Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava was born on July 31, 1880 in the small village of Lamahi, located near the city of Banaras in India. Although born into the Hindu Kaystha caste, made up of professionals including writers, doctors and lawyers, his family was poor. His father was a poorly paid postal worker. His mother died when he was only eight years old. His father remarried, but Dhanpat Rai did not like his stepmother. He studied Urdu and Persian, languages ​​used in literature and administration in 19th-century northern India, at a nearby school. He fondly remembers his childhood in one of his stories, so it's pretty safe to assume that he was a happy, well-cared-for child. Dhanpat Rai got married at the age of fifteen. This marriage did not last long, perhaps because his father rushed him into marriage. He later remarried a balavidhava, or childhood widow, named Shivrani Devi. This marriage was happy and they had several children together. She is said to have been very supportive of him throughout their life together. Dhanpat Rai graduated at the age of eighteen and began teaching in the countryside. He taught for a few years in various cities in North India while earning a university degree. Dhanpat Rai started writing when he started teaching. He took the pen name Premchand when he started writing. His writing was more than just a hobby for him; it was an attempt to change the social structure of India. Premchand died at the age of 56 in October...