Eminent Personalities in India
9. Writers
1. Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (1877- 1947) :
Influenced educated opinion on India through his teachings and writings in U.S.A. authored some two hundred titles in which he explored the aesthetic, historical, metaphysical, and symbolic content of traditional Indian civilization.
2. Bhabani Bhattacharya :
An Indian writer in English who contributed to Indian and foreign magazines. He won the Sahitya Academy Award for his novel "shadow from Ladakh.
3. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838-1894) :
Composer of the hymn " Bande Mataram" that inspired love for the motherland in millions of Indian hearts, a great writer, rationalist thinker and philosopher, whose contribution to the Indian freedom struggle cannot be traced in terms of mere outward achievement.
4. Bharatendu Harishchandra (1850-1885) :
Contributed to the development of Hindi prose and poetry. His writings represent the agonies of people, the unrest of middle class and the country's progress.
5. Dinabandhu Mitra (1830-1873) :
Noted Bengali writer whose play 'Neel Darpan Natakam' brought to light the hardships faced by Indigo cultivators due to the policies of European planters. The play initiated a movement to protest against oppression of Indigo cultivators.
6. Kamla Das :
Born as Madhavi kutti, she belongs to the new generation of poets. Her writings are noted for the suppressed emotions. In all her poems, there is an attempt to explain the problems of women, their carving for love and tenderness, their frustration and sufferings.
7. Kumar Asan :
From Ezhawa community of Kerala, worked for their upliftment, become secretary of SNDP, emerged as a poet and his book on poem is 'The Fallen Flower'.
8. Laxminath Bezbarua (1868-1938) :
A well known writer from Assam who made immense contribution to the development and achievement of Assamese literature. His creations are based on patriotic themes. The Assamese state anthem, "O, Mor Aponar Desh" is penned by him.
9. Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) :
Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib was court poet of last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. His writings reflect the social conditions prevailing then and his poems show aesthetic sense and intellectual self assertion.
10. Masti Venkatesan Iyengar (1891-1986) :
Though a Tamilian, wrote in Kannada. His stories are all based on his keen perception of the life around him, especially that of the middle class and lower classes. He was awarded Janpith award in 1983 for his work "Chikavirajendra".
11. Mulk Raj Anand :
Remarkable for his versatility, he had tried his hand with equal success on the novel, short story and art criticism. His novels like the "Coolie" and the "Untouchable" brings out his awareness of social evils.
12. Maithili Saran Gupta (1886-1964) :
One of the most important poets of modern Hindi literature who used the vernacular language "Khari Boli" for his writings. Gupta's nationalist poem "Bharat Bharati" was banned by the British Government in 1912. Gandhiji referred to him as "Rastriya Kavi" in 1936.
13. Naba Gopal Mitra (1842-1894) :
Bengali Playright and poet who founded several institutions which promulgated the spirit of self help, self reliance and promoted Indian art and culture. Popularly known as 'National Mitra'.
14. Prem Chand :
His writings deal with common people with sympathy and understanding. He had a socialistic bent of mind. His famous books are Godan, Ranbhumi, etc. In 1909 government banned his first collection of stories entiled 'Soz-e-Watan.
15. R. K. Narayan (1907-2001) :
Writer of English fiction, who won world-wide fame for the film version of his novel "The Guide". There is a blending of realism, delicate humour and pathos in his stories written in a natural, limpid style.
16. Raja Rao :
Travelled extensively and is well-read in the literatures and philosophies of east and west. His most famous works include 'Kanthapura', 'The Serpent' and 'Shakespeare', etc.
17. Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) :
Worked as a prolific journalist, awarded nobel prize for literature in 1907. His books convey the landscape and folklore of British India at the end of 19th century, But, later became controversial because of racial reflection in his writings.
18. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya :
One of the most original and purposeful Bengal novelist who looked men and women with deep sympathy with all their imperfections, failure and social sins. His political novel Pather Devi inspired the revolutionaries.
19. Tarikh-i-Farishta :
Mohammad Qasim Farishta, popularly known as Tarikh-i-Farishta wrote "Gulshan- i-Ibrahimi in Persian in 17th century. Later, the book was translated and published in English as" History of the Rise of Mohamedan power in India till 1612A.D." Diverse sources was used to write the book.
20. Tyagaraja (1767-1847) :
A devotee whose love of God 'Ram' was expressed through poetry and music of exceptionally high quality. He made a great contribution to the musico-devotional movement of the Kaveri delta region that sustained Hindu culture there through the 17th and 18th century after the collapse of Vijaynagar empire.
21. Vallathol Narayan Menon (1878-1958) :
Romantic poet of Kerala whose poems inspired the masses, wrote against caste instructions and religious orthodoxy. He founded Kerala Kalamandalam and revived the great Kathakali dance.