Chirag Paswan pays tribute to Munshi Premchand on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Union Minister Chirag Paswan marked Munshi Premchand's birth anniversary on July 31, 2026, honouring the Hindi literary icon as the 'epoch-maker' who gave voice to farmers, labourers, and the rural poor — a legacy that still resonates across Indian society.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Chirag Paswan paid tribute to Munshi Premchand on his birth anniversary, 31 July 2026 .
Paswan hailed Premchand as the 'Upanyas Samrat' (Emperor of the Novel) and 'epoch-maker of Hindi literature' who turned the pen into a mirror of society.
Munshi Premchand (1880–1936) wrote more than 300 short stories and landmark novels including Godan and Gaban , centred on rural poverty and social reform.
Premchand was born Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava in Lamhi, near Varanasi , and is celebrated as the defining voice of social realism in Hindi and Urdu fiction.
Paswan noted that Premchand's literature continues to deliver a message of compassion, justice, and humanity to Indian society today.
On the 31st of July, 2026 — the birth anniversary of one of Hindi literature's most enduring voices — Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan paid homage to Munshi Premchand, calling the legendary writer the 'epoch-maker of Hindi literature' who turned the pen into a mirror of society.
Posting in Hindi, Paswan wrote: 'कलम को समाज का दर्पण बनाने वाले हिन्दी साहित्य के युगपुरुष, उपन्यास सम्राट मुंशी प्रेमचंद जी की जयंती पर उन्हें सादर नमन।' — 'Respectful salutations to Munshi Premchand, the epoch-maker and 'emperor of the novel' in Hindi literature, who made the pen a mirror of society.' He added that Premchand's writing gave voice to villages, farmers, labourers, and ordinary people, and that his literature continues to deliver a message of compassion, justice, and humanity.
The man who wrote India's forgotten half into existence
Munshi Premchand (1880–1936) remains the defining figure of social realism in Hindi and Urdu fiction. Born Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava in Lamhi, near Varanasi, he wrote at a time when colonial India's rural poor were largely invisible in formal literature. His novels — among them Godan and Gaban — and more than 300 short stories placed the indebted farmer, the bonded labourer, and the marginalised woman at the centre of the Indian literary imagination. The title 'Upanyas Samrat' (Emperor of the Novel), which Paswan invokes, was conferred on him by contemporaries who recognised that no one had mapped the Indian village with greater moral clarity.A ritual of remembrance — and what it signals
Premchand's July 31 birth anniversary is marked annually by literary events, state commemorations, and public tributes across India. Indian political leaders across the spectrum have long used this occasion to align themselves with the themes Premchand championed — agrarian dignity, social justice, and the humanity of the working poor. For Paswan, whose party base draws heavily from Bihar's Dalit and OBC communities, invoking Premchand's legacy carries a resonance that goes beyond literary appreciation: it is a reminder of whose stories have historically been left untold, and who is still listening.Point of View
Leading a party rooted in Bihar's Dalit and OBC communities, the tribute reinforces a broader narrative of dignity for the marginalised that his party has historically championed. The invocation of Premchand's themes — farmers, labourers, the rural poor — also lands in a political climate where agrarian distress and rural welfare remain live electoral concerns. It is a reminder that literary commemoration in India is rarely just literary.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Munshi Premchand's birth anniversary celebrated on 31 July?
Munshi Premchand was born on 31 July 1880 in Lamhi, near Varanasi. His birth anniversary is marked annually with literary events and tributes across India honouring his contribution to Hindi and Urdu fiction.
What did Chirag Paswan say about Munshi Premchand?
Chirag Paswan called Premchand the 'epoch-maker and emperor of the novel in Hindi literature' who made the pen a mirror of society, and said his writing gave voice to villages, farmers, labourers, and ordinary people.
What are Munshi Premchand's most famous works?
Premchand's most celebrated novels include Godan and Gaban . He also wrote more than 300 short stories that depicted rural poverty, caste discrimination, and the lives of marginalised communities in colonial India.
Who is Chirag Paswan?
Chirag Paswan is India's Union Minister of Food Processing Industries and the national president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) .
What is the meaning of 'Upanyas Samrat'?
'Upanyas Samrat' is a Hindi honorific meaning 'Emperor of the Novel' . It was conferred on Munshi Premchand by his contemporaries in recognition of his unmatched contribution to Hindi and Urdu novel-writing.
