Nirmal Verma Biography and latest books by Nirmal Verma

“For a writer to desire spiritual security is as fatal as an aspiration to material pleasure. For a writer, every place of refuge is a pitfall; you fall once, and the clear sky of creativity is lost forever."

- Dhund se Uthati Dhun, one of Nirmal Verma’s literary criticisms

Nirmal Verma was a famous Hindi writer, novelist, social activist and translator. He is credited as one of the pioneers of Nayi Kahani literary movement of Hindi literature. His first story in this collection, titled Parinde (Birds) is considered one of his best.

In his career spanning 50 years he tried his hand at various forms of literature, like story, travelogue and essays. He authored five novels, eight short story collections and nine nonfiction books that comprise essays and travelogues.

Verma did his M.A. in History from St Stephen’s College, Delhi. He also stayed in Prague for 10 years, where he was invited by Oriental Institute to translate modern Czech writers like Karel Capek, Milan Kundera, and Bohumil Hrabal, to Hindi. Verma learnt Czech language, and translated nine world classics to Hindi, before returning to Delhi in 1968.

During his stay in Prague he travelled widely across Europe, and wrote seven travelogues, including Cheeron Par Chandni, Har Barish Mein and Dhund Se Uthti Dhun and his first novel, based on his student days in Prague, titled, Ve Din.