh.

Education and Career
After completing his school studies from Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi passed the Shastri examination from the Sanskrit University. On November 18, 1930 Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was appointed a teacher of the Hindi department at Santiniketan. His association with the university town Santiniketan continued till the year 1950. After 1950, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was appointed as a teacher and subsequently, became the head of the department of Hindi at the Benaras Hindu University and the Punjab University located in Chandigarh. While he continued with his activities as a scholar in universities spread all over India, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi also spent a large part of his time composing novels and essays of his own. Besides writing, he was also one of the most important critics of Hindi works published during his time. In an attempt to reach out to the masses through his works, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi began to participate actively in programs arranged by the government of India.

'Banbhatta Ki Atmakatha' (which later became one of the most famous novels in Hindi literature), 'Punarnava', 'Charuchandra Lekh' and 'Anamdas Ka Potha' are some of the most popular works by Hazari Prasad Dwivedi in this genre. His writings 'Hindi Sahitya Ki Bhumika' and 'Hindi Sahitya Ka Aadial' are two books which reflect 'Acharya' Hazari Prasad Dwivedi's profound knowledge on the evolution and history of the Hindi language. He was also a brilliant essay writer and gave to the Hindi language some wonderful collection of essays. 'Kutaj', Nakhoon Kyon Barhte Hain' and 'Ashok Ke Phool' are a few unforgettable essays penned by Hazari Prasad Dwivedi. His books were so valuable to the enrichment of the Hindi language that a large number of copies of his writings derived from archives were donated to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts by Hazari Prasad Dwivedi's children.

Awards
The government of India conferred the civilian award Padma Bhushan to Hazari Prasad Dwivedi in the year 1957 to celebrate his contributions in the world of Hindi literature. In 1973, 'Acharya' Hazari Prasad Dwivedi received the Sahitya Akademi Award for the collection of essays 'Alok Parva'.

Death
'Acharya' Hazari Prasad Dwivedi died on May 19, 1979 leaving behind an enriching collection of writings in Hindi. He was staying in Delhi at the time of his death.

Timeline
1907: Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was born on August 19.
1930: Appointed Hindi teacher at Santiniketan.
1950: The end of his term in Santiniketan.
1957: Was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
1973: Won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his essays 'Alok Parva'.
1979: He died on May 19.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 24, 2012, 03:12:41 PM

Maithili Sharan Gupt Biography

(http://www.indianetzone.com/photos_gallery/14/mathlisharan-gupt_4426.jpg)

Born On: August 3, 1886
Born In: Chirgaon, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died On: December 12, 1964
Career: Poet, Dramatist, Translator
Nationality: Indian

Maithili Sharan Gupt is one of the most recognizable names in the world of modern Hindi poetry. Maithili Sharan Gupt not only enriched Hindi literature through his writings which consisted of poems, dramas and translations from other languages, but he was also the first person to use the Khari Boli script as against Brajbhasha that was rampantly used in Hindi writing during his times. Before Maithili Sharan Gupt, every writer in Hindi preferred the Brajbhasha or the Hindi dialect heard in Central and North India. Maithili Sharan Gupt was the first person to use the Khari Boli or the Hindi dialect of the rurals living in Western India, a style which is popular in Hindi writing till today.

Childhood
Maithili Sharan Gupt was born on August 3, 1886 in a Gahoi family in the small city of Chirgaon in the Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. 'Gahoi' is the term that was used to describe a merchant family residing in various cities across Central India in British-ruled India. Hence, Maithili Sharan Gupt's father Seth Ramcharan Gupta was a merchant or a trader by profession. It is said that Maithili Sharan Gupt hated school and studies so much as a child that his father had no other option left in front of him other than to tutor his son at home. Seth Ramcharan Gupta invited teachers at his home in Chirgaon to teach Maithili Sharan Gupt languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit and Bengali. Maithili Sharan Gupt's deep knowledge of the Hindi language may be credited to Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, his home Hindi tutor. Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi was also one of the most important writers that modern Hindi literature has ever seen. Maithili Sharan Gupt got married very early in life, when he was a small child of nine years. The wedding took place in the year 1895.

Career
Though Maithili Sharan Gupt did not have a formal schooling, he did enjoy a flourishing career in Hindi literature, largely because of his profound knowledge of the Hindi language. Maithili Sharan Gupt's literary career started with writing poems for popular Hindi magazines like Saraswati. In the year 1910, Maithili Sharan Gupt experienced the first taste of success among masses after 'Rang Mein Bhang' was published by the Indian Press. The chief subject of his poems and the plots for most of his plays were inspired from mythological plots from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. He also liked dealing with the lives of religious leaders from across the world and stories revolving around Lord Buddha. While 'Saket' deals with the story of Urmila, Lakshmana's wife from Ramayana, his other famous work 'Yashodhara' has Yashodhara, the wife of Gautama Buddha as its central plot. 'Bharat Bharati' was one of the most popular collection of poems written by Maithili Sharan Gupt. The nationalistic spirit portrayed through 'Bharat Bharati' was widely circulated in British dominated India serving as an inspiration for freedom fighters. Apart from drama and poetry, Maithili Sharan Gupt also translated a couple of popular Sanskrit works to the Hindi language, Hindi translations of 'Rubaiyat' and 'Swapnavaasavdatta' being the most popular among them.

Career in Politics
Maithili Sharan Gupt also had a brief career in the politics of India after independence. Shortly after India acquired independence in August 1947, Maithili Sharan Gupt was appointed an honorary member of the Rajya Sabha in the Indian Parliament. Even during his stint at the Rajya Sabha, Maithili Sharan Gupt did not stop writing. In fact he was known to use lines from his poetry while putting forward his opinions in the upper house of the parliament. He remained a Rajya Sabha member till his death in the year 1965.

Death
Maithili Sharan Gupt breathed his last on December 12, 1964. He was 78 years of age at the time of death.

Famous Works
Poetry
Rang Mein Bhang
Bharat Bharati
Plassey Ka Yuddha
Saket
Kaaba Karbala
Drama
Chandrahaas
Tilottama
Anagh
Vijay Parwa
Translations
Swapnavaasavdatta from Sanskrit to Hindi
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from English to Hindi

Timeline
1886: Maithili Sharan Gupt was born on August 3.
1910: 'Rang Mein Bhang', one of his most popular collections of poetry was published.
1947: He assumed office as a member of Rajya Sabha.
1965: Maithili Sharan Gupt died on December 12.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:05:50 AM

Majrooh Sultanpuri Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5c/Majrooh_Sultanpuri_(c._1919_-_2000).jpg)

Born On: October 1, 1919
Born In: Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Died On: 24th May, 2000
Career: Poet and lyricist
Nationality: Indian

Majrooh Sultanpuri was one man who ensured that film music, which is an integral part of the Indian film industry, would never play the second fiddle and instead, be the soul of the film. His lyrics seem to effortlessly blend with the tunes, the words soothingly flowing over the notes that even after decades' people would still croon these numbers. His contributions to the Indian music scenario have been immense and particularly due to his enormous success in this field not many people know that he was also an outstanding poet. Indeed it was his talent as an Urdu poet that made him such a master lyricist. No wonder his over five decades of lyrical work had eclipsed his significant poetic contributions, which is why he is perhaps mostly remembered for his contributions to the former. He was a versatile poet and lyricist, always at ease with the changing dynamics, always at home from pop and rock-n-roll to ghazals and qwaalis. He was an individual who with his sheer power of words ruled the music scene of the Hindi film industry.

Childhood And Early Life
In 1919, Asrar ul Hassan Khan, better known as Majrooh Sultanpuri was born in the city of Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh. He didn't receive any English education as his father who was a police sub-inspector couldn't afford to send him to an expensive school. Instead, Sultanpuri completed a seven year course of Dars-e-Nizami in Arabic and Persian, and went on studying to become an Alim. He then went to Lucknow and enrolled at the Takmeel-ut-Tib College to study the Unani (Greek) System of Medicine from which he graduated in 1938 after which he set up a prosperous medical practice as a Hakim. Once in Sultanpur, he recited one of his ghazals which was widely applauded and appreciated by the audience. This inspired him to drop his medical practice and start writing poetry seriously. He began to recite his poetries at various mushairas and became quite popular. During this time, he also became a good friend of the renowned Urdu poet Jigar Moradabadi, whom he would consider to be his mentor.

Later Life
In 1945, the Bombay-based Saboo Siddique Institute organized a mushaira which Majrooh Sultanpuri went to attend. His ghazals were highly appreciated by the audience, especially the noted film producer A.R. Kardar who also attended the event. When the producer met Majrooh with an offer to write for films, the latter refused to do so, as he didn't think highly of the film industry. However, his close friend Jigar Moradabadi persuaded him take the offer as films paid well and Majrooh was already finding it tough to support his family. When Majrooh finally relented to the offer, Kardar took him to meet the famous music composer Naushad. At their first meeting Naushad tested the young man by giving him a tune and asking him to write the lyrics in the same manner. Naushad liked what Majrooh wrote and signed him as the lyricist for the movie "Shah Jahan". When the movie was released in 1946, the songs became enormously popular bringing Majrooh both fame and money. The singer and actor K.L. Saigal liked one of the songs from the movie, Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya, so much that he willed it to be played at his funeral.

Majrooh, however, couldn't enjoy his success in Bombay for long, as he fell ill because of the harsh weather conditions of the city. As such, he left for his hometown, returning to Bombay only after fully recuperating. After "Shah Jahan", Majrooh worked on a string on films and worked whole heartedly in establishing himself as a reputed lyricist. However, because of his anti-establishment writings, the government cracked down on him and other leftists in the industry sending him to jail in the year 1949. Refusing to apologize for his leftist leanings he was sentenced to two years in prison. By the 1950s he, along with Faiz Ahmed Faiz, was considered to be the most noted Ghazal writer in the Bombay film industry. Throughout his 50 year career as a lyricist he had proven his versatility by writing songs in numerous genres like ghazals, qawaalis, bhazans, rock-n-roll and pop. In 1959, an anthology of 33 ghazals was published. These ghazals had been written by him during the period of 1944 to 1953 and are now considered to be the best known Urdu ghazals.

Awards And Recognition
His song "Chahunga mein tujhe sham savere" from "Dosti" won him the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award. For his lifetime contributions to the film industry, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1993 becoming the first lyricist to win the award. Some other awards that he received are Iqbal Samman, the highest literary award of the Madhya Pradesh government, the Film Journalist Award for his writing for films, the Film Writers Association Award for his contributions to the Indian film industry, the Uttar Pradesh Hindi-Urdu Sahitya Award for his contributions to the Hindi and Urdu literature, the All India Journalist Award for his overall writings and the Maharashtra State Urdu Academy award for his work titled 'Ghazals'.

Death
After suffering from a severe attack of pneumonia, Majrooh Sultanpuri passed away on 24th May, 2000.

Timeline
1919: Majrooh Sultanpuri was born in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh
1938: Graduated with a degree in Unani medicine.
1945: Went to Bombay to participate in a mushaira.
1946: "Shah Jahan" was released, for which he had written the lyrics.
1949: Sent to jail for writing anti-establishment lyrics.
1959: His anthology of 33 ghazals was published.
2000: Majrooh Sultanpuri died after a severe attack of pneumonia.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:09:13 AM

Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Ramdhari_Singh_'Dinkar'.JPG)

Born On: September 23, 1908
Born In: Begusarai, Bihar
Died On: April 24, 1974
Career: Poet, Essayist, Academician, Literary Critic
Nationality: Indian

His passion and enthusiasm for poetry and writing bestowed him with the title Rashtrakavi which means "national poet". Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' gained recognition and popularity in the pre-independence period through his eminent and notable nationalist poetry. With an initial interest in composition, he gradually found himself drawing closer towards the Indian freedom struggle movement, thereby becoming a Gandhian later on and working in close relations with Rajendra Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, and Braj Kishore Prasad. Being a renowned and prominent poet, his poetry "Singhasan Khaali Karo Ke Janata Aaati Hai" was recited at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi during the Emergency. Such was his respect and honor that his portrait was unveiled by the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2008 in the Central Hall of Parliament of India.

Early Life
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar was born in a poor Bhumihar Brahmin family in the village of Simariya in Begusarai district of Indian state of Bihar. Since childhood, Dinkar showed immense interest in studies, his favorite subjects being history, philosophy, and politics. In his later years, he even learned several other languages, such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Maithili, English, Bengali, and Urdu. Iqbal, Rabindranath Tagore, Keats, and Milton were some famous celebrities that influenced Dinkar to a large extent. Such was the influence that he went ahead with translating the works of Rabindranath Tagore from Bangla to Hindi.

Literary Career
Dinkar worked on the concept of "veer rasa", or "brave mode", although he did give some works that proved to be exception to this concept. Due to his high talent and knowledge of various Indian languages, Dinkar was more popular amongst people whose mother tongue was not Hindi. In addition to writing on anti-imperialism, nationalism, humanism, history, and social and political satires, he even touched the themes of love, passion, and relationships of a man and woman. This was evident from his "Urvashi" poem that talked about the spirituality and a different platform of earthly relationships. His "Kurukshetra" was a dedication in the memory of all dead and sacrificed in Second World War. It relied on the Santi Parva of Mahabharata. Another poem that was inspired by the events leading to Kurukshetra war in Mahabharata was "Krishna ki Chetavani". His "Sanskriti ke Chaar Adhyaay" depicts his love for India and describes the different cultures, languages, and topography despite which, India stands united and one.

Political Career
Dinkar entered politics supporting the revolutionary movement during India's struggle for freedom. However, he became a Gandhian later on, though he regarded himself as a bad Gandhian simply because he lent his support for indignation and revenge amongst youth which was against Gandhi's Satyagraha movement. In his 1946 poem "Kurukshetra", he mentioned about how destructive war is but, at the same time, also emphasized on its importance for the protection of freedom. After independence, Dinkar was nominated and elected to Rajya Sabha on three occasions. He attained the position of a member in the house from April 3, 1952 to January 26, 1964.

Notable Honors
Dinkar's "Kurukshetra" received several awards from the Kashi Nagri Pracharini Sabha, Uttar Pradesh Government, and Government of India. Further in 1959, he was bestowed upon with the Sahitya Akademi Award for "Sanskriti ke Char Adhyaay". He was later honored with Padma Bhushan Award in 1959 and LLD degree from Bhagalpur University. Gurukul Mahavidyalaya appointed him as Vidyavachaspati and was selected as Sahitya-Chudamani by Rajasthan Vidyapeeth in Udaipur on November 8, 1968. This was not all for Dinkar as he was honored with Jnanpith Award in 1972 for his work on "Urvashi".

Posthumous Recognitions
With numerous accolades and awards during his lifetime, Dinkar was not left behind even after his death. To mark his 79th birth anniversary on 30 September, 1987, the then President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma paid a tribute to him. Dinkar was paid high respect with a postal stamp being released by Government of India in 1999 featuring him as one of the Hindi writers on the celebration of "Linguistic Harmony of India". With this, India completed 50 years of Indian Union accepting Hindi as its official language. To complete 100 years of Dinkar's birth anniversary, the government released a book in 2008 that was authored by Khagendra Thakur. During the same period, his statue was unveiled at Dinkar Chowk in Patna and a two-day seminar was held in Calicut University.

Death
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar passed away on April 24, 1974 at the age of 65.

Timeline
1908: Was born on September 23 in Simariya, Begusarai, Bihar
1928: His first poetical work "Vijay Sandesh" was published
1946: Penned the distinguished poem "Kurukshetra"
1952: Elected as a member of Rajya Sabha
1959: Was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for "Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay"
1959: Received the Padma Bhushan Award
1968: Was appointed as Sahitya-Chudamani by Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, Udaipur
1972: Conferred upon with Jnanpith Award for "Urvashi"
1974: Died on April 24 in Begusarai aged 65
1987: Honored with a tribute by former President Shankar Dayal Sharma
1999: Featured on a postage stamp to mark 50 years of Hindi as official language on Indian Union
2008: Portrait revealed in the Central Hall of parliament of India on his centenary year

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:12:16 AM

Sumitranandan Pant Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/Sumitranandan_Pant,_(1900_-_1977).jpg)

Born On: May 20, 1900
Born In: Kumaon, Uttrakhand
Died On: December 28, 1977
Career: Writer, Poet
Nationality: Indian

At the age of seven, when majority of children learn how to read and write; a little child from the hills wrote poetries, and grew up to become one of India's finest and renowned poet cum writer. This boy was Sumitranandan Pant, also known as Gosain Dutt. Born in the hills of Kumaon, Pant was raised by his old grandmother, for his mother had passed away shortly after conceiving him. He had developed an early knack for writing poetry. But he didn't restrict himself with just poetry and even ventured into writing essays and verse plays. During his career as a poet cum writer, Pant won many accolades like Sahitya Academy Award, Padma Bhushan Award, Jnanpith Award, and Nehru Peace Price from the Soviet Union. Inspired by nature and beauty during the early phase of his career, Pant's works reflected the same. But gradually he learned to adapt and touched many themes like philosophy and humanity and by the end of it all, he came to be recognized as a towering Hindi poet and one of the leaders of the Chhayavaad School of Poetry.

Early Life
Sumitranandan Pant was born on 20th May, 1900 at Kausani village of Bhageshwar, in the hills of Kumaon, Uttrakhand, as Gosain Dutt. Unfortunately, his mother died within few hours of giving birth to him. He was raised by his grandmother and was the smallest of all his seven siblings. He completed his early schooling from Almora and at the age of 18, he moved to Kashi with his brother and finished his matriculation there. Not too fond of his name, Dutt changed it to Sumitranandan Pant. Post matriculation, Pant went to Allahabad to pursue graduation from Allahabad University, but left it midway and joined the Satyagraha Movement to support Mahatma Gandhi. However, he continued his education by reading English, Sanskrit, and Bengali literature at home.

Career
Sumitranandan Pant took to poetry when he was just seven, and happened to be studying in the 4th grade. Having spent his childhood surrounded by natural beauty of the mountains and flora and fauna; it was only natural that it was from here that he got his inspiration; for his earlier works reflected a sublime touch of the scenic serenity. The period from 1907-1918 has even been admitted by Sumitranandan himself, as the first phase of his notable writing career. The poems that he wrote in this phase have been compiled together and published in "Veena" (1927). Although dropped out of graduation to support Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha Movement, Pant didn't compromise on his education and continued to study English, Sanskrit, and Bengali literature at home. This propelled his passion for writing even further.

It was shortly after the Satyagraha Movement that Pant went to Sri Aurobindo's Ashram in Pondicherry. It was from there onwards that he expanded his horizon and started writing in broader contexts. There was an undeniable influence after the visit to Sri Aurobindo's and the result was evident in the poems that he was writing then. The inspiration from Aurobindo's philosophy, however, was uncanny. Pant had taken a shift from mysticism to Marxism and started to include a more humane theme in his writings. Gradually, he included progressive, philosophical, socialist, and humanistic poems in his repertoire. In the year 1960, Pant received a Sahitya Academy Award for "Kala and Burha Chand" (a compilation of all the poems written by him in 1958). In 1961, he received a Padma Bhushan Award and a Jnanpith Award in 1968 for his most famous poems "Chidambara". He even received the Nehru Peace Prize by Soviet Union for "Lokayatan".

Death
Sumitranandan passed away in 1977. The house that he grew up in Kausani has been turned into a museum and displays original manuscripts, poems, photographs, letters, his awards etc.

Timeline
1900: Sumitranandan Pant was born.
1907: Started writing poetry at the age of 7.
1918: Moved to Kashi with his brother and completed his matriculation.
1922: His work "Uchchhavaas" got published.
1926: His work "Pallav" got published.
1927: His work "Veena" got published, which contains poems during the early part of his career.
1929: His work "Granthi" got published.
1932: His work "Gunjan" got published.
1960: Received Sahitya Academy Award
1961: Was honored with Padma Bhushan Award.
1968: Received Jnanpith award for his most famous poems Chidambara.
1977: Died at the age of 77.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:17:02 AM

Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' Biography

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Suryakant_Tripathi_Nirala.JPG)

Born On: February 21, 1896
Born In: Midnapore, Bengal
Died On: October 15, 1961
Career: Writer
Nationality: Indian

Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' is one of the key figures in the history of Hindi literature. Though he hailed from Bengal and acquired his basic education in the Bengali medium, Suryakant Tripathi chose Hindi language when it came to writing down his thoughts through essays, novels, poems and stories. Suryakanth Tripathi 'Nirala's life was tragic and lonely and at every stage he had to come across misfortunes in life. However that did not deter Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' from pursuing his interest in studying various Indian languages. At a very early age, Nirala became an expert in the Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit and English languages, most of which he had to master sitting at home. Apart from penning down poems, essays and stories in Hindi, he was also known for his skills as a painter.

Early Life
Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was born on February 21, 1896 in an orthodox Brahmin family settled in the Midnapore district of Bengal. Suryakant Tripathi's parents were originally from the Unnao region of Uttar Pradesh but were settled in Bengal for a fairly long time. Suryakant Tripathi's father Pandit Ramasahaya Tripathi was a very strict person by nature and liked to keep his entire family under his own control. He was a government servant by profession and the money he earned would often be less than what was required for the existence of the entire family. Therefore, it will not be unfair to say that Suryakant Tripathi also knew the meaning of poverty during his lifetime. It was on the insistence of Pandit Ramasahaya Tripathi that Tripathi got enrolled in a Bengali medium school. But it was the Sanskrit language which interested him the most and he would often read books in Sanskrit, Hindi and English. Suryakanth Tripathi's mother died when he was still very young, leaving him to tackle his tyrannical father alone.

Later Life
Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' passed his matriculation examinations after the death of his mother, after which he had to remain at home and continue further studies as his father would not allow further education. Since he had already mastered the Bengali language at school, he concentrated on Hindi, Sanskrit and English literature after his matriculation. After a few years Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' shifted from Bengal to his forefathers' native Uttar Pradesh to continue studies and work. Nirala first settled in Lucknow and then in the Gadhakola village of the Unnao district in UP. Reports claim that Suryakanth Tripathi 'Nirala' was rebellious in nature. He did not accept the set pattern of society and always ventured into new spheres of learning and practice. It was for this reason that Suryakant Tripathi had to bear the brunt of criticism from the society that he lived in.

Nirala tied the knot with Anohar Devi during his stay at the Gadhakola village and spent some good and peaceful years of his life with her. Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was a mere kid at the time of his marriage and he found the much needed solace in the company of his wife Anohar Devi. He also had a daughter with her. Nirala had already begun writing in Bengali at the time of his marriage, but noticing his love for the Hindi language, his wife insisted him into writing in Hindi and it was after his marriage that Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' started penning essays, stories and poems in Hindi. However, like most of his life, misfortune seemed to be waiting round the corner, as his wife Anohar Devi died of illness. Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was only 20 years of age at the time of her death. His daughter who had also got married and was already a widow by this time also died an unfortunate death, leaving him all alone.

Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' went through am emotional and financial loss after the death of two of the closest people to his heart. In order to earn money, Nirala found a job with Samanvaya, while also working as an editor and proof-reader for several publishers in and around Uttar Pradesh. The contents of Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala's writings were not mere figments of imagination, but true incidents from the society he lived in. He used his writings to speak out against the injustice that was prevalent in the early twentieth society. However, he was able to bring little change in the society through his penned down thoughts because nobody was prepared to lend support to his rebellious ways in an orthodox society. All he received in return of speaking out against wrong and evil were ridicule and mockery.

Works
Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was an important member of the Chhayavaad era of Hindi literature or the Neo-Romantic period of Hindi literature. Most of his writings were unconventional and differed from the styles of his contemporaries. As stated earlier, he liked to voice his ill feelings about the society through his writings and this led to various publishers dismissing his work and not publishing them. Therefore, even though he was a writer of high standards, his talent and depth of knowledge of the Hindi language were recognized only after his death. Though nationalism and revolution were the chief contents of his writing, he also liked to deal with the history of languages, mythology and religion and nature. His writings often reflected his thorough study of the Puranas. In fact, it was because of the fact that his style of writing was totally different from his contemporaries that Suryakant Tripathi received the title of 'Nirala' which means 'unique' in the Hindi tongue.

Apart from writing and contributing to Hindi literature, Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was also an occasional painter. He was responsible for introducing the concept of free verse in the world of Hindi poems and prose. He is best remembered for his poem 'Saroj Smriti', which was dedicated to his deceased daughter. Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was a firm believer in the life and ideologies of stalwarts like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramkrishna Paramahansa and Rabindranath Tagore. It was their writings which helped him to improve his own style and content over the years. Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was one of the imminent members of the Hindi Kavi Sammelan, a gathering which encompassed some of the great poets of Hindi literature during the early twentieth century.

Death
All the misfortunes that Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' had faced during his lifetime certainly bothered him much even after they were past, culminating into a deadly disease which would ultimately lead to his death in the year 1961. Suryakant Tripathi was a victim of schizophrenia during the later stages of his life and died on October 15, 1961. He left behind a collection of work in Hindi literature which are still celebrated and admired by the present generation.

Important Works

Poetry
Saroj Smriti
Parimal
Anaamika
Geetika
Kukurmutta
Prose
Billesur Bakriha
Kullibhat

Collection of Stories
Lily
Devi
Sukul ki Biwi
Sakhi
Chhaturi Chamar

Essay Collection
Ravindra Kavita Kannan
Prabandha Pratibha
Prabandha Parichaya
Bangbhasha ka Uchcharan
Chayan

Novels
Prabhavati
Choti ki Pakar
Kale Karname
Nirupama
Uchchhrankhalta

Translation
Devi Chaudharani
Chandrasekhar
Vish Vriksh
Sri Ramkrishna Vachnamrit
Rajyog

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:21:35 AM

Amrita Pritam Biography

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Born On: August 31, 1919
Born In: Gujranwala, British India
Died On: 31st October, 2005
Career: Novelist, poet, essayist

Amrita Pritam is considered to be one of the most well-known female writers. A versatile talent who penned poems, novels, short stories, essays, and autobiographies, she is best remembered for her elegy on the partition of Punjab. Many describe Amrita Pritam as the goddess of defiance, a rebel and a revolutionary who lived her life with utmost intensity. She had an admirable influence on Punjabi literature. Often a household name in Punjab, she was one of the most eminent of poets and fiction writers. In spite of her poor health, she remained active till the end, working as the editor of a Punjabi magazine. Though she migrated to Delhi after independence, she lived and still lives in the hearts of people in both India and Pakistan. In her six decade literary career, she became the first woman to be honoured with a Sahitya Academy Award. Her autobiography is quite a hit and has been translated into many Indian languages.

Early Life
Amrita Pritam was born in Gujranwala in Punjab (now in Pakistan) on 31st August, 1919. She was the only child to Kartar Singh Hitkari who was a school teacher and a scholar. Her father was also a Sikh preacher and the editor of a literary journal. After her mother's death in 1930, when she was eleven, Amrita and her father moved to Lahore where she lived until her migration to Delhi in 1947. The early demise of her mother left her in a state of isolation and saw her handling many adult-like responsibilities at a very young age. This led her to writing poetry as a young girl. She started her literary career as a romantic poet. Her leanings towards romance can be seen in 'Amrit Lehren' (Immortal Waves) in 1936. When she was sixteen, Amrita married Pritam Singh, an editor to whom she was engaged to when she was a child.

Career
}Though Amrita Pritam started her career as a romantic poet, her career took an important turn as she was influenced by feminist movements. She played an active role in the 'Progressive Writers Movement', the influence of which could be seen in her works. Her work, 'Lok Peeth' (People's Anguish) openly critisises the war torn economy after the Bengal famine of 1943. After independence, she was part of Guru Radha Kishan's initiative to put together first Janta library in Delhi which was inaugurated by Aruna Asaf Ali and Balraj Sahni.

In 1947, following the partition of India, Amrita migrated to Delhi. While she was traveling from Dehradun to Delhi, she penned her anguish over the partition on a piece of paper which was later immortalized into a poem. The poem 'Ajj akhaan Waris Shah nu' (I ask Waris Shah Today) portrays the horrors that occurred during the partition of India. Till 1961, Amrita Pritam worked at the All India Radio in Delhi. In 1960, her marriage with Pritam Singh found itself on the rocks. This change in her life made her a feminist of sorts. Many of her stories and poems portrayed the unhappy experiences of her married life. Her works including her autobiographies have been translated into English, French, Danish and Japanese from Urdu and Punjabi.

Many of her stories were made into films. Her novel 'Pinjaar' (The Skeleton, 1970) which was made into a film, was an award winning movie. She was also the editor of a Punjabi monthly literary magazine called 'Nagmani' which she ran along with Imroz, the man who was her partner at the time of her death. She started writing the introductions for several books of Osho, one of them being 'Ek Omkar Satnam'. She produced works on spiritual themes and dreams like 'Kaal Chethna' (Time Consciousness') and 'Agyat ka Nimantran' (Call of the Unknown'). Amrita published autobiographies such as 'Black Rose' ('Kala Gulab' in Punjabi, 1968), 'Revenue Stamp' ('Raseedi Tikkat' in Punjabi, 1976) and 'Aksharon ka Saayee' ('Shadows of Words'). 'Sunehray' ('Golden'), can be considered her magnum opus. It fetched Amrita the Sahitya academy award in 1956. 'Kagaz te Canvas' ('Paper and Canvas'), yet another masterpiece of her, helped her qualify for the Jnanapit Award in 1982.

Contributions To Literature
In a literary career which lasted for over six decades, Amrita Pritam authored one hundred books which included poems, essays, novels and autobiographies, thus enriching the Punjabi language.

Novels
'Doctor Dev', 'Kore Kagaz, Unchas Din', 'Sagar aur Seepian', 'Rang ka Patta', 'Dilli ki Galiyan', 'Terahwan Suraj', 'Yaatri', 'Jilavatan' (1968).

Autobiography
'Kala Gulab', 1968, 'Rasidi Ticket' (1976), 'Aksharon ka Saayee' (2004).

Short Stories
'Kahaniyan Jo Kahaniyan Nahi', 'Kahaniyon ke Angan mein', 'Stench of Kerosene'

Poetry Anthologies
'Amrit Lehran' (Immortal Waves) (1936), 'Jiunda Jiwan' (The Exuberant Life) (1939), ' 'Trel Dhote Phul' (1942), 'O Gitan Valia' (1942), 'Badlam De Laali' (1943), 'Sanjh de laali' (1943), 'Lok Peera' (The People's Anguish) (1944), 'Pathar Geetey' (The Pebbles) (1946), 'Punjabi Di Aawaaz' (1952), 'Sunehray' (Messages) (1955), 'Ashoka Cheti' (1957, 'Kasturi' (1957), 'Nagmani' (1964), 'Ik Si Anita' (1964), 'Chak Nambar Chatti' (1964),'Uninja Din (49 Days)' (1979), 'Kagaz Te Kanvas' (1981), and 'Chuni Huyee Kavitayen'.

Literary Journal
Nagmani

Death
Amrita Pritam, after a long drawn illness, breathed her last in New Delhi on 31st October, 2005.

Legacy
In 2007, noted lyricist Gulzar released an audio album titled 'Amrita recited by Gulzar'
which includes poems of Amrita Pritam recited by him.

Awards and Accolades
Punjab Rattan Award
Sahitya Academy Award, 1956
Bharathiya Jnanapit Award, 1982
Padmashree, 1969
Padma Vibhushan
Sahitya Academy Fellowship, 2004
D.Litt Honorary Degree from Delhi University (1973), Jabalpur University (1973)
Viswabharathi (1987)
Vapsarov award by Republic of Bulgaria, 1979
Degree of Officer dens by French government, 1987
Nominated to the Rajya Sabha

Timeline
1919: Born in Gujranwala, Punjab, British India.
1930: Amrita Pritam moved to Lahore after her father's death.
1936: Published her first anthology of poems 'Amrit Lehren' (Immortal Waves).
1947: Amrita migrated to Delhi.
1956: Won the Sahitya Academy Award.
1960: Amrita Pritam's ended her marriage with Pritam Singh.
1969: Won the Padmashree.
1982: Won the Bharathiya Jnanapit Award.
1986: Was nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
2005: Died on 31st October in New Delhi.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:24:53 AM

Aravind Adiga Biography

(http://www.aravindadiga.com/images/AravindAdigacreditCMarkPringle4.jpg)

Born On: 23rd October 1974
Born In: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Career: Writer

Being a person with flawless language and great writing skill, it is no wonder that Aravind Adiga bagged Britain's most prestigious literary award - The Man Booker Award for his book 'The White Tiger'. From a proven student to a journalist and then to a famous writer, success always accompanied him. He always kept his eyes and ears open to the world around and derived inspiration from the facts he come across in daily life. His award winning book "The White Tiger" was a critical view on "an India of light and an India of darkness while his latest novel "Last Man in Tower" describes the life and soul of one of India's biggest cities, Mumbai, where he discovers that the city and its people are obsessed with real estate. He derives this fact from the common man who often talks about elusive 'square feet' while journeying on suburban trains. The book gives a different picture of the city which is always described as the "Bollywood City" or "Mafia City". Read on to learn more about this young talent, Aravind Adiga.

Early Life
Aravind Adiga was born on the 23rd day of October, 1974 in Chennai. His parents Dr. K. Madhava Adiga and Usha Adiga hailed from Mangalore, Karnataka. His paternal grandfather late K. Suryanarayana Adiga served as the Chairman of Karnataka Bank. He was brought up in Mangalore, he completed his schooling from Canara High School and St. Aloysius High School. He completed SSLC in 1990, ranking first in the state preceding his elder brother Anand Adiga who secured 2nd rank in the SSLC exams. He also got the first rank in PUC in the state.Rest of his studies continued in Sydney as his family migrated to Australia. Aravind studied at James Ruse Agricultural High School in Australia and then pursued English literature from Columbia College, Columbia University in New York, where the famous British historian Simon Schama was his fellow. He completed his graduation in 1997 and then moved to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was taught by Hermione Lee, the current President of Wolfson College, Oxford.

Career
Aravind Adiga started his career as a financial journalist intern at the Financial Times covering stock market and investment protocols, interviewing luminaries like Donald Trump (American business magnate and television personality). He also wrote literary reviews, a famous one being the one about "Oscar and Lucinda", written by the previous Booker Prize winner Peter Carey. He then moved to TIME magazine where he served as South Asia correspondent for three years. He then quit TIME magazine and opted to work as a freelancer. It was during his freelance period that he wrote the Man Booker Prize winning book -The White Tiger, thus became the fourth Indian to achieve this. Thus, he turned into the field of writing and has penned many books since then. He donated a part of the Man Booker Award prize money to St. Aloysius College where he did his schooling, as a token of gratitude.This amount will be utilized to provide scholarships for underprivileged children staying in Aloysian Boys Home, Kotekar, Ullal. Aravind Adiga is now put up in Mumbai, India. Shortly after bagging the Man Booker Prize, he was accused of sacking his agent to secure his contract with Atlantic Books. His book 'The White Tiger' was a big hit and was popularized by many other Booker Prize winners and his novel was adopted into a film according to an announcement made in April 2009. The Indian hardcover edition of his award winning book "The White Tiger" has sold in excess of 2, 50,000 copies. His second book, namely "Between the Assassinations" that depicts 12 interlinked short stories, was released in November 2008 in India while its release in the US and UK took place in 2009. The book features 12 interlinked short stories.

Contributions
Aravind Adiga's contributions to literature include novels and short stories

Novels
The White Tiger: A Novel, 2008
Between the Assassinations, 2008
Last Man in Tower Due to be published, 2011

Short Stories
"The Sultan's Battery", 2008(online text)
"Smack",2008(online text)
"Last Christmas in Bandra",2008 (online text)
"The Elephant" 2009(online text)

Awards And Accolades
Man Booker Prize, 2008

Time Line
1974: Born in Chennai.
1990: Got the 1st rank in the SSLC examination.
1997: Completed graduation.
2008: Won the Man Booker Prize.
2009: It was announced that 'The White Tiger' would be adapted into a feature film.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:28:17 AM

Chetan Bhagat Biography

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Born On: 22nd April, 1974
Born In: New Delhi, India
Career: Novelist, columnist, script writer, motivational speaker

Chetan Bhagat is a famous Indian author who penned down novels that hit the market with great success. All of them were bestsellers since their release and have been filmed by famous Bollywood directors. Chetan Bhagat is considered a youth icon rather than as just an author. With his vivid and humorous way of depicting stories, he has inspired reading habits in many young Indians. He is also a good columnist and writes columns for many leading newspapers. According to him, novels are entertainment tools through which he expresses his views and opinion about society and the youth. Development issues and national issues are addressed through columns. Chetan's columns are written in a way that directly points out the issues within our country and in many times it has even triggered discussions in the parliament. He is not only a good writer but also a motivational speaker and has given many motivational speeches at many colleges, organizations and companies.

Personal Life
Chetan Bhagat was born in New Delhi in a middle class Punjabi Family on the 22nd day of April, 1974. His father was an Army man and his mother, a government employee. The major part of his education was done at Delhi. He studied in the Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi during the years 1978 to 199 after which he chose to do Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. After pursuing engineering he took up a management program offered at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. Being an outstanding student, it was no wonder when he was recognized as the "Best Outgoing Student" of his batch by IIM Ahmadabad. He later got married to Anusha Suryanarayanan in 1998; she was his fellow student at IIM-A. Chetan then went to Hong Kong along with his family and worked as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs. He worked in Hong Kong for eleven years and then shifted to Mumbai and started writing. It was his passion. He has four novels against his name: Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ The Call Center (2005), The Three Mistakes Of My Life (2008) & Two States (2009). By chance or by choice, titles of all his novels had numbers associated with them. He now leads a happy life with his wife and twin sons Ishaan and Shyam. Chetan loves to live a simple life watching cartoons with his children who wish to become super heroes. He is a health conscious person and practices yoga regularly.

Career
Chetan Bhagat published his first novel first novel 'Five Point Someone' in 2004 and this very first venture took him to the peaks of fame and popularity. The book depicted the story of an IIT student who considers himself to be below average than all the other students in IIT. This book won the Society Young Achiever's Award and Publisher's Recognition Award. The story was adopted into a film directed by Rajkumar Hirani and starred famous Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor. His second book was 'One Night At A Call Center' and this too was a great success. This book was made into a movie and was named 'Hello' and Chetan himself wrote the script. The movie was noted by the special appearance of Bollywood star Salman Khan and was an average hit. His next novel has cricket as the major theme. It is named 'Three Mistakes of My Life'. His fourth book is named 'Two States'.

Contribution
Chetan Bhagat's contribution to the field of entertainment is noticeable. He never confined his literary talents to just writing novels. As a responsible social person, he also writes columns in newspapers, citing and dwelling on various social and national issues. Many of his columns were noticed by parliamentarians and triggered serious discussions in the Indian Parliament. He has addressed issues like corruption by sending an opening letter to Sonia Gandhi and also has spoken about the political issues that revolved around Baba Ramdev.

Awards and Accolades
He won the Society Young Achiever's Award in 2000 and the Publisher's Recognition Award in 2005. Chetan Bhagat also a found himself place in the Time magazine's list of "World's 100 Most Influential People" in the year 2010.

Timeline
1974: Chetan Bhagat was Born in Delhi
1991: Enrolled in IIT
1995: Enrolled in IIM Ahmadabad
1997: recognized by IIM Ahmadabad as "The best outgoing student"
1998: Got married to AnushaSuryanarayanan
2004: published his first book "Five Point Someone - What not to do at IIT!"
2005: Published his second book "One Night @ the Call Center"
2008: Published his third book "The 3 Mistakes of My Life"
2009: Published his fourth book "2 States: The Story of My Marriage"

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:31:41 AM

Ramachandra Guha Biography

(http://newsinfo.iu.edu/pub/libs/images/usr/5620.jpg)

Born In: 1958, Dehradun
Career: Historian, Writer and Columnist

Ramachandra Guha is a prominent Indian writer who has written on different topics such as social, political, historical, and environmental, also on the history of cricket. Besides this, he is a well-known columnist who writes for The Telegraph, The Hindu and The Hindustan Times and is also an Indian historian. His books and essays have been translated in around twenty different languages. He has been described as the best among Indian non-fiction writers by the New York Times and 'Indian Democracy's Pre-eminent Chronicler' by the Time Magazine. Mr. Guha received the inspiration for writing from various Indian and foreign writers including the essayists George Orwell and H. L. Mencken, the historians Marc Bloch and E. P. Thompson and the nature writer M. Krishnan. According to him, universities that promote advanced research and teaching all together in the field of sciences, social sciences, humanities and in professional studies such as medicine and law help in creating a nation with flourishing intellectuals.

Early Life
Ramachandra Guha was born in Dehradun, in 1958. Ramachandra Guha is the grandson of Mysore's S. Ramaswamy Iyer, the first Advocate-General of Mysore. He completed his primary education at The Doon School, Dehradun. He pursued his graduation in Economics at the St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, in 1977 and Masters from the Delhi School of Economics. Later on, he practiced a fellowship on the social history of forestry of Uttaranchal from the ndian Institute of Management, Kolkata, which laid emphasis on the Chipko Movement. He got married to Sujata Keshavan, a graphic designer. The couple have two children named Keshava and Iravati.

Career
In the time span of 1985-2000, Ramachandra Guha delivered lectures at several universities such as University of California, Berkeley, Yale University, Stanford University and Oslo University, afterwards at the Indian Institute of Science. From 1994-95, he was a researcher at Wissenschaftskollegzu Berlin in Germany. He later on shifted to Bangalore and devoted himself to writing. It was in 2000, when he wrote an essay criticizing an article of Arundhati Roy, opposing the Narmada Dam.. In 2007, he penned the book 'India after Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy'. It was published by Macmillan and Ecco. In 2009, he united with various famous historians for signing a petition criticizing the working of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), Delhi which is very significant. He wrote the biography of Verrier Elwin, who was a famous anthropologist, ethnologist and a tribal activist. It was by going through the works of Verrier Elwin, that Ramachandra Guha moved to Sociology from Economics. He was very impressed by Elwin's ethnographies of people living in the forest of Central India and thus decided to write his biography. Ramachandra Guha is a management trustee of the New India Foundation, a nonprofit organization that sponsors researches on modern Indian history.

Awards and Accolades
In 2001, Guha's essay on the 'Prehistory of Community Forestry in India' received the Leopold-Hidy Prize of the American Society for Environmental History. In 2002, his book 'A Corner of a Foreign Field' won the Daily Telegraph Cricket Society Book of the Year prize. He also received the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award for excellence in social science research, the Ramnath Goenka Prize for excellence in Journalism and Mac Arthur Research and Writing Award. In 2003, Ramachandra Guha was honored with the R. K. Narayan Prize at the Chennai Book Fair. 'India after Gandhi : The History of the World's Largest Democracy' (2007) was selected as a book of the year by the Economist, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, Time Out and Outlook and along with this, as a book of an era in the Times of India, the Times of London, and The Hindu. In May 2008, he was entitled as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world by the Prospect and Foreign Policy magazines. It was in 2009, when Mr. Guha was honored with the Padma Bhushan.

Contribution
Ramachandra Guha has contributed a lot by writing on environment, history and other aspects such as cricket, social and political conditions of the country. He has written a lot on India's democracy, Indian society and also about the past and present of India in his books and essays.

Timeline
1958: Born in Dehradun.
1977: Completed his graduation from St. Stephens College, New Delhi.
1985-2000: Worked as a professor in several universities of California, Oslo, Berkley, Stanford and then in Indian Institute of Science.
1994-95: Researcher at Wissenschaftskollegzu, Berlin in Germany.
2000: Wrote an essay criticizing an article of Arundhati Roy.
2001: Essay on the 'Prehistory of Community Forestry in India' received the Leopold-Hidy Prize of the American Society for Environmental History.
2002: 'A Corner of a Foreign Field' won the Daily Telegraph Cricket Society Book of the Year prize.
2003: Worked as a Visiting Lecturer of Humanities at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
2007: Wrote the book 'India after Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy' and was honored with the R. K. Narayan Prize at the Chennai Book Fair.
2008: Entitled as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world by the Prospect and Foreign Policy magazine.
2009: Honored with the Padma Bhushan.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:34:50 AM

Rohinton Mistry Biography

(http://mutanteggplant.com/agog/images/Mistry.jpg)

Born On: 1952
Born In: Mumbai, India
Career: Writer

Rohinton Mistry is a famous Canadian writer with roots in India. Famous American writer and broadcaster Rick Gekoski once said: 'Mistry has a great eye and a huge heart, and if the world he describes is often cruel and capricious, his characters have a remarkable capacity to survive". Rohinton Mistry has a rare achievement to his credit - he is the only author, all of whose novels have been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize'. His works slowly starts from a family, proceeding gradually outwards along with the development of the characters and gradually widens into the social, cultural, and political backdrop. He has an unusual talent to grab the attention of the readers. Rohinto Mistry is a great writer with has an observable eye and a creative mind. The marked specialty of his work is that, thus far, his books depict the diverse facets of Indian socioeconomic life and culture as well as the life, customs, and religion of the Parsis. Read on!

Early Life
Rohinton Mistry was born to a Parsi couple Behram Mistry and Freny Mistry in 1952 in Bombay, India. He was born to a middle-class family. He grew up in this city and finished his graduation in Mathematics and Economics from the St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. His father was into advertising and his mother was a housewife. He migrated to Canada after marrying Freny Elavia who worked as a teacher and settled in Toronto. He worked in a bank there to support his studies and finished a degree in Philosophy and English. During his life at the Toronto University he published some stories for which he won two Hart House Literary Prizes and also the Canadian Fiction Magazine's Annual Contributor's Prize. Two years later, Penguin Books Canada published his collection of eleven short stories, Tales from Firozsha Baag. It was later published in the United States of America as "Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag". The book consists of eleven short stories, all set within one apartment complex in modern-day Mumbai. This volume contains the oft-anthologized story, "Swimming Lessons."

Career
Rohinton Mistry got into writing after reaching Canada and some of his early works were published in many Canadian magazines. His short-story collection "Tales from Firozsha Baag" was published in Canada in the year 1987 and then in UK as "Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag" in the year 1992. He wrote three novels and many short stories. His novel "Such a Long Journey" is written with Mumbai as the background. The novel depicts the story of a bank clerk who, though unwillingly, becomes a part of a fraud committed by the government. Rohinton Mistry bagged the Commonwealth Writers Prize for this book. "A Fine Balance", another novel published in the year 1996 depicts the State of Emergency in India and "Family Matters" which was published in 2002, again has Mumbai as its background. The novel narrates the story of an elderly Parsi widower who lives in Mumbai with his step-children. Both his works "Such a Long Journey" and "A Fine Balance" were shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction and the third one 'Family Matters" was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction (renamed version of Booker Prize) in 2002. Many of his literary papers are a part of the Clara Thomas Archives.

He and his family were targeted by security agents because they thought that he is a Muslim and because of this very reason he cancelled his book tour to the United States of America in 2002.He was checked by security agents in every single airport and the humiliation was unbearable to him. Another controversy related to Rohinton Mistry is that his novel "Such a Long Journey" was allegedly against the Mumbai University. The Shiv Sena's student wing lodged complaint against this book to the Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University and burnt copies of this book at the university gate. The book was eventually withdrawn by the Mumbai University owing to the vigorous protest. His latest work is a story called "The Scream".

Contributions
His contributions to literature include:
Tales from Firozsha Baag, 1987 or Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag 1989 (US version)
Such a Long Journey, 1991
A Fine Balance, 1995
Family Matters, 2002
The Scream, 2006

Awards and Accolades
First Prize, Hart House Literary Contest, 1983
First Prize, Hart House Literary Contest, 1984
Annual Contributors' Prize, Canadian Fiction Magazine, 1985
Shortlisted for Booker Prize for Fiction, 1991
Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction, 1991
Commonwealth Writers Prize, 1992
Books in Canada First Novel Award, 1992
Giller Prize, 1995
Shortlisted for Booker Prize for Fiction, 1996
Commonwealth Writers Prize,1996
Shortlisted for Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1997
James Tait Black Memorial Prize, 2002
Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize, 2002
Shortlisted for Booker Prize for Fiction, 2002

Timeline
1952: Born in Mumbai.
1975: Completed his graduation at the St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.
1987: Published his short-story collection.
1991: Shortlisted for Booker Prize.
1992: Published the same short-story collection in USA under the name "Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag".
1996: Shortlisted for Booker Prize.
2002: Shortlisted for Man Booker Prize.

Title: Re: ~ ~ Biographies Of Indian Writers ~
Post by: MysteRy on May 25, 2012, 09:37:50 AM

Upamanyu Chatterjee Biography

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Born On: 19 December, 1959
Born In: Patna, Bihar
Career: Officer, Indian Administrative Service, Author

Upamanyu Chatterjee, best remembered for his debut novel 'English, August: An Indian Story' is one of the powerful and emerging voices amongst India's post colonial literary stalwarts. His novels are written in a humorous style and are intended to go beyond the basic concept of comedy. He defied conventional traditions and created a niche for himself. Through his works, one can see his protests against the austere world of the Indian Administrative System. Most of his novels focus on the life of a young westernized diplomat who is posted in a non-descript town. The characteristics of his novels have a wry sense of humour, amazing language and an eye to portray the life of middle-class India. The satirical aspect of his novels sometimes shocks readers. However, there are critics who are of the view that he has not achieved the success which was promised by with the launch of his debut novel.

Early Life
Upamanyu Chatterjee was born on 19th, December 1959 in Patna, Bihar. He was the son of Sudhir Ranjan Chatterjee. He received his education from St. Xavier's School and St. Stephen's College in Delhi. While studying in high School, Chatterjee penned a play, the story which he adopted from a Hitchcock drama, 'Dilemma'. The drama was not published, but won the school drama competition in spite of it caricaturing the school rules and regulations. After finishing his Master's in English Literature from the Delhi University, Chatterjee joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1983. His professional career not only marked the beginning of his literary career, but also was the source from which he created his characters. In 1990, Chatterjee lived as Writer in Residence at the University of Kent, U.K. In 1998, he was appointed as the Director (Languages) in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

Career   
Upamanyu Chatterjee has written a few short stories of which 'The Assassination of Indira Gandhi' and 'Watching Them' are worth mentioning. Since then, he has written five novels, of which all of them have received critical and political support in spite of the fact that the novels picture the legal systems in a satirical manner.

In 1988, his first and bestselling novel, 'English, August: An Indian Story' was published. It was an extremely well-written novel which tells the story of Agastya Sen, a westernized Indian whose thoughts are dominated by women, literature and soft drugs. Through the novel, he portrays some serious issues that revolve around the 'urban educated youth' and pictures a class of 'westernized people' who are otherwise unnoticed in regional and English fictional work. Since the publication of the novel, it has been reprinted several times and the novel is an apt choice for those who are keen on knowing more about modern India. The story was made into a film with the same name in 1994.

In 1993, his second novel, 'The Last Burden' was published which portrays life in an Indian family at the end of twentieth century. The novel is written in a rich and powerful language and provides a stunning and accurate depiction of the overwhelming burden of family ties. In 2000, 'The Mammaries of the Welfare State' was published as an apt sequel to 'English August'. The novel is described by many as 'a master work of satire' by a prominent writer at the pinnacle of his powers. Chatterjee takes the reader through the corridors of Indian bureaucracy with gory sarcasm and leaves no opportunity to mock the entire system. The novel won the Sahitya Academy Award in 2004. In 2006, Chatterjee's fourth novel 'Weight Loss' which is a dark comedy was published. The novel is about the strange life of Bhola who is a sexual deviant and whose attitude to people around him depends upon their lust worthiness. His genius for dark humor is really convincing in this novel. In 2010, his latest novel 'Way to Go' was published as a sequel to 'The Last Burden'. The novel is accepted as well written and is a pleasure to read. It is suitable for anyone who wants to broaden their perspective on life and enjoy themselves in the procedure.

Contribution to Literature
A bureaucrat by profession, Upamanyu Chatterjee penned two short stories and five novels. The short stories include 'The Assassination of Indira Gandhi' and 'Watching Them' and novels include 'English, August: An Indian Story' (1988), 'The Last Burden' (1993), 'The Mammaries of the Welfare State'(2000), Weight Loss' (2006) and 'Way to Go' (2010).

Legacy
Upamanyu Chatterjee based his novels on the Indian Administrative System, which he depicted with hilarious sarcasm. The humour, sometimes, placed the reader in a state of shock as the writer went to an extent which his Indian contemporaries did not dare to go to. Through his works, he dared to match the sensibility which one uncovers only in modern European novels.

Awards and Accolades
Sahitya Academy Award, 2004
Order of Officier des Arts et des Lettres, French Government, 2008

Timeline
1959: Born in Patna, Bihar.
1983: Joined the Indian Administrative Service.
1988: First novel, 'English, August: An Indian Story' was published.
1990: Lived as Writer in Residence at University of Kent, U.K.
1993: Second novel, 'The Last Burden' was published.
1998: Appointed as the Director (Languages) in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
2000: Third novel 'The Mammaries of the Welfare State' was published as a sequel to his first novel 'English, August: An Indian Story'.
2004: Was honoured with the Sahitya Academy Award for the novel 'The Mammaries of the Welfare State'.
2006: Chatterjee's fourth novel 'Weight Loss' was published.
2008: Was conferred Order of Officier des Arts et des Lettres by French Government for his contribution to modern literature.
2010: Latest novel 'Way to Go' was published as a sequel to 'The Last Burden'.