Acharya Janki Ballabh Shastri (5 February 1916 – 7 April 2011) was an Indian Hindi poet, writer and critic. He declined to accept Padma Shri in 2010 stating his disciples deserved much more than Shri. He also refused the

Padmashri Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferr ...

in 1994.

Early life

Janki Ballabh Shastri was born at Maigra village in Gaya district in a

Sakaldwipiya Brahmin Sakaldwipiya Brahmins (also known as Bhojaka Brahmins or Maga Brahmins) are a class of Brahmin priests primarily concentrated in northern India. History According to the Samba Purana (c.500 - c.800 CE), Samba, the son of Krishna, the king of Sam ...

s family.

Career

Janki Ballabh Shastri has written many well-known stories, novels, plays, biographies, essays, ghazals and songs. Among his famous works are "Bandi Mandiram", "Kakali" "Radha" (an epic running in seven volumes), ''Roop Aaroop'', ''Teer Tarang'', ''Meghgeet'', "Gaatha",''Pashani'', ''Tamsa'', ''Iravati'', "Kalidas" (Novel), "Ek kiran so Jhaian" (Short Stories), "Trai" and "Unkaha Niral".

Awards

Shastri has been respected with various awards such as the Rajendra Shikhar Award, Bharat Bharti Award, Shiv Poojan Sahay Award, etc.

References

` * Bihar state text book (1986) publication Hindi class 9th and 10th (Dinesh kumar) {{DEFAULTSORT:Shastri, Janki Ballabh 1916 births 2011 deaths Indian male poets Indian literary critics 20th-century Indian poets People from Gaya, India Poets from Bihar 20th-century Indian male writers