Viveki Rai (19 November 1924 – 22 November 2016) was an Indian writer who penned over fifty books. He was a famous literary figure of

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

and Bhojpuri literature. He belonged to

Bhumihar Brahmin Bhumihars, also called Babhan, are a Hindu caste mainly found in Bihar (including the Mithila region), the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, and Nepal. The Bhumihars claim Brahmin statu ...

community of Sonwani village in

Ghazipur Ghazipur is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ghazipur city is the administrative headquarters of the Ghazipur district, one of the four districts that form the Varanasi division of Uttar Pradesh. The city of Ghazipur also constitu ...

. He was a well known Hindi Lalit Nibandhakaar. He received numerous awards from the government of

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

. ''Sonamati'' is his most popular novel. He was awarded Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan Award in 2001 and

's prestigious Yash Bharati Samman award in 2006 for his contribution to

Hindi literature Hindi literature ( hi, हिन्दी साहित्य, translit=hindī sāhitya) includes literature in the various Hindi language which have writing systems. Earliest forms of Hindi literature are attested in poetry of Apabhraṃś ...

. He has been awarded the

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

Samman by the

government. Sri Rai has been awarded by Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Award of Srimath

Kashi Kashi or Kaashi may refer to: Places * Varanasi (historically known as "Kashi"), a holy city in India **Kingdom of Kashi, an ancient kingdom in the same place, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas **Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi * Kashgar, a cit ...

on 14 January 2012 in

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

. He criticized the

Indian Emergency The Emergency in India was a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had a state of emergency declared across the country. Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution beca ...

through his writing. He also published some notable essays. After a long illness, Rai died on 22 November 2016.

Early life

Viveki Rai was born in Bharauli village of Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh, India. He lost his father when he was a young child. He got his early education at his maternal place. His first employment was as a teacher at his village Sonwani. However, after a couple of years he moved to Sri Sarvodaya Inter College, Khardiha and started teaching Hindi. It was village Khardiha where he got recognition as a writer. After a few years at Khardiha he was employed at post graduate college Ghazipur as lecturer.

List of works

Hindi

* ''Mangal Bhavan'' * ''Namami Gramama'' * ''Dehri ke'' * ''Circus'' * ''Sona Mati'' * ''Kalatit'' * ''Gunga Jahaj'' * ''Purush Puran'' * ''Samar Shesh Hai'' * ''Fir Baitalawa Dar Par'' * ''Aam Rasta Nahin Hai'' * ''Angan Ke Bandanvar'' * ''Astha Aur Chintan'' * ''Atithi'' * ''Babool'' * ''Chali Fagunhat Baure Aam'' * ''Gamvai Gandh Gulab'' * ''Jivan Agyan Ka Ganith Hai'' * ''Lautkar Dekhna'' * ''Lokrin'' * ''Manbodh Master Ki Diary'' * ''Mere Shuddha Shraddhey'' * ''Meri Terah Kahaniyan'' * ''

Narendra Kohli Narendra Kohli (6 January 1940 – 17 April 2021) was an Indian author. Writing in Hindi-language, he is credited with reinventing the ancient form of epic writing in modern prose. He is also regarded as a trendsetter in the sense that he pio ...

Apratim Katha Yatri'' * ''Sawalon Ke Samne'' * ''Shwet Patra'' * ''Yeh Jo Hai Gayatri''

Literary Criticism

* ''Kalpana Aur Hindi Sahitya'', Anila Prakāśana, 1999.

Others

* ''MERI SHRESHTHA VYANGYA RACHNAYEN'', 1984.

Bhojpuri

Essays and Poetry

* ''Bhojapurī nibandha nikuñja: Bhojapurī ke taintālīsa go cunala nibandha'', Akhila Bhāratīya Bhojapurī Sāhitya Sammelana, 1977. * ''Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Sarasvatī: Bhojapurī kahānī, nibandha, saṃsmaraṇa'', Bhojapurī Saṃsthāna, 1992. * ''Janatā ke pokharā: tīni go Bhojapurī kavitā'', Bhojapurī Sāhitya Saṃsthāna, 1984. * ''Bhojapurī Akādamī, Paṭanā, tisarakā vārshikotsava samāroha, Ravivāra, 2 Maī 1982, ke avasara para āyojita vyākhyānamālā meṃ Bhojapurī kathā sāhitya ke vikāsa vishaya para Ḍô. Vivekī Rāya ... ke vyākhyāna'', Bhojapurī Akādamī, 1982.

Stories

* Chhat ke talas

Novels

* ''Amangalhari'', Bhojpurī Saṃsthāna, 1998. * ''Ke Kahala Chunarī Rangā la'', Bhojpuri Saṃsāda, 1968. * ''Guru-Grih Gayau Padhan Raghurai'', 1992.

Ph.D. Dissertations on Viveki Rai

* Viveki Rai Ke Upanyasom Mein Anchalikata-By.Rajeemole C R Mahatma Gandhi University * Gaav Ke Badalate Swaroop:Viveki Rai Ke Upanyason Ke Visesh Sandarbh Me-By. Daissy Peter, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit * Dr Viveki Rai Vyaktitav Aur Krititav-By D K Bamane,

University of Mumbai The University of Mumbai is a collegiate, state-owned, public research university in Mumbai. The University of Mumbai is one of the largest universities in the world. , the university had 711 affiliated colleges. Ratan Tata is the appointed h ...

Notes

References

* Amaresh Datta, Mohan Lal, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature : Navaratri-Sarvasena'',

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of, the Indian government. Its of ...

, 1991. 1924 births 2016 deaths People from Ghazipur Hindi-language writers 20th-century Indian novelists Bhojpuri-language writers Writers from Uttar Pradesh Indian literary critics 20th-century Indian essayists 20th-century Indian poets {{India-writer-stub