Mahendra Bhatnagar

Mahendra Bhatnagar (Hindi: महेंद्र भटनागर; 26 June 1926 – 27 April 2020) was an Indian Hindi and English poet. He was one of the significant post-independence voices in his field of poetry, expressing the lyricism and pathos, as well as aspirations and yearnings of the modern Indian intellect.[1]

Mahendra Bhatnagar
Born(1926-06-26)26 June 1926
Jhansi, United Provinces, British India
DiedDied 27 April 2020 [aged 94 approx.(93 Years 10 June)] Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
LanguageHindi, English
NationalityIndian
Alma materNagpur University

Early life and education

Mahendra Bhatnagar was born in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh at his maternal grandfather's residence on 26 June 1926.

He received primary education in Jhansi, Morar, Gwalior, and Sabalgarh, Morena. He then graduated high school in Gwalior and intermediate at Madhav College in 1941 and 1943 respectively. He finally received his Bachelor of Arts degree at the Victoria College in 1945. After graduating, he pursued his Master's Degree and Doctorate at the Nagpur University in 1948 and 1957 respectively. He also received his teacher's license (L.T.1950) from the Madhya Bharat government.[2]

Career

Bhatnagar began teaching high school in July 1945 under the Madhya Pradesh Government Educational Service, and retired as a professor on 1 July 1984.[3]

He was once selected to become a professor of Hindi Language & Literature at the Tashkent University in 1978 by the University Grants Commission and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. He was also the principal investigator of the University Grants Commission at the Jiwaji University from 1984 to 1987.[4] In 1992, he taught at the Indira Gandhi National Open University Teaching Centre.[4] From time to time, some of his poems were included in various textbooks of the curricula of the Educational Boards & Universities of India. Afterwards, he worked as a chairman and a member of various committees in Indore University, Vikram University, and Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University among other institutions.[5]

He also worked in the Light Music of All India Radio as one of the members in the Audition Committees of Drama, and was contracted as a songwriter. During his talks in the programs, many of his poems were broadcast as well. He also conducted and directed many literary societies.

Furthermore, he became one of the award-judges at the following places: Bihar Rashtra-Bhasha Parishad, (1981 & 1983), Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan (1983), Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi (1991,1993,1994), and Hindi Sahitya Parishad (2001).[6][7][8]

Literary

Mahendra Bhatnagar is one of the many Indian poets whose literary careers were shaped by poetry in the post-independence of India in the 20th century. His poetic career over the years demonstrates his humanistic vision from beginning to end. Rooted deep into the Indian soil, his poems reflect not only the moods of a poet but of a complex age.[1][9] In his works, the thread of his humanistic vision can be seen vividly and he wrote poems to bring about a change in the world. He analyses, interprets, evaluates and describes his emotions in the light of his humanistic vision. For example, his poem "Helplessness" reveals not only his own helplessness, but also of the common people of India:

"Thrust upon, undesired life, I lived.
Every instant, every step, shame I lived
History, now you ask me what
Folly and dirtiness of the world, I lived."[10]

He also uses irony to expose the fraud of exploiters, particularly exposing the enemies of the labourers and the peasants of India. With his humanistic vision, he constantly compels the readers to distinguish between power and propriety.[11]

His poems were translated, published and broadcast in many foreign and Indian languages. However, he also edited Hindi literary magazines such as Sandhya and Pratikalpa magazines. He was also the adviser of Poetcrit magazine, and a member of the advisory board of Indian Journal of Postcolonial Literature.[12][13]

Bibliography

Eleven volumes of poems in English :[14]

  • Forty Poems of Mahendra Bhatnagar [Selected Poems – 1][15]
  • After The Forty Poems [Selected Poets – 2][16]
  • Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar's Poetry. [Selection Poems – 3]
  • "Exuberance" and other poems.[17]
  • "Death Perception : Life Perception"[18]
  • "Passion and Compassion"[19]
  • "Poems : For A Better World"[20]
  • "Lyric-Lute"[21]
  • "A Handful of Light"[22]
  • "New Enlightened World"[23]
  • "Dawn to Dusk"[24]

Distinguished Anthologies :

  • "Pomes: For Human Dignity"[25]
  • Poems of social harmony & humanism: realistic & visionary aspects - "Life: As It Is"[26]
  • Poems of faith & optimism : delight & pain/ Philosophy of life - "O, Moon, My Sweet-Hearet!"
  • Love poems - "Sparrow" and other poems[27]
  • Nature poems - "Death and Life"[28]
  • Poems on death-perception : life-perception & Critical Study
    • One volume of translated poems in French - "A Modern Indian Poet : Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : Un Poèt Indien Et Moderne"[29]
    • Works published in seven volumes in Hindi – three poems (comprising sixteen earlier collections), two critical articles, one on Premchand (Research work) and one from miscellaneous writings.[30]
  • Only poetry works published in three volumes in Hindi — "Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar Ki Kavitaa-Gangaa" (18 Collections)

Published research & critical studies :

  • Living Through Challenges : A Study of Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar's Poetry. [by Dr. B.C. Dwivedy][31]
  • Poet Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : His Mind And Art. [Edited][32]
  • Concerns and Creation. [Edited][33]
  • E-Book : Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar's Poetry in the eyes of critics. [KedarNath Sharma][34]
  • The Poetry of Mahendra Bhatnagar : Realistic & Visionary Aspects. [Edited / forthcoming][35]

Work in Hindi

  • Kaviśrī (Poems)[36]
  • Jujhate hue (Poems)[37]

Awards
  • Four times (1952, 1958, 1960, 1985) from the Madhya Pradesh Government Award

References
  1. Prof. Suresh Chandra Dwivedi. "A conversation with Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar". Another Subcontinent. Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar I have been related to English language since my childhood.
  2. Sabharwal, R.K Bhushan, Concerns and Creation: A Critical Study of Mahendra Bhatnagar's Poetry (2012), Delhi,Indian Publishers and Distributors.
  3. Bhatnagar, Mahendra, Life As It Is, 2012, Delhi, Indian Publishers and Distributors.
  4. Sabharwal, Dr R.K.B, Concerns and Creation.
  5. Bhatnagar, Mahendra, Life As It Is.
  6. Title Pragativadi Kavi Mahendra Bhatnagar Anubhuti Aur Abhivyakti,Author:Madhuri Shukla,Language:Hindi,Year:2005,Binding:HB,Pages:344p,ISBN 8174531998,9788174531995,Subject(s):Criticism
  7. INTERVIEW — DR. NEELANSHU AGARWAL – Wildviolet : USA
  8. INTERVIEW — Dr. S. C. Dwivedi
  9. "MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR: A POET OF PASSION AND COMPASSION". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  10. Mahendra Bhatnagar's Biography Archived 30 June 2013 at archive.today
  11. LITERARY LEGEND SPEAKS [INTERVIEW] — ANIL SHARMA (CV)
  12. Mahendra Bhatnagar in authorsden
  13. Samajik Chetna Ke Shilpi Kavi Mahendra Bhatnagar,Author:Haricharan Sharma, ISBN 9788185234342, Publisher:Bohra Publications
  14. Centre for information on language Sciences Archived 29 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Dr._Mahendra_Bhatnagar's_Poetry
  16. After the FortyPoems** : Mahendra Bhatnagar Archived 10 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  17. Book Title:Exuberance and Other Poems, (2001). Mahendra Bhatnagar, ISBN 8173412235
  18. 'Death-Perception: Life-Perception': A Dialectical Study, Mrs. Purnima Ray, Burdwan (W.B.)
  19. Mahendra Bhatnagar, Passion And Compassion Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine (2005), ISBN 8173413819
  20. POEMS  : FOR A BETTER WORLD (50 Poems)
  21. Lyric – Lute, Mahendra Bhatnagar, Vista International Publishing House (2007), xvii, 275 p, ISBN 978-81-89942-03-8
  22. Poetic-Verses
  23. An Indian English Poet by Prof. Dr. Suresh Chandra Dwivedi
  24. "The Poetic Spectrum and Dimension of Poet Mahendra Bhatnagar". Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  25. Multi-dimensional Props in the Poetry of Mahendra Bhatnagar
  26. LIFE: AS IT IS [Vol.4], POEMS OF FAITH & OPTIMISM: DELIGHT & PAIN PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE;POET: Mahendra Bhatnagar
  27. "Sparrow and Other Poems". Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  28. Death-perception: Life Perception, Dr Mahendra Bhatnagar, ISBN 8173412650, (2002),
  29. ISBN 9788173413513, Indian Publishers Distributors, Pages:292, (2004)
  30. Samasyāmūlaka upanyāsakāra Premacanda
  31. Title:Living Through Challenges: A Study of Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar's Poetry, Bairagi Charan Dwivedy, Publisher:Sanjay Prakashan (2006), ISBN 9788174532565, 112 pages
  32. Poet Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : his mind and art. Ed: Suresh Chandra Dwivedi, Shubha Dwivedi, Authors:Dwivedi, Suresh Chandra, 1950–, Dwivedi, Shubha. New Delhi : Vista International Pub. House, 2007, Edition:1st ed, ISBN 9788189942045
  33. Named Person:Mahendra Bhatnagar; Mahendra Bhatnagar, Purnima Ray, ISBN 9788173413513
  34. E-Book : Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar's Poetry in the eyes of critics
  35. Mahendra Bhatnagar Ke Geet, Author: Harish Chander Verma, ISBN 8173411964, ISBN 9788173411960, Publisher:Indian Publishers Distributors, Pub. Year:2001, Language: Hindi, Category: Fiction
  36. google Book :Kaviśrī
  37. google Book :Jujhate hue

Further reading
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