Continuing our tradition from last year, we present the list of Indian authors whose work has entered public domain on 1st Jan, 2013. The criteria for entering public domain this year is for the author to have died in calendar year 1952.
The data has been collected from variety of sources including Wikipedia, books brought out by Sahitya Academy on history of Indian literature and other online sources. There are bound to be mistakes in this data. So please point out anything you notice. If you know of more Indian authors who died in 1952 and hence have entered public domain this year, do let us know and we will add it to the list with your reference.
Why should you as a writer or someone who loves books care? An author entering public domain means that most of his works are now free to be republished, translated, converted to different format and to be introduced to a new audience in any way you can imagine. It is possible to digitize them and conserve them forever. So dig into the list and find out some gems. And when you find one, let the whole world know.
Abdur Rahim (judge) (1867-1952)
A judge and politician in British India, and a leading member of the Muslim League.
Books
Accha Rai Rasik (1928-1952)
A noted writer of humorous prose from Darjeeling.
Books:
- Saptakoshi (1955)
- Rasik Rachnavali (1928)
Balwantrai Thakor (1869-1952)
Prof. Balwantrai Thakore is considered one of the greatest pioneers of the Pandit yug in Gujarati poetry. Some of his poetry is available online (in Gujarati script).
Bani Kanta Kakoti (1894-1952)
A prominent literary figure, critic and scholar in Assamese language with his immense contribution to the language in terms of literature, linguistics, cultural anthropology and comparative religion. A profile of Banikanta Kakoti.
Books
- Assamese: Its Formation and Development ( 1941)
- Purani Axhomiya Xhahitya ( 1940)
- Life and Teachings of Shankardeva
- Vishnuite Myths and Legends ( 1952)
- Kalita Jaatir Itibritta
Adavi Bapi Raju (1895-1952)
A famous Telugu novelist, poet, playwright, painter and art director. A profile in the Hindu.
Books
- Narayanarao (Novel)
- Narudu
- Gona Ganna Reddy (Novel)
- Ansumathi
Some books are available here.
Beni Madhab Das (1866 – 1952)
An erudite Bengali scholar, a renowned teacher. He presided over the All-India Theistic Conference at Kakinada, now in Andhra Pradesh, in 1923. His presidential speech was later published in a booklet entitled Modern Theistic Movement in India. His collection of essays, Pilgrimage Through Prayers, was a critically acclaimed publication.
Brajendranath Banrejee
Bengali literary historiographer. His main contribution to Bengali literature is his biographies of Bengali writers who were involved in the social and literary movements of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Books available on Google Books.
Chelannat Achutha Menon (1894-1952)
A prolific Malayalam writer. He was the Head of the Malayalam Department in University of Madras. He wrote seven farces, two short story collections, a collection of poems, a novel and three collections of essays.
Garimella Satyanarayana (1893-1952)
A Poet and Freedom Fighter of Andhra Pradesh, India. He made Telugu song a powerful instrument of mass-movement. He also translated ‘Kural and Nalayiram from Tamil.
Books
- Swaraajya geetamulu (1921)
- Harijana paatalu (1923)
- Khandakaavyalu, baalageetaalu (1926)
- Telugu translation of the Economic Conquest of India by Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya.
Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor (1885-1952)
A renowned poet of the J&K Kashmir Valley. He is especially noted for introducing a new style into Kashmiri poetry and for expanding Kashmiri poetry into previously unexplored thematic realms. In addition to his poems in Kashmiri, Mahjoor is also noted for his poetic compositions in Persian and Urdu. A profile and translation of many of his poems. English translations are not out of copyright.
Ghulam Bhik Nairang (1876-1952)
Also known as Meer Nairang, was a distinguished lawyer, a poet and a prominent Indian Muslim leader. Migrated to Pakistan after partition.
Kishorlal Mashruwala (Gujarati Wikipedia) (1890-1952)
An eminent Gandhian thinker who wrote in Gujarati. A biographer, essayist and translator.
Books:
- Ram Ane Krsna (1923)
- Isu Khrust (1925)
- Buddha Ane Mahavir (1926)
- Sahajanand Swami (1926)
- Kelavanina Paya (1925)
- Kelavnivivek (1949)
Mohammad Yunus (1884-1952)
The first Prime Minister (Premier) of Bihar province in British India. After a heart attack on 29 December 1944 he started writing poetry during his illness, especially during his long stay in Mussoorie in 1945. Marsiya on the death of Birbal Lal Son of Justice Manohar Lal, Payam-e-Muhabbat on Hindu Muslim Unity and Kalam-e-Yunus which is his message to young generation are some of his famous poetical work.
Mohitlal Majumdar (1888-1952)
A renowned Bengali author, was born at Kanchrapara village in Nadia district, India. Mohitlal started as a poet, but later became better known as a literary critic. One of the first Bengali poets to pose a challenge to Tagore by criticizing his literary canons. A profile and some poetry.
Books:
- Svapan Pasari (1922)
- Smara Garal (1936)
M. P. Paul (1904-1952)
A scholar and a well-known literary critic of Malayalam. He was among the torchbearers of the progressive literature movement (purogamanasaahitya prasthaanam) in Kerala.
Narayana Rao Chilukuri (1890-1952)
Well-known lexicographer, historian and scholar. Published “aandhra Bhaashaa caritraM” (1937) and a revised version of Sankaranarayana’s English-Telugu Dictionary, etc.
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952)
Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh, an Indian yogi and guru who introduced many westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book, Autobiography of a Yogi.
Rashid Jahan (1905-1952)
An Urdu writer who inaugurated a new era of Urdu literature written by women. She wrote short-stories and plays and is perhaps best remembered for her involvement with the explosive Angarey (1931), a collection of groundbreaking and unconventional short stories written by young writers in Urdu like Sajjad Zaheer and Ahmed Ali.
Surendranath Dasgupta (1887-1952)
A scholar of Sanskrit and philosophy.
Amir Ahmad Alavi (1879-1952):
Urdu critic
- Mathnaviyat (1936) – A discussion of Masnavis from 1857
- Tadhkira-i-Rind – A biographical account of Rind
Principal of Visvabharati College. Retired from ICS. Books available on Google Books.
Jalandhar Deb
Kabiruddin ‘Kalim’ (1870-1952)
An Indian author, writer and social activist during the period of the Bhopal State.
Kartar Singh Kalaswalia (1882-1952)
Famous for his rendition of Sikh history in verse. Writer of many Kissas.
Kaveripatna Sidhanatha Venkataramani (1891-1952)
A novelist, short-story writer and essayist in English and Tamil.
Books:
- Murugan The Tiller (1927)
- Kundan The Patriot (1932)
Books available on Archive.org
K. Godavarma (1902-1952)
Linguist. Worked on Malayalam. Books listed on Google Books.
Maharaja Srischandra Nandy
Bengal Rivers and Our Economic Welfare
Mufti Kifayatullah Dehlavi (1875-1952)
A Muslim scholar of Islam.
Ramadhin Mishra
A well-known journalist, essayist and critic.
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Sarfaraz
An Urdu prose writer, biographer and educationist.
Sir Mahomed Khan Dehlavi
Vahengbam Yumjao Sinha
A Manipuri grammarian & author. Wrote Longi Vayel in 1949, a grammar of Manipuri.
Thanks for this list! A few of these are my favourites!
Thanks for this list! A few of these are my favourites!
Dear Friends ! Greetngs
please add Seshendra Sharma , an eminent poet , my father to your lovely portal.
Thank you / Regards
– –
Seshendra is a colossus of modern Indian Poetry. His literature is a unique blend of the best of poetry and poetics. His poetry website
Seshendra : Visionary poet of the millennium
http://seshendrasharma.weebly.com
This site presents essence of the millennium in a powerful poetic style.
Dear Friends ! Greetngs
please add Seshendra Sharma , an eminent poet , my father to your lovely portal.
Thank you / Regards
– –
Seshendra is a colossus of modern Indian Poetry. His literature is a unique blend of the best of poetry and poetics. His poetry website
Seshendra : Visionary poet of the millennium
http://seshendrasharma.weebly.com
This site presents essence of the millennium in a powerful poetic style.
Iron wrinkled vinyl tablecloths on the coolest setting.
Iron wrinkled vinyl tablecloths on the coolest setting.
Good work
Good work
Please check the Photo which was put against the name of Sri Narayana Rao Chilukuri (1890-1952)
Please check the Photo which was put against the name of Sri Narayana Rao Chilukuri (1890-1952)
The information mentioned here can give clarity to the people about the way they should look for a Modern Malayalam literature writers. Thanks for sharing these helpful pointers.