Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Biography

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.

Rabindranath Tagore Biography

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.

Anita Desai Profile

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.

Salman Rushdie Profile

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.

Sarat Chandra Chatterji Biography

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.

Jaishankar Prasad
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.

Nirmal Verma
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 nonfictionals 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 sociocultural 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

Tarashankar Bandopadhyay
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 sociopolitical 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.

Devaki Nandan Khatri

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.

Bharatendu Harishchandra
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 Harshas Ratnavali Durlabh Bandhu (from Shakespeares Merchat of Venice. This writing was left incomplete due to Harishchandras 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.

Nirmal Verma
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 nonfictionals 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 sociocultural 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

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi

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.

Chetan Bhagat
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"

Aravind Adiga
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.

Arundhati Roy Profile

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.

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.