“Critics belonging to a particular ideological school have never accepted Premchand as a nationalist. Although Premchand was not writing overtly nationalist literature, a covert nationalist outlook is clearly visible in his works.” said Prof. Satyaketu Sankrit, Senior Professor at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, during a lecture on the theme “Premchand’s Philosophy of Life,” organized by P.G.D.A.V. College (Evening), University of Delhi, on the occasion of the 147th birth anniversary of the literary legend Premchand on 31 July.In his address, Prof. Sanskrit said that the spirit of national consciousness had been present in Premchand’s writings from the very beginning. His very first collection of short stories, Soz-e-Watan, was confiscated by the British government. Most of the stories in that collection stood in opposition to the colonial regime. On the occasion, he also shed light on various aspects of Premchand’s life by analysing his literary characters in a simple and accessible manner, thereby highlighting his philosophy of life.On this occasion, Principal, Prof. Harindri Chaudhary, said that “By adopting literature as a means, Premchand not only gave society a new direction and outlook but also inspired writers to make fiction idealistic while keeping it grounded in realism.”Introducing the theme of the event, senior critic and Professor, Department of Hindi, Prof. Harish Arora, said that if one wishes to truly analyse Premchand’s works, they must be viewed in relation to the historical period in which they were written. He added that a storyteller brings about revolutionary social change through storytelling, and this is clearly evident in Premchand’s writings.Prof. Omkar Lal Meena, Head of the Hindi Department, stated that Premchand’s philosophy of life was based on humanism, Gandhian ideals, and social reform. Premchand was deeply connected with the lives of ordinary people, farmers, and the oppressed. Truth, honesty, and moral values held a place of great importance in both his life and his literature. The event was attended by the heads of various college cells, faculty members, and students. Senior members of the Hindi Department, and professors from various other departments, were also present. The event was organised and conducted by Mr. Vikas Sharma, Coordinator of the Hindi Literary Society, and the formal vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Anand Kumar.
