Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Harivansh Rai Bachchan (Bengali:হারিভাঁশ রায় বচ্চন,Hindi:हरिवंश राइ बच्चान ; bornHarivansh Rai Bachchan Shrivastavon 27 November 1907 – 18 January 2003). was a noted Hindi poet of Chhayavaad literary movement (romantic upsurge) of early 20th century Hindi literature. He was also a famous poet of Hindi Kavi Sammelan. He is best known for his early work Madhushala (मधुशाला). Obituary, Frontline, (The Hindu), February 01 - 14, 2003. He is also the father of Bollywood megastar, Amitabh Bachchan.

Personal life and education

Born in a Srivastava Kayastha family, in the village of Babupatti (Raniganj) in the district of Pratapgarh, U.P. near Allahabad in the United Provinces (modern Uttar Pradesh),his father name Pratap Narayan Srivastava mother name Saraswati Devi Srivastava, he was the eldest son of Pratap Narayan Shrivastav and Saraswati Devi. He was called bachchan (meaning 'child-like') at home. He received his formal schooling in a municipal school and followed the family tradition of attending Kayastha Paathshaalas (कायस्थ पाठशाला) to learn Urdu as the first step to a career in law. He later studied at the Allahabad University and Banaras Hindu University. In this period, he came under the influence of the independence movement, then under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

Realizing that this was not the path he wanted to follow, he went back...
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