Rashtrakavi Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: Celebrating His Birth Anniversary

By Amit Kumar

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, celebrated as the Rashtrakavi (National Poet) of modern Hindi literature, was born on September 23, 1908, in the village of Simaria in Bihar’s Begusarai district. Despite growing up in a farming family, Dinkar pursued knowledge with zeal, mastering multiple languages and disciplines, including Hindi, Sanskrit, Bengali, Urdu, history, politics, and philosophy.

Dinkar graduated from Patna University in 1932 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. During India’s struggle for independence, he emerged as a prominent nationalist poet known for his “Veer Rasa” or heroic style. His poetry passionately urged resistance against colonial rule and inspired patriotism among Indians. He translated works of Rabindranath Tagore into Hindi and authored epic poems such as “Kurukshetra,” which explores themes of war, justice, and freedom.

After independence, Dinkar served as Vice-Chancellor of Bhagalpur University. His contributions to literature earned him prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, Padma Bhushan in 1959, and the Jnanpith Award.

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar passed away on April 24, 1974, but his literary legacy continues to inspire generations.