Sumitranandan Pant
Encyclopedia
Sumitranandan Pant (May 20, 1900 December 28, 1977) was one of the most famous modern Hindi
poets. He is considered one of the major poets of the Chhayavaad
i school of Hindi
literature. Pant mostly wrote in Sanskrit
ized Hindi
. Pant authored twenty eight published works including poetry, verse plays and essays.
Pant was born at Kausani
village of Bageshwar
, in the hills of Kumaon
. His mother died within a few hours of his birth. He was given the name Gosain Dutt. His initial schooling took place in Almora
. After matriculation he moved to Kalakankar near Prayag. He did not like his name so he gave himself a new name "Sumitranandan Pant".
The mark of the childhood in the hills can be seen in his works and his poems resound with an echo of the beauty of nature. He was a shy and girlish child and his classmates often used to tease him calling him 'girl'. For his graduation, Pant went to Prayag University. On hearing Mahatma Gandhi
's call for Satyagraha
, he left college. However, he continued his education by reading English
, Sanskrit
and Bengali literature
. After some time, he went to Sri Aurobindo
's ashram
at Pondicherry.
Apart from Chhayavaadi poems, Pant also wrote progressive, philosophical (influenced by Sri Aurobindo
), socialist and humanist poems.
Pant received 1968 Jnanpith Award
for collection of his most famous poems, titled Chidambara. He was awarded the Nehru Peace Prize by the Soviet Union
for Lokayatan.
Pant's childhood house, in Kausani, has been converted into a museum. This museum displays his daily use articles, drafts of his poems, letters, his awards etc.
Amitabh Bachchan on 25 November 2010 in an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati, stated that Shri Pant was a friend of Harivansh Rai Bachchan and was present at the time of his birth . On seeing the baby he said - "He is Amitabh".
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
poets. He is considered one of the major poets of the Chhayavaad
Chhayavaad
Chhayavaad refers to the era of Neo-romanticism in Hindi literature particularly Hindi poetry, 1917–1938, and was marked by an upsurge of romantic and humanist content. Chhayavad was marked by a renewed sense of the self and personal expression, visible in the writings of time...
i school of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
literature. Pant mostly wrote in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
ized Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. Pant authored twenty eight published works including poetry, verse plays and essays.
Pant was born at Kausani
Kausani
Kausani is a hill station situated in the bageshwar district of the Uttarakhand state of India.-Overview:Kausani is a destination for Himalayan tourists. It is located 53 km North of Almora. The altitude of this place is about 1890 mts. This place offers a 350 km view of the Himalayan peaks like...
village of Bageshwar
Bageshwar
Bageshwar is a city and a municipal board in Bageshwar district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is also the administrative headquarters of Bageshwar district....
, in the hills of Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
. His mother died within a few hours of his birth. He was given the name Gosain Dutt. His initial schooling took place in Almora
Almora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
. After matriculation he moved to Kalakankar near Prayag. He did not like his name so he gave himself a new name "Sumitranandan Pant".
The mark of the childhood in the hills can be seen in his works and his poems resound with an echo of the beauty of nature. He was a shy and girlish child and his classmates often used to tease him calling him 'girl'. For his graduation, Pant went to Prayag University. On hearing Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
's call for Satyagraha
Satyagraha
Satyagraha , loosely translated as "insistence on truth satya agraha soul force" or "truth force" is a particular philosophy and practice within the broader overall category generally known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. The term "satyagraha" was conceived and developed by Mahatma...
, he left college. However, he continued his education by reading English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Bengali literature
Bengali literature
Bengali literature is literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and the Indian provinces of West Bengal and Tripura. The history of Bengali literature traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the...
. After some time, he went to Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo , born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose , was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders, before developing his own vision of human progress...
's ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
at Pondicherry.
Apart from Chhayavaadi poems, Pant also wrote progressive, philosophical (influenced by Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo , born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose , was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders, before developing his own vision of human progress...
), socialist and humanist poems.
Pant received 1968 Jnanpith Award
Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
for collection of his most famous poems, titled Chidambara. He was awarded the Nehru Peace Prize by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
for Lokayatan.
Pant's childhood house, in Kausani, has been converted into a museum. This museum displays his daily use articles, drafts of his poems, letters, his awards etc.
Amitabh Bachchan on 25 November 2010 in an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati, stated that Shri Pant was a friend of Harivansh Rai Bachchan and was present at the time of his birth . On seeing the baby he said - "He is Amitabh".