Maithili Sharan Gupt (1886-1964) was an Indian nationalist poet, recognized around the world as Rashtra Kavi and awarded the won multiple awards. He is known for writing in the Khadi Boli dialect of Hindi and expressing patriotism in simple and understandable language. He was a supporter of the Congress and its policy of liberating India from the British. After India’s independence in 1947, he was appointed to the House of Federation for two consecutive terms.
Wiki/Biography
Maithili Sharan Gupt also spelled Maithili Saran Gupt, also known as Maithisharan Gupta, was born on Tuesday, August 3, 1886, in the village of Chirgaon, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India (then the United Provinces of British India) (age 78; time of death). His zodiac sign is Leo. He studied in primary school in Chirgaon village and later completed his secondary education in McDonald High School in Jhansi. He also studied Hindi, Bengali and Sanskrit at home with private tutors such as Ram Swarup Shastri and Durga Dutt Pant. He was inspired by Munshi Ajmeri ‘Prem’ and wrote poetry for many magazines. One such magazine was Saraswati by Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, who later directed him to write in the Khadi Boli dialect of Hindi, using strong Vocabulary and words of Hindi origin. Later he wrote many collections of poems.
appearance
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye color: black
family
He comes from a merchant family.
Parents and siblings
His father’s name is Seth Ramcharan Kankane “Kanaklata” and mother’s name is Kashi Bai. His father died in October 1903 and his mother in 1904. He had a brother named Siya Ram Saran Gupt who died in 1963.
Maithili Sharan Gupt’s brother, Siya Ram Saran Gupt
wife and children
He married Sarju Devi in 1895, who died in 1903. He married a second time in 1904 and his second wife died on September 15, 1914. He married for the third time in 1917. He had a son named Umir Sharan Gupte.
other relatives
He has a daughter-in-law named Shanti Devi. His great-granddaughter Abhijita Gupta published her first book of poems, “Happiness Is Everywhere,” in 2020, when she was only 7 years old. She is the daughter of her grandson Ashish Gupte.
Maithili Sharan Gupt’s great-granddaughter Abhijita Gupt
Religion/Religious Views
He followed Hinduism and wrote many books on various stories related to the Hindu religion and Hindu kings.
caste
He belongs to the Kankane tribe of Gahoi Baniya community.
Profession
poetry
His first major work, Rang mein Bhang, was published in 1910 by the Indian Press in Prayagraj (then Allahabad). He continued to write on topics such as spiritual leaders, historical figures and events, women’s empowerment, patriotism and communalism. He wrote many collections of poems based on the Ramayana and Mahabharata, including “Jayadrath Vadh” in 1910 and “Saket” in 1931.
Cover of Maithili Sharan Gupt’s book Jayadrath Vadh
His book “Bharat Bharati” was published in 1912 and struck a chord with the Indian masses. He wrote about Lakshman’s wife Urmila in his collection of poems “Saket” and about Yasodhara, the wife of Buddha, in his collection of poems “Yashodhara”. He later wrote many famous works including Plassey ka Yuddha, Bharat-Bharati, Manushyata and Panchavati. He had regular meetings with other famous poets of the time, including Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi in Allahabad in 1911 and Jaishankar Prasad in Kashgar (now Varanasi) in 1914.
Maithili Sharan Gupt during poets gathering
In 1920, he established Sahitya Sadan Press, which later became the official distributor of his works and those of his brothers Siya Ram Saran Gupt and Mahadevi Varma. Some of his verses are very popular including “Jo Bhara Nahi Hai Bhavo se, Behti Jisme Rasdhar Nahi, Vo Hriday Nahi Hai, Jisko Swadesh Se Pyar Nahi”.
writing style
The poetry he wrote is notable for its unrhymed couplets in the Kadipoli dialect. Although these couplets do not follow a traditional rhyme scheme, they have a unique rhythmic quality through their clever use of alliteration. The interplay between consonants and vowels in the verses creates a fascinating rhythmic background that enhances the overall musicality of the piece.
Maithili Sharan Gupt recites his poems in public programs
politics
He met several important political leaders of the independence movement who were impressed by his patriotic poetry, including Mahatma Gandhi in Indore in 1918, Ramadan in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) in 1926 Dr. Jindra Prasad and Jawahar Lal Nehru in Prayagraj in 1929. On April 5, 1932, he received a letter from Mahatma Gandhi praising his work Saket. In 1936, Mahatma Gandhi declared him Rashtra Kavi (National Poet) at an event in Kashgar (now Varanasi).
Letter from Jawahar Lal Nehru to Maithili Sharan Gupte
In 1940, he welcomed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in his village Chirgaon. On March 12, 1952, he was appointed to the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, and in 1958, he was appointed to the Indian Parliament for the second time. On March 12, 1963, he withdrew from the Bundestag.
Participate in the Indian Independence Movement
He took part in the Indian independence movement at different stages of his life. On April 16, 1941, he was imprisoned in Agra jail, where he met Indian freedom fighter Acharya Narendra Dev.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Cash Prize of Rs 500 from Hindustan College Allahabad
- Appointed National Poet (Rashtra Kavi) in 1936
- Sudhakar Medal awarded by Nagari Pracharini Sabha, Varanasi, 1941
- Received Lucknow University Prize in 1942
- [HonourconferredbytheGuptCommitteeofCalcutta(nowCalcutta)in1945[1945年获加尔各答（现加尔各答）古普特委员会授予的荣誉
- Sahitya Vachaspati, Hindi Literary Society, Karachi, 1946
- Honor D. Little. 1948 Agra University (Ph.D. in Literature)
- Honored by Rashtra Bhasha Parishad in 1951
- Appointed Emeritus Professor at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1954
- Honor D. Little. 1960 (Ph.D. in Literature) from Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
die
Maithili Sharan Gupt died at the age of 78 on December 12, 1964, at his residence in Chirgaon village, Jhansi.
Facts/Trivia
- He loves Bundelkandi cuisine and has a super chef named Girdhari who helps him whenever he goes out of town. Gupte has the habit of having dinner before six o’clock in the evening. Gildari affectionately calls Gupte “dad.”
- He disliked formal education, especially the syllabus taught in schools at that time.
- Although his family was traditionally wealthy, his father lost much of his wealth when he was born.
- His real name was Mithiladhip Nandansharan Gupt; however, the name was too long and his teachers found it difficult to write it in the school attendance register, so his name was shortened to Maithili Sharan Gupt ( Maithili Sharan Gupt).
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education