Shekhawat pays tribute to Munshi Premchand on his jayanti
Synopsis
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on July 31 paid tribute to Munshi Premchand — novelist, social reformer, and 'Upanyas Samrat' — on his birth anniversary, honouring Hindi-Urdu literature's most enduring voice.
Key Takeaways
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat , Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, posted a tribute to Munshi Premchand on July 31, 2026 .
Premchand was born Dhanpat Rai Srivastava on July 31, 1880 , in Lamahi near Varanasi .
He is widely known by the title 'Upanyas Samrat' (Emperor of Novels) for his towering contribution to Hindi-Urdu fiction.
His landmark works include Godan and Gaban , both studied in Indian universities to this day.
The Ministry of Culture's portfolio includes the Sahitya Akademi , which regularly commemorates Premchand's jayanti.
On the birth anniversary of one of Hindi literature's most enduring voices, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday, July 31 offered his respects to Munshi Premchand, the novelist whose pen reshaped how India saw itself.
Posting in Hindi, the Minister wrote: 'Hindi sahitya ke prasiddh upanyaskar evam samvedansheel rachnakar 'Upanyas Samrat' Munshi Premchand ji ki jayanti par unhe kotishaha naman' — 'Heartfelt salutations to the celebrated novelist and sensitive creator of Hindi literature, 'Upanyas Samrat' Munshi Premchand, on his birth anniversary.'
The man who gave Hindi fiction its conscience
Munshi Premchand, born Dhanpat Rai Srivastava on July 31, 1880, in Lamahi, near Varanasi, wrote across both Hindi and Urdu with a moral clarity that still unsettles. His novels — Godan, the devastating portrait of a peasant's lifelong dream, and Gaban, a study of middle-class aspiration and its corrosion — remain standard texts in Indian universities more than eight decades after his death in 1936. The title 'Upanyas Samrat' (Emperor of Novels) was not a marketing flourish; it was a verdict delivered by generations of readers. Premchand's genius lay in making the ordinary the urgent. Farmers crushed by debt, women trapped by social expectation, the quiet violence of caste — he wrote all of it without sentimentality and without flinching. He did not write about India's poor; he wrote from inside their world.Culture Ministry's role in keeping the legacy alive
Shekhawat's tribute arrives in his capacity as the minister responsible for India's cultural memory — a portfolio that includes oversight of the Sahitya Akademi, the country's apex literary institution, which regularly marks Premchand's July 31 jayanti through readings, publications, and commemorative events. Annual official acknowledgements of Premchand's birth anniversary have become a fixture of India's literary calendar, drawing participation from state governments, universities, and cultural bodies across Hindi-speaking regions. For a minister whose remit spans living culture and its preservation, invoking Premchand is also a statement of priorities — Hindi literary heritage as national heritage, not regional footnote.Point of View
Rural distress, and critique of inequality — is complex terrain for any ruling establishment to claim, yet successive governments have done so, reflecting how deeply he has been absorbed into the national canon. The annual ritual of official tributes also underscores the Sahitya Akademi's role as a soft-power instrument of the Culture Ministry. Whether these commemorations translate into substantive policy support for Hindi literary institutions remains the sharper question.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Munshi Premchand called 'Upanyas Samrat'?
Munshi Premchand is called 'Upanyas Samrat' — meaning Emperor of Novels — because of his unmatched contribution to Hindi and Urdu fiction, particularly his ability to portray the lives of ordinary Indians with depth and social conscience.
When is Munshi Premchand's birth anniversary?
Munshi Premchand's birth anniversary, or jayanti, falls on July 31 . He was born on July 31, 1880, in Lamahi village near Varanasi.
What are Munshi Premchand's most famous novels?
His most celebrated novels include Godan , which portrays the plight of an Indian peasant, and Gaban , which explores middle-class ambition and moral compromise. Both remain widely read and studied in India.
Who is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat?
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, a senior BJP leader, and a Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan .
What is the Sahitya Akademi's role in Premchand's anniversary?
The Sahitya Akademi , India's apex literary body under the Ministry of Culture, regularly marks Premchand's July 31 jayanti through readings, publications, and commemorative events celebrating Hindi-Urdu literary heritage.
