Kavi Pradeep

Kavi Pradeep (born Ramchandra Narayanji Dwivedi; 6 February 1915 – 11 December 1998),[1] was an Indian poet and songwriter who is best known for his patriotic song "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" written as a tribute to the soldiers who had died defending the country during the Sino-Indian War.

His status as a nationalistic writer got immortalised for writing a daringly patriotic song "Door Hato Ae Duniya Walo" (Move Away O Outsiders) in India's first golden jubilee hit Kismet (1943) because he was forced to go underground to avoid arrest immediately after the film's release that invited the ire of British government.

[4] Kavi Pradeep was born Ramchandra Narayanji Dwivedi in 1915 into a middle-class Audichya Brahmin family in the small central Indian town of Badnagar near Ujjain.

Since his early student days and later while pursuing graduation from University of Lucknow,[5] he had a passion for writing and rendering Hindi poetry.

[7] He worked on five more movies for Bombay Talkies which included Punar Milan (1940), Jhoola (1941), Naya Sansar (1941), Anjan (1943) and Kismet (1943).

Mashaal (1950) was his next film and it features the extremely popular song "Upar Gagan Vishal" sung by Manna Dey.

He even lent his voice for the evergreen song "Dekh Tere Sansar Ki Halat Kya Ho Gayi Bhagwaan, Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan" (Look at your world, O God.

Jagriti is considered to be among his best work for one movie as it includes hit songs such as "Aao Bachcho Tumhein Dikhayen Jhanki Hindustan Ki, Is Mitti Se Tilak Karo, Yeh Dharti Hai Balidan Ki" (sung by himself), "Hum Laye Hain Toofan Se Kishti Nikal Ke, Is Desh Ko Rakhna Mere Bachcho Sambhal Ke" and "De Dee Humein Azadi (Bina Khadag Bina Dhal, Sabarmati Ke Sant Tu Ne Kar Diya Kamaal)".

His devotional song fom the superhit film Waman Avtar (1955) starring Trilok Kapoor and Nirupa Roy “Tere Dwar khada Bhagwan” is popular till today.

Ladies would perform poojas when the immortal song "Main To Aarti Utaroon Re Santoshi Mata Ki" was played in the theatres.

He cleverly wrote the song "Aaj Himalay Ki Choti Se Phir Hum Ne Lalkara Hai".

Almost synonymous to the song (phir means again in Hindi), the reel would be rewound and played many times to satisfy public demand.

The songs had Paktistani nationalist symbols replacing Indian ones and such as Muhammad Ali Jinnah in "Aey Qaid-e-Azam, tera ehsan hai ehsan" a reworking "De Di Humein Azaadi", and "Aao Bachho Sair Karain Tum Ko Pakistan Ki" copying from "Aao Bachcho Tumhein Dikhayen (Jhanki Hindustan Ki)".

C. Ramchandra was unsure whether Mangeshkar would agree to sing, so Kavi Pradeep began the task of convincing her to hear the song.

The song was famously performed live, by Lata Mangeshkar, in the presence of Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru at the National Stadium, New Delhi, on Republic Day celebrations held on 26 January 1963,[7] and moved him to tears,[2] and a copy of the soundtrack spool was also gifted to him on the occasion.

Kavi Pradeep on 2011 stamp of India