18 Facts About Kavi Pradeep

Kavi Pradeep was made the Rashtrakavi, and came to be known as, Kavi Pradeep.

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.

Kavi Pradeep hypnotised the audience at kavi sammelans with his inimitable style.

Kavi Pradeep shifted to Bombay and wrote four songs for the film, all of which became very popular, and sung three of the songs himself.

Kavi Pradeep was at his creative zenith when he wrote for the films Nastik and Jagriti.

Kavi Pradeep's songs were so popular that fans would see his movies repeatedly just to listen to his soulful songs.

Kavi Pradeep always believed in writing songs in simple words portraying a meaning fitting into the situation.

Kavi Pradeep continued to show his brilliance in 1975, when the movie Jai Santoshi Maa was released.

Kavi Pradeep sang one of the songs "Yahan Wahan" from the film for which he received the award as Best Male Playback Singer from the Bengal Film Journalists' Association in 1975.

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

Jagriti was unofficially remade in Pakistan as Bedari, by Rafiq Rizvi, with the Kavi Pradeep's songs being lifted.

Kavi Pradeep was so touched by his sacrifice and bravery that he penned down the lines "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" which went on to become one of the greatest patriotic songs of the country.

For writing the song Kavi Pradeep was conferred the honour of "Rashtriya Kavi" by the government of India.

Kavi Pradeep though, was adamant about having Lata Mangeshkar sing the song, as he felt that hers was the only voice that could do justice to the number.

On hearing the song she was moved so much that she instantly agreed to sing the song on condition that Kavi Pradeep be present at the rehearsals.

Kavi Pradeep stayed in the Irla area of the Mumbai suburb of Vile Parle until he died at the age of 83 in Mumbai on 11 December 1998.

Kavi Pradeep was survived by his wife and two daughters, Sargam Thaker and Mitul Pradeep, who later set up the Kavi Pradeep Foundation.

An award, Kavi Pradeep Samman, has been constituted in his memory.