Dr. BINDESHWAR PRASAD IS A HIGHLY INDUSTRIOUS, HARDWORKING AND ENTERRISING WRITER:Dr. ANIL SULABH

Dr. BINDESHWAR PRASAD IS A HIGHLY INDUSTRIOUS, HARDWORKING AND ENTERRISING WRITER:Dr. ANIL SULABH

10-AUG-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-------------------------Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta is a highly industrious, hardworking, and enterprising writer, poet, and journalist... I wish him a long life—may he live to be a centenarian. — Dr. Anil Sulabh

Birth anniversary celebrations for *Rashtrakavi* (National Poet) Maithili Sharan Gupt, Mahesh Narayan (the patriarch of Hindi journalism), and freedom fighter and Hindi proponent Ramdayal Pandey were organized at the Bihar Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Patna... Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta was honored on the occasion of his 72nd birthday (August 4).

On August 6, 2026, the Bihar Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Patna, organized a felicitation ceremony in its grand, historic literary auditorium. The event celebrated the birth anniversaries of *Rashtrakavi* Maithili Sharan Gupt, Mahesh Narayan (a pioneer among the founders of the Hindi movement in Bihar), and freedom fighter-litterateur Ram Dayal Pandey. Simultaneously, the Sammelan honored its articulate spokesperson, senior poet, litterateur, and journalist Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta on the occasion of his 72nd birthday (August 4). A poetry symposium (*Kavi Sammelan*) was also organized as part of the event. The proceedings began with an auspicious song (*Mangal Gaan*) by Chanda Mishra. Dignitaries and guests present on the dais—including Dr. Ratneshwar Singh, Shashi Bhushan Prasad Singh, the Sammelan’s Finance Secretary Kumar Anupam, spokesperson Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta, Dr. Poonam Anand Pandey, Dr. Vibha Rani Srivastava, and Dr. Shama—along with the Sammelan’s President, Dr. Anil Sulabh, collectively lit the ceremonial lamp. Kumar Anupam welcomed the guests.

Subsequently, dignitaries such as Dr. Anil Sulabh, Dr. Ratneshwar Singh, and Dr. Shashi Bhushan Singh honored Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta on his 72nd birthday (August 4) by draping a ceremonial shawl (*Angavastram*) around him and presenting him with a floral garland and a bouquet. Dr. Anil Sulabh described Dr. Gupta as a highly industrious, hardworking, and enterprising writer and poet, and extended his best wishes for his longevity and a life spanning a hundred years. ... In addition to him, senior litterateurs Dr. Ratneshwar Singh, Dr. Shashi Bhushan Singh, Dr. Manoj Govardhanpuri, and Shambhunath Pandey; senior poet Prof. Sunil Kumar Upadhyay; as well as Siddheshwar, Dr. Poonam Anand, Shama Kausar 'Shama', Dr. Om Prakash Pandey, Sadanand Prasad, Er. Ashok Kumar, Vibharani Srivastava, Rajnish Kumar Gaurav, Indubhushan Sahay, Surya Prakash Upadhyay, and others also conveyed their best wishes for Dr. Gupta's health and longevity. ... Expressing his heartfelt sentiments, Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta said, "I am overwhelmed by the honor bestowed upon me and by receiving your good wishes. Your love, blessings, and respect will undoubtedly prove instrumental in boosting my longevity, zest for life, and morale."

Presiding over the conference—which included the birth anniversary celebrations of three literary luminaries (Dr. Mahesh Narayan, the pioneer of the Bihar Movement; Rashtrakavi Maithili Sharan Gupt; and Dr. Ramdayal Pandey) and a *Kavi Sammelan* (poets' gathering)—Conference President Dr. Anil Sulabh shared his thoughts on Babu Mahesh Narayan. He noted that Mahesh Babu was the first poet of *Mukta-chhand* (free verse) in Hindi poetry, the pioneer of the Bihar Movement, and the patriarch of Hindi journalism in Bihar. It was he who first conceived the idea of ​​creating a separate state of Bihar. He strengthened this movement by launching the newspaper *Bihar Times*. Following his demise, his associate Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha provided successful leadership to the movement, eventually leading to the formation of the state of Bihar. ... Recalling the great poet Maithili Sharan Gupt, he mentioned that Gupt—who was honored with the title of 'Rashtrakavi' (National Poet) by Mahatma Gandhi and the Padma Bhushan award by the Government of India—had advocated naming the newly developed *Khari Boli* dialect 'Bharti' instead of 'Hindi'. He believed that since this is the language of 'Bharat' (India), it should be named 'Bharati'. Throughout his life, Gupta ji sang the praises of Bharat and Bharati, praying: "May the Aryan people perform *Aarti* (worship) for her in the temple of the mind; Oh God! May our 'Bharati' (language/voice) resonate across the land of Bharat." He was a pre-eminent pioneer of the *Khari Boli* dialect and the first Hindi poet to narrate the story of Lord Rama in the form of the epic poem *Saket*.

Dr. Sulabh remarked that the great poet Ramdayal Pandey embodied self-respect, idealism, and patriotism. He was a distinguished freedom fighter, a spirited orator, and an immortal poet of nationalist sentiment. He was among the most dedicated servants of the *Sahitya Sammelan* (Literary Conference), having been elected its president four times. During the construction of the *Sammelan* building, he personally carried bricks and mortar on his head and inspired other litterateurs to do the same. He refused to accept the freedom fighter's pension, stating, "I served Mother India like a son, not like an employee expecting a service fee."

The *Kavi Sammelan* (poets' gathering) commenced with a *ghazal* recitation by Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta: "I am burning and melting away like a candle... in truth, I am deceiving my own self; the very person I loved inflicted such wounds upon me that I am now burning from the searing pain of those very wounds..." followed by a second *ghazal*—"I wish to smile amidst the fire of love; I wish to melt and flow like a burning candle..."—which deeply moved the entire audience. ... Next came poet Dr. Ratneshwar Singh, followed by Dr. Shashi Bhushan... and thus, the session of *ghazals*, *geets* (lyrical songs), and poems continued for a long time. Senior poet Prof. Sunil Kumar Upadhyay... Bhojpuri Expressing anguish over social anomalies through poetry—"I am left utterly drained, the tears in my eyes have dried up; love has put me to such a test—whom can I truly call my own?"—Brahmanand Pandey made an impassioned call: "Rain, O Sawan, rain; you are the beautiful adornment of creation; rain, O heart-pleasing Sawan..." Dr. Poonam Anand Pandey voiced her sorrow: "How shall we set up the swings of Sawan now?" Shama Kausar 'Shama' recited verses on "the shining star of literature," while Dr. Om Prakash Pandey recited lines like "Life is like a long wait; there is something akin to love in your eyes..." Sadanand Pandey questioned the justice system: "Truth stands in the witness box, while falsehood bears testimony to the truth." Siddheshwar recited, "May these storms carry you away on a flight..." and Er. Ashok Kumar Sinha reflected, "Look how everything has transformed in an instant." Surya Prakash Upadhyay mused, "So many seasons come and go on life's paths; some become lamps that light our way, while others turn into tears..." and "Life is now colored... sleep kept consuming..." Kumar Anupam observed, "Everyone is homeless today; the city is brought to its knees; injustice and atrocities breed vile deeds..." Dr. Ratneshwar Singh, Vibharani Srivastava, Rajnish Kumar Gaurav, Indubhushan Sahay, and Ashwini Kaviraj also shared their deeply emotional thoughts through poetry.

Brahmanand Pandey conducted the proceedings, and Krishna Ranjan Singh proposed the vote of thanks.

...Many distinguished individuals graced the occasion with their presence, including the building's custodian Pravir Kumar Pankaj, Vijay Kumar, Geeta Prasad, Sohini Priya, Mohini Priya, Prem Prakash, Saumya Kumari, and Abhiram.

Needless to say, who is not familiar with the 'Rashtrakavi' (National Poet) Maithili Sharan Gupt through the poems of his included in textbooks? An inspiring poem excerpted from his collection *Bharat-Bharati*: "You are a man; do not let your heart despair... Do some work, do some work; make a name for yourself in this world.

In these two lines from Gupta-ji's collection *Yashodhara*, the profound essence and significance of a woman's life are encapsulated: "O woman, this is the story of your life: milk in your bosom, and tears in your eyes..."

The lines that often follow are: "You are the embodiment of sacrifice and renunciation; the treasure of the earth, the queen of the home." Here, Gupta-ji has deeply portrayed the motherhood, sacrifice, and compassion of women—nourishment in one hand, tears in the other. As we remember him today, the relevance of these lines becomes strikingly apparent, especially given the ongoing insensitivity and disrespect towards women in society.

I had met the then-President of the conference, freedom fighter Dr. Ramdayal Pandey, several times and engaged in heartfelt conversations. His personality was imbued with self-respect, compassion, a sense of duty, patriotism, and deep dedication to the Hindi language. ...He was a truly sociable, selfless, guileless, and kind-hearted man—a litterateur in the truest sense who stood against injustice.

Today, the Bihar Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Patna, has honored the memory of these three literary luminaries by organizing their birth anniversary celebrations and introducing the new generation to their contributions. Furthermore, they have felicitated and honored me on my birthday for my dedication and sense of duty towards literature and journalism; no amount of praise would be enough to describe this—indeed, it would be no exaggeration to say so.