Munshi Premchand: Honoring the 90th death anniversary of the legendary novelist

The 90th death anniversary of Munshi Premchand, the legendary Hindi and Urdu novelist and short story writer, will be observed this Thursday. Known as ‘Upanyas Samrat’ (Emperor of Novels), a title bestowed upon him by Bengali writer Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Premchand is celebrated for his fearless and sensitive portrayal of the harsh realities of Indian society.

Born Dhanpat Rai Srivastava on July 31, 1880, in Lamhi village, Varanasi, Premchand faced significant economic hardships following the early deaths of his parents. He was educated in Urdu and Persian before earning a B.A. from Allahabad University in 1919.

After working as a teacher and a sub-deputy inspector in the education department, he resigned from his government position in 1921 in support of Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. He later founded Saraswati Press and edited influential magazines such as ‘Hans’, ‘Madhuri’, and ‘Jagran’. He initially wrote under the pseudonym ‘Nawab Rai’ before adopting the name Premchand.