India Post will Issue a Commemorative Stamp on Kavi Pradeep Today

India Post will Issue a commemorative stamp on Kavi Pradeep today.Kavi Pradeep (1915–1998), born Ramchandra Baryanji Dwivedi, was a renowned poet and songwriter who is best known for his patriotic song,Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo, written as tribute to the soldiers who had died defending the country, during the Sino-Indian War .

His first recognition came for his patriotic lyrics for the film Bandhan  (1940), though it was for writing a daringly patriotic song, ”Door Haaton aye Duniya walon” (Move Away O Outsiders), in India’s first golden jubilee hit, Kismat (1943), that his status as a nationalistic writer got immortalized as, as soon after the film’s release, having provoked the ire of British government, he was forced to go underground to avoid arrest.^[2]

In a career span, of nearly five decades, Kavi Pradeep, wrote about 1,700 songs, nationalistic poems including the lyrics for some 72 films, including hits like, ”Chal Chal Re Naujawan”, filmBandhan (1940), ”Aao Bachchon Tumhe Dikhayen” and ”De Di Hame Azaadi Bina Khadag Bina Dhaal”, film Jagriti (1954), and ”Yahaan vahaan jahaan tahaan mat poochho kahaan kahaan”, film Jai Santoshi Ma, (1975) for which he also did a play back version in the film. In 1958,HMV, released an album of 13 songs with his lyrics, soon he was made the Rashtrakavi, (Poet Laureate), and came to be known as, Kavi Pradeep

In 1997, he was honoured by India’s highest award in Cinema, the Dada Saheb Phalke Award  for Lifetime Achievement.He worked on five more movies for Bombay Talkies. .Kismat  is known for its patriotic song ”Aj Himalay ki choti se phir hamne lalkara hai, door hato ae duniyawalon Hindustan hamara hai”.

Mashal was his next film and it features the extremely popular song ”Upar gagan vishal, niche gahara pataal, bich mein dharati, wah mere malik tune kiya kamal…” sung by Manna Dey . Kavi Pradeep was at his creative zenith when he wrote for the films Nastik and Jagriti. He even lent his voice for the evergreen song ”Dekh tere sansar ki halat kya ho gayi bhagwaan kitna, badal gaya insaan…”.Jagriti is considered to be among his best work for one movie since it includes hit songs such as ”Aao bachchon tumhe dikhayen jhanki Hindustan ki, is mitti se tilak karo, yeh dharti hai balidan ki…”, ”Hum laye hain toofan se kishti nikal ke, is desh ko rakhna mere bachon sambhal ke…” and ”Dedi humein azadi bina khadak bina dhal, Sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamal…”.

His songs were so popular that movies would get repeat audiences just to listen to his soulful songs. Kavi Pradeep always believed in writing songs with a meaning and made sure the songs he wrote fit into the situation of the movie. The popularity of his songs were also due to his down to earth lyrics and simple language that was well understood by everyone. He stayed in Mumbai unti.l he died on 11 Dec 1998.