Parasmani Pradhan

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Dr.

Parasmani Pradhan
पारसमणि प्रधान
Portrait of Pradhan Mani Pradhan
Born(1898-01-01)1 January 1898
Kalimpong, Bengal, British India
(present-day West Bengal, India)
Died2 February 1986(1986-02-02) (aged 88)
Siliguri, West Bengal, India
Other namesPrashman
Occupation(s)Writer, publisher, poet
Notable workTipan Tapan
SpouseJasmaya Newarni
Parents
  • Bhagyamani Bhikshacharya (father)
  • Laxmi Maya Newarni (mother)
AwardsMadan Puraskar

Parasmani Pradhan (Nepali: पारसमणि प्रधान) (1 January 1898–2 February 1986) was an Indian Nepali-language writer, poet, translator, grammarian, educator and publisher.[1] He published multiple Nepali language textbooks and played an important role in shaping the modern Nepali grammar. He was one of the key figures who contributed in establishing Nepali as one of the official language of India.[2]

He was a part of a literary group in Darjeeling called SuDhaPa with Surya Bikram Gyawali and Dharanidhar Koirala.[3] The trio played an important role in promoting Nepali language among the Nepali diasporic societies in India.[4][5]

Early life and schooling[edit]

Pradhan Mani Pradhan was born on 1 January 1898 (18 Poush 1955 BS) in Kalimpong to father Bhagyamani Bhikshacharya and mother Laxmi Maya Newarni. His grandfather Chintamani Shakya migrated to Lalitpur district from Okhaldhunga district. His father with his mother then moved to Kashi in India, at the age of 14 where he met the publisher Pt. Harihar Sharma. His father worked with Pt. Harihar Sharma for few years before moving to Kalimpong and settled there. In Kalimpong his father was popularly known as Julfe Newar.[6]

For his primary education, he was admitted to Pudung Primary School, a Scottish missionary school, 2 miles east of his home. Due to the difficulty of the way to the school in monsoon season, he was shifted to Waugh Primary School. He completed his primary education at Waugh. He was then admitted to Upper Primary School of same mission. After he was punished by the teacher at the school, his mother refused to send him back to the school and admitted him in the night school of his uncle Sri Harkadhoj Pradhan. He then went to Darjeeling with his cousin as a companion, who had won a scholarship to study in a school in Darjeeling. He too was admitted to the Darjeeling Government High School. He passed the Matriculation examination in Hindi medium since Nepali-medium education was not available in Darjeeling and Kalimpong area.[7]

Literary career[edit]

He started his literary career by publishing Adhyavasaya, an article in May 1915 issue of Chandra magazine (Year I, Issue 9) published from Benaras. In the next issue of the same magazine, he wrote an essay titled Bidhya. He played an important role in standardising the Nepali grammar. He published multiple books and text books about the Nepali language grammar.

Between 1918 and 1924, he wrote many plays. He wrote and edited about 45 books in his lifetime including Bharatbarshako Itihas, Bilayat Yatra, Nepali Bhasako Utpati ra Bikas, Kabi ra Kabita, Tipan Tapan, etc.[8] He was a part of group called SooDhaPa alongside Surya Bikram Gyawali and Dharanidhar Koirala. The trio played an important role in promoting Nepali language among the Nepali diasporic society in India. In 1924 they founded a literary organization for Nepalese community in India called ‘Nepali Sahitya Sammelan’, which won the Jagadamba Shree Puraskar, The organization also published a literary magazine called Nepali Sahitya Patrika.[3] The trio christend Laxmi Prasad Devkota, Balkrishna Sama and Lekhnath Paudyal as the trimurti (triumvirate) of Nepali literature.[9]

Personal life and death[edit]

Parasmani Pradhan
Parasmani Pradhan

His first wife left him while he was away in Darjeeling for his matriculation exam preparation. He then married Jasmaya Newarni, the daughter of Gopal Singh Malla and Indra Laxmi Malla. They had 12 children. He died on 2 February 1986 in Siliguri.[10]

Notable works[edit]

Nepali grammar books/coursebooks[edit]

Title Year of publication Note
Sajilo Nepali Byakaran 1932
Nepali Sajilo Ganit Vol. 1 1938 Maths coursebook
Nepali Rachana Kusum Vol. 1 Co-authored with Nagedramani Pradhan
Nepali Rachana Bharati Vol. 1 & 2 1954 Co-authored with Amarmani Pradhan
Nepali Byakaran Bharati 1954 Co-authored with Nagedramani Pradhan
Prathamik Nepali Byakaran 1954
Nepali Muhavara 1954 About Nepali phrases
Nepali Sajilo Sahitya Vol. 4 1955
Prabesika Byakaran ra Rachana Co-authored with Tika Ram Sharma
Nepali Bhasa ko Sahitik Bibaran 1970
Nepali Byakaranko Paribarddhit ra Bartaman Roop 1970
Byakaranko Dantya Katha 1970
Nepali Byakaran Vol. I 1970
Madhyamik Nepali Byakaran ra Rachana 1982

Nepali translation of novels[edit]

Title Year of publication Original title Writer Original language
Hiranmaye Charitra 1916 Yugalanguriya Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Bengali
Bilayat Yatra 1919 Bilayat Yatra Gajadhar Singh Hindi

Plays (written between 1918 and 1924)[edit]

  • Sawitri Satyawan
  • Sundar Kumar
  • Harishchandra
  • Ratnawali
  • Bidhya Sundar
  • Chandra Gupta
  • Sita Banbas
  • Buddha Charitra Natak
  • Mahabharat Natak

Non–fiction[edit]

  • Nepal Prathamik Bhugol Vol. I & II (Geographical nonfiction, 1933/46)
  • Prathamik Shiksha Bidhi (1942)
  • Nepali Hamro Matribhasa (Essay, 1953)
  • Nepali Bhasa ko Utapatti ra Bikas (1961)
  • Bharat ko Itishas (Ketaketiko) (1961)
  • 108 Amar Jiwai Vol. I & II (Biographies, 1964)
  • Tipan Tapan Vol. I (Essays, 1969)
  • Rochak Sanmaran (Essays, 1969)
  • Panch Paurakhi Purusha Ratna (Biographies, 1969)
  • Nepali Sahitya ko Saun Akshar (Essay, 1969)
  • Afno Barema 1 (Autobiography, 1971)
  • Kwanti (1972)
  • Aathau Anushuchi ma Nepali Bhasa (transl. Nepali Language in Eighth Schedule, 1972)
  • Sarkari Kamkaj Garna Bidhi (1973)
  • Kathe Jhanki (Essay, 1974)
  • Ramailo Samjhana Kharsang ko (History of Kurseong, 1978)
  • Mahakabi Laxmi Prasad Devkota (Biography of Laxmi Prasad Devkota, 1978)
  • Kabi Shiromani Lekhnath Paudyal (Biography of Lekhnath Paudyal, 1979)

Short stories[edit]

  • Maya ko Chiya
  • Katha Bharati Jetho Bhag (1953)
  • Katha Bharati Mahilo Bhag (1954)
  • Katha Bharati Sahilo Bhag (1955)
  • Katha Bharati Kahinlo Bhag (1956)
  • Sadhe Saat Katha (1974)

Poems[edit]

  • Prasnottar (Bhanubhaktiya) (1949)
  • Kabi ra Kabita (1957)
  • Jaymala (1972)
  • Kathmandu ma Dash Din (1975)

Awards and legacy[edit]

In 1969, he won the Madan Puraskar, Nepal's highest literary honour, for his book Tipan Tapan.[10] The same year, Pradhan was also awarded with the Tribhuvan Puraskar for the book Pancha Paurakhi Purush by Royal Nepal Academy in 1968. He was conferred with the Degree of Doctor of letters (Honoris Causa) by the Tribhuwan University in June 1975 and the Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) by the University of North Bengal in April 1981. In 1983, he was awarded the Ratna Shree Subarna Padak by Ratna Shree Patrika, Kathmandu for his article Maile Chineko Samaj.[7]

His biography titled Dr. Parasmani Ko Jiwan Yatra was written by his son Nagendramani Pradhan. The book won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award for Nepali language in 1995. An award in his name Parasmani Pradhan Puraskar is awarded annually by Nepali Sahitya Adhyan Samiti.[11][12]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "पारसमणि प्रधान – मदन पुरस्कार गुठी". Madan Puraskar Guthi (in Nepali). Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Nepali "Bhasa Andolan": Re-telling The Story". The Darjeeling Chronicle. 12 November 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2022. It came to notice that in order to get a place in the constitution the respective language should be recognized by Sahitya Academy, New Delhi. This mission was also initiated by many literary and political organizations and an eminent person like Dr Parasmani Pradhan and Siddharth Shankar Ray. It was finally accomplished and Nepali got recognition in December 1978.
  3. ^ a b "The Darjeeling Luminaries". ECS NEPAL. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  4. ^ Parsai, Narendra Raj. "सूधपा को हुन् ?". Samakalin Sahitya (in Nepali). Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  5. ^ Sharma, Kedar. "सूधपाको सुध". Kantipur (in Nepali). Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  6. ^ "पारसमणि प्रधान Paras Mani Pradhan". Nai Prakashan (in Nepali). Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  7. ^ a b Pradhan, Indramani (1997). Parasmani Pradhan. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-0366-2.
  8. ^ "बहुआयामिक व्यक्तित्वका धनी पारसमणि प्रधान". साहित्यपोस्ट. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  9. ^ "दार्जिलिङमा साहित्यका त्रिमूर्ति- नरेन्द्रराज प्रसाईं". कम्युनिष्ट अनलाइन (in Nepali). 23 June 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  10. ^ a b Prachi: A Literary Digest of East Indian Languages. Sahitya Akademi. 1990. p. 246.
  11. ^ "साहित्यकार सुवास दीपकलाई 24 औँ पारसमणि पुरस्कार प्रदान". Jhyaal Online (in Nepali). Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  12. ^ प्रतिनिधि, खबरम्यागजिन. "नोर्जाङ स्याङदेनलाई पारसमणि पुरस्कार – खबरम्यागजिन". Khabar Magazine (in Nepali). Retrieved 5 March 2022.

Further reading[edit]

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