One of the greatest Indian writers of all-time in Hindi & Urdu, Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava (31 July 1880 – 8 October 1936), better known by his pen name Munshi Premchand was a novelist. He wrote several short stories, novels, and dramas that targeted the life of an ordinary man and the social evils in the society.

Premchand was a prolific writer, but his stories were not popular in his lifetime. Mainly because he used to write about the truths prevailing in the Indian society of the time – which was avoided by most of the literary community at the time. He wrote about the plight of women, villagers and other social evils that were existing in the society.

Interesting facts about him.

Premchand received his primary education at a local madrassa where he was taught Urdu and Persian. He then got into a missionary school where he learned English.

Initially he adopted the pseudonym “Nawab Rai”, and wrote his first short novel, ‘Asrar e Ma’abid’ in 1907.

Munshi Premchand published was the first story titled Dunia Ka Sabse Anmol Ratan.

 In 1919, he published his first Hindi novel – Seva Sadan.

Inspired, A true patriot, he quit his government job as a part of the non-cooperation movement  Premchand left his job as Deputy School Inspector and returned to Banaras and decided to focus all his time on writing.

He wrote this script for the film Mazdoor, which inspired a movement and ultimately got banned.

Munshi Premchand became the First President of the Progressive Writers’ Association in Lucknow in 1936. Ironically, that was the same year when he died. Premchand died on October 8, 1936. He was 56 years old. After his death, his wife wrote a memoir titled – Premchand Ghar Me.

The Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, established the Premchand Fellowships in his honor in 2005. It is given to persons of eminence in the field of culture from SAARC countries.