Nand Chaturvedi (1923–2014) was a distinguished Hindi poet, litterateur, and socialist. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Hindi from Rajasthan University, in addition to holding a Sahitya Ratna and a Ph.D. from Agra University, which he obtained in 1957. Chaturvedi commenced his career as a lecturer at Govindram Seksariya Teacher’s Training College in Maharashtra from 1950 to 1955. He subsequently served as a Hindi professor at Vidya Bhavan Rural Institute in Udaipur, Rajasthan, from 1956 until 1981. Alongside his teaching responsibilities, he was an accomplished poet, writing extensively in Braj Bhasha and expressing his thoughts through various poetic forms, including Ghanakshari, Savaiya, Pada, and Doha Padas. His work often centred on themes of national independence and socio-economic inequality. Furthermore, he produced Chatushpadis (quatrains), songs, and modern free-verse poems in Hindi Khari Boli, the standard dialect.
As a prolific author, Chaturvedi published numerous literary works, with notable titles including Yeh Samai Mamuli Nahin (1983), Shabd Sansar Ki Yayavari (1985), Imandar Dunya Ke Liye (1994), Woh Soye To Nahin Honge (1997), and Utsav Ka Nirmam Samai. In addition to his writings, he held editorial positions at several prominent Hindi magazines, such as Bindu (a quarterly published from 1966 to 1972), Jai Hind (a socialist weekly based in Kota), Madhumati (the monthly publication of the Rajasthan Sahitya Academy), and Jan-Shikshan (a monthly magazine of the Vidya Bhavan Society).
In recognition of his contributions to Hindi literature, Chaturvedi received numerous prestigious awards. Among his accolades are the Bihari Puraskar from the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1996 for Yeh Samai Mamuli Nahin, and the Prasaran Sanmaan conferred by Prasar Bharati in 1998. He was honored with the Equality Writer Award by Astha Sansthan in January 2007 and received the highest literary award Sahitya Vachaspati from the Prayag Hindi Sahitya Sammelan in 2008. Additionally, Chaturvedi was the recipient of the Mira Puraskar, the highest literary honor awarded by the Rajasthan Government, as well as the Lok Mangal Puraskar from Lokmangal Foundation, Mumbai.
Nand Chaturvedi passed away on December 25, 2014.
About the Collection : The papers of Nand Chaturvedi have been donated by his sons, Arun Chaturvedi and Anurag Chaturvedi. The collection contains Nand Chaturvedi’s correspondence with prominent contemporary writers and poets. It also comprises manuscripts, drafts, and diaries that contain poems and articles addressing ethical values, social issues, post-independence poetry, and aesthetic resistance. In addition, the collection includes several issues of Bindu magazine, photographs, press clippings, and booklets, that serve as valuable resource material for the study of modern poetry and contemporary prose writing. (Catalogue Available)
Donor: Arun and Anurag Chaturvedi
Acquisition: 2024