New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended a respectful tribute to the great storyteller Munshi Premchand on his birth anniversary, saying that he will forever remain a source of inspiration for the people of the country.
“A respectful tribute to the great storyteller Munshi Premchand on his birth anniversary. Through his timeless works, he gave powerful expression to human emotions, an expression that remains relevant to this day. He also made an invaluable contribution to bringing global recognition to the literary heritage of Kashi, the land of his birth and his life’s work. His immortal literature, rooted in realism and social equality, will forever remain a source of inspiration for the people of the country,” the PM said on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute, saying: “Paying tribute to the great Hindi litterateur Munshi Premchand on his birth anniversary. Renowned as the ‘Emperor of Storytelling’ (Katha Samrat), Premchand depicted events in his literature with such vividness that his works still feel alive today. Through his writing, he not only gave voice to the suffering, inequalities, and exploitation prevalent in society but also portrayed the sensibilities of children with remarkable simplicity and effectiveness through his children’s stories.”
“Even today, Premchand’s literature remains an excellent source of inspiration and guidance for understanding ideal writing,” he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said: “Paying tribute to Munshi Premchand, a master craftsman of Hindi literature and the ‘Emperor of Storytelling’ on his birth anniversary. Through his literature, Munshi Premchand gave vivid expression to the realities of Indian society, its suffering, its struggles, and its aspirations for change. His works are not merely fiction but a powerful chronicle of the social and cultural life of his times. His timeless writings continue to inspire us today with ideals of equality, social justice, and human values.”
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta also extended her tribute. “A million salutations on the birth anniversary of Munshi Premchand, a master craftsman of Hindi literature and a visionary writer. Through his writings, he gave a voice to the lives, struggles, and self-respect of those standing at the very margins of society. His works will continue to inspire social consciousness, human empathy, and a spirit of patriotism.”
Munshi Premchand (1880–1936) was one of the most celebrated writers in modern Indian literature, renowned for his profound influence on Hindi and Urdu fiction. Often hailed as the “Upanyas Samrat” (Emperor of Novels), Premchand brought realism, humanism, and social consciousness to Indian writing.
His works, encompassing over 300 short stories, 14 novels, and numerous essays, delve into the lives of ordinary people peasants, workers, women, and the socially oppressed reflecting the moral and political transformations of early twentieth-century India.
(IANS)
