Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Scholar, Writer
Scholar, Writer

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi

Born 19 August 1907 · Uttar Pradesh — Died 19 May 1979

Authored influential historical research on Kabir and Natha Sampradaya in Hindi literature.

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was a Hindi novelist, literary historian, essayist, critic and scholar. He penned numerous novels, collections of essays, historical research on medieval religious movements of India especially Kabir and Natha Sampradaya, and historical outlines of Hindi literature.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Dwivedi mastered not only Hindi and Sanskrit but also Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Pali, Prakrit, and Apabhramsa, enabling him to study medieval Indian texts in their original languages.

The Story

1
In 1907, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was born in Dubey Chapra village, Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, into a family known for its astrologers, setting the stage for his lifelong mastery of ancient Indian texts and languages.
2
🌟 By 1930, Dwivedi had joined Visva Bharati in Santiniketan, where he spent two decades absorbing the influences of Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, and others, deeply shaping his literary and aesthetic sensibilities.
3In 1949, he earned a Doctorate in Hindi literature from the University of Lucknow, cementing his scholarly foundation and launching prolific historical research on medieval religious movements like Kabir and the Natha Sampradaya.
4📚 Dwivedi’s 1957 Padma Bhushan award recognized his pioneering reinterpretation of Sahitya-sastra, where his deep knowledge of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit revived the understanding of Indian literary traditions.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1957
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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Dwivedi’s early education combined traditional Jyotisha (astrology) studies with formal university degrees, earning 'Acharya' in astrology and 'Shastri' in Sanskrit by 1930, a rare blend for a modern literary scholar.

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Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
Hazari Prasad Dwivedi featured on an Indian postage stamp issued in 1997
Hazari Prasad Dwivedi featured on an Indian postage stamp issued in 1997
1997

🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh
Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was born in Dubey Chapra village, Ballia district, into a family known for Sanskrit scholarship and astrology.
1907
📚
Education
Earned Shastri in Sanskrit
Completed Shastri degree in Sanskrit literature, marking his formal entry into classical Indian scholarship.
1929
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Career
Joined Visva Bharati Santiniketan
Started teaching Sanskrit and Hindi, and engaged with Tagore and other Bengali luminaries, influencing his literary style deeply.
1930
📚
Education
Doctorate from Lucknow University
Received doctorate in Hindi literature, focusing on historical and literary research that shaped his later works.
1949
⚡
Career
Joined Official Language Commission
Appointed member of India’s first Official Language Commission, influencing language policy post-independence.
1955
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received Padma Bhushan for contributions to Hindi literature and literary criticism.
1957
🏅
Award
Won Sahitya Akademi Award
Honored with Sahitya Akademi Award for his essay collection 'Alok Parva', blending scholarship with literary flair.
1973
🕊️
Death
Passed away in Delhi
Died at age 71, leaving behind a vast legacy in Hindi literary scholarship and criticism.
1979
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
💡SURPRISING

At Visva Bharati, Dwivedi engaged closely with Rabindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose, absorbing Bengali literary and artistic culture that deeply influenced his Hindi writings despite his Uttar Pradesh roots.

02 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Dwivedi was a member of India's first Official Language Commission in 1955, contributing to foundational decisions on Hindi’s role in independent India’s administration and education.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

His 1973 Sahitya Akademi Award was for 'Alok Parva', a collection of essays blending scholarly insight with wit, marking a departure from purely academic prose in Hindi literature.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi's scholarly works provided a critical framework for understanding medieval religious movements, especially Kabir and the Natha Sampradaya, influencing Hindi literary curricula across Indian universities. His role in the first Official Language Commission helped shape language policies in post-independence India. Institutions like Visva Bharati and Banaras Hindu University continue to honor his contributions through academic programs and research centers.

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