Doodhnath Singh facts for kids

Doodhnath Singh (born October 17, 1936 – died January 12, 2018) was an important Indian writer. He wrote in the Hindi language. He was also a respected critic and a poet. Singh was born in a place called Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh, India. He studied Hindi at the University of Allahabad. Later, he became a professor there until 1994. In 2014, the government of Uttar Pradesh gave him a special award called the Bharat Bharti Samman.

Singh wrote many well-known books. Some of his famous works include Sapaat Chehre Wala Aadmi and Aakhri Kalaam. He was also known for his poems and plays.

Early Life and Education

Doodhnath Singh was born on October 17, 1936. His birthplace was Sobantha village in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. His father, Devkinandan Singh, was a farmer. Doodhnath was the oldest of three brothers. His family did not have much money.

He went to a government school in a nearby village for his first lessons. After that, he attended Merchant Inter College. From a young age, Doodhnath loved to read. He would even take books with him when he took his cattle to graze. If other shepherds made fun of him, he would climb trees to read in peace.

With help from his uncle, he finished his college studies. Later, a local government official suggested he move to Allahabad. There, he earned his Master of Arts degree in Hindi literature from Allahabad University.

His Career as a Writer and Teacher

Before joining the university, Singh worked as a principal. He led Rangoota High School in Kolkata. Then, he became a sub-editor for a Hindi literature magazine. This job helped him meet famous writers. One of them was Sumitranandan Pant.

Soon after, he was hired as an assistant professor. He taught Hindi language at Allahabad University. He worked there until he retired in 1994.

Doodhnath Singh wrote many different kinds of works. His well-known stories include Sapaat Chehre Wala Aadmi and Nishkaasan. He also wrote plays like Dharmakshetra-Kurukshetra. Besides stories, he published three collections of poems. These were Ek Aur Bhi Aadmi Hai, Agli Shatabdi Ke Naam, and Yuva Khusboo.

He was also a literary critic. This means he wrote reviews and analyses of other writers' works. He studied the writings of famous authors like Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' and Mahadevi Varma.

Singh received important awards for his writing. He got the Bharat Bharti Award [hi] from Uttar Pradesh. He also received the Maithlisharan Gupta Samman [hi] from Madhya Pradesh. These are top literary honors in India. He was also the national president of a writers' group called Janwadi Lekhak Sangh. People knew him as one of the "Four friends of Hindi." This group included Gyan Ranjan, Kashinath Singh, and Ravindra Kalia.

Later Life and Passing

Doodhnath Singh was married to Nirmala Thakur. In October 2017, his health became unwell. He was admitted to a hospital in New Delhi. Later, in December, he returned to Allahabad.

His condition worsened, and he was taken to Phoenix hospital. He passed away on January 12, 2018. He was 81 years old. He is survived by his two sons and one daughter. Following his wishes, his eyes were donated. Many people mourned his death, including the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav. His funeral took place at Rasulabad Ghat. His elder son, Animesh Thakur, performed the final rites.