DilKhus at 07:39, 31 December 2025

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{{Short description|Indian writer, translator}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Madhavrao Sapre
| image = माधवराव सप्रे की कहानियाँ.djvu
| caption = Cover of ''Madhavrao Sapre ki Kahaniyan'', featuring Madhavrao Sapre seated, with [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] in the background
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1871|06|19}}
| birth_place = [[Patharia]], [[Damoh district]], [[British India]] (now in [[Madhya Pradesh]], India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1926|04|23|1871|06|19}}
| death_place = [[Raipur]], [[Central Provinces]], [[British India]] (now in [[Chhattisgarh]], India)
| occupation = Writer, journalist, social reformer
| language = Hindi
| nationality = [[British India|Indian]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Calcutta]]
| notableworks = *''Ek Tokri Bhar Mitti'' (First Hindi short story)<br> ''Vigyan Shabdkosh'' (Science Dictionary)
| movement = [[Indian independence movement]], Hindi journalism
| years_active = 1900–1926
}}

'''Madhavrao Sapre''' (June 1871 – 23 April 1926) was an Indian writer, journalist, and social reformer, widely regarded as a pioneer of Hindi short stories. He is best known for ''Ek Tokri Bhar Mitti'', considered the first Hindi [[short story]]. His contributions extended beyond storytelling to include editing, translation, lexicography, and institution-building.<ref>{{cite news|title=पत्रकारिता को राष्ट्रीय और लोकधर्मी संस्कार देने वाले संपादक थे माधवराव सप्रे |url=https://www.prabhasakshi.com/personality/pandit-madhavrao-sapre-birth-anniversary-2021 |publisher=[[Prabhasakshi]]|date=June 19, 2021 |access-date=June 19, 2021 |language=hi}}</ref>

Sapre played a key role in developing economic terminology in [[Hindi]] and edited the ''Vigyan Shabdkosh'' (Science Dictionary) in 1902 under the [[Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha]]. Many scholars also consider him one of the first Hindi literary critics.<ref>Hindi Kahani Ka Itihas, Bhag-1, Gopal Rai, [[Rajkamal Prakashan]], [[New Delhi]], Sanskaran-2011, Pustak-48.</ref><ref name=jagran>{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Abhishek |title=हिंदी सहित्‍य और पत्रकारिता को विज्ञान और अर्थशास्त्र का समृद्ध शब्दकोश |url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/varanasi-city-madhav-rao-sapre-gave-science-and-economics-vocabulary-in-hindi-21751967.html |publisher=[[Dainik Jagran]] |date=June 19, 2021 |language=hi}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Sapre was born in June 1871 in [[Patharia]], [[Damoh district]], in present-day [[Madhya Pradesh]]. He belonged to a [[Marathi language|Marathi]]-speaking family and completed his education in [[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]], graduating from [[University of Calcutta|Calcutta University]] in 1899. After initially working as a [[tehsildar]], he left his job to engage in activities related to India's independence movement and Hindi literary development.<ref name=jagran/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bharat |first=E. T. V. |date=2021-06-19 |title=हिन्दी की पहली कहानी लिखने वाले पं. माधवराव सप्रे, जिन्होंने महिलाओं की आजादी पर खूब लिखा |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/chhattisgarh/state/raipur/birth-anniversary-of-renowned-journalist-and-writer-pandit-madhavrao-sapre/ct20210619200737559 |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=ETV Bharat News |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=पं.माधवराव सप्रे: हिंदी के विस्मृत महानायक |url=https://www.hindusthansamachar.in/Encyc/2024/6/18/Pt-Madhavrao-Sapre-The-forgotten-superstar-of-Hindi.php |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=www.hindusthansamachar.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
In 1900, Sapre founded ''Chhattisgarh Mitra'', one of the earliest Hindi magazines, from [[Pendra]] in present-day [[Chhattisgarh]]. Although ''Chhattisgarh Mitra'' had a short run, it is credited with laying the foundation of Hindi journalism in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |title='छत्तीसगढ़ मित्र' और 'हिंदी केसरी' के माध्यम से पत्रकारिता में किया गया माधवराव सप्रे का कार्य अविस्मरणीय - Pandit Madhavrao Sapre Birth Anniversary work in journalism through Chhattisgarh Mitra and Hindi Kesari is unforgettable jagran special |url=https://www.jagran.com/editorial/apnibaat-pandit-madhavrao-sapre-birth-anniversary-work-in-journalism-through-chhattisgarh-mitra-and-hindi-kesari-is-unforgettable-jagran-special-21752069.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}</ref> He edited several Hindi language journals, including the Hindi edition of [[Kesari (Marathi newspaper)|Kesari]]. He translated notable works of [[Marathi literature]] into Hindi, including [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]]'s ''Geeta Rahasya'' and [[Samarth Ramdas]]'s [[Dasbodh]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dwivedi |first1=Sanjay |title=पं. माधवराव सप्रे होने के मायने |url=https://www.dainiktribuneonline.com/news/comment/meaning-of-being-pt-madhavrao-sapre-49902/ |publisher=[[Dainik Tribune]] |date=June 19, 2021 |language=hi}}</ref>

He was instrumental in standardizing Hindi economic terminology and compiling a science dictionary (Vigyan Shabdkosh) for the [[Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha]]. He also started the ''Hindi Mathematical'' Magazine in [[Nagpur]] in 1906 to support Hindi literary writers, however, it was shut down by the British government due to its nationalist content in 1908.<ref name=cgculture>{{cite news |title=Pandit Madhav Rao Sapre National Creativity |url=http://www.cgculture.in/samman_front_list.aspx?id=j71hMdczTmZCV9bCw7JDhQ%3D%3D |publisher=Chhattisgarh Culture Department |date=January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=माधवराव सप्रे जयंती: राजद्रोह का मुकदमा झेलने वाले हिंदी के पहले पत्रकार {{!}} - News in Hindi - हिंदी न्यूज़, समाचार, लेटेस्ट-ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़ इन हिंदी |url=https://hindi.news18.com/blogs/pankaj-shukla_1/pandit-madhavrao-sapre-writer-journalist-freedom-fighter-movement-literature-journalism-chhattisgarh-nodakm-3625631.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=News18 हिंदी |language=hi}}</ref>

In 1920, Sapre founded the Hindi Mandir in [[Jabalpur]]. In 1921, he founded the National School and established the first girls' school, Janaki Devi Mahila Pathshala, in Raipur. In 1924, he chaired the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan session in [[Dehradun]]. He died on 23 April 1926 at Tatipara, Raipur.<ref name=cgculture/><ref>{{cite news |title=पंडित माधवराव सप्रे जयंती - 'छत्तीसगढ़ मित्र' और हिंदी 'केसरी' के माध्यम से पत्रकारिता में किया गया कार्य अविस्मरणीय |url=https://www.jagran.com/editorial/apnibaat-pandit-madhavrao-sapre-birth-anniversary-work-in-journalism-through-chhattisgarh-mitra-and-hindi-kesari-is-unforgettable-jagran-special-21752069.html |publisher=[[Dainik Jagran]] |date=19 June 2021 |access-date=25 February 2025}}</ref>

{{Quote box |width=400px |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |align=center|quote=For the past twenty-five years, Pt. Madhavrao Sapre had been a cornerstone of Hindi, contributing significantly to the institutions of literature, society, and politics. He traveled across the villages of the region, using his pen to voice the needs of the nation and the suffering of the poor, oppressed by foreign rule. He immersed himself in religion, driving it toward national service, and humbly erased his own presence to uplift those around him, ensuring their significance and making them enduring. |source=—[[Makhanlal Chaturvedi]] wrote in ''Karmveer'' on 11th September 1926 about Madhavrao Sapre's struggles, literary contributions, and his role in Hindi journalism, social service, and political activism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tadbhav.com/issue_17/manager_pandey.htm#manager|title=माधवराव सप्रे का महत्व|access-date=May 2, 2009|format=|publisher=Tadbhav.com|language=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124141149/http://www.tadbhav.com/issue_17/manager_pandey.htm#manager|archive-date=November 24, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}

== Notable works ==
* ''Swadeshi Andolan aur Boycott''<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Mukim |first=Mantra |date=2023-05-19 |title=Madhavrao Sapre at the Advent of Writing: Reading the "First" Hindi Short Story |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369801X.2022.2099941 |journal=Interventions |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=485–502 |doi=10.1080/1369801X.2022.2099941 |issn=1369-801X|doi-access=free }}</ref>
* ''Europe ke Itihas Se Seekhne Yogya Baatein<ref name=":0" />''
* ''Hamare Samajik Hras ke Kuch Karanon ka Vichar<ref name=":0" />''
* ''Madhavrao Sapre ki Kahaniyan'' (Edited by Devi Prasad Verma)<ref name=":0" />
;Translations
* ''Hindi [[Dasbodh]]'' (Marathi work by [[Samarth Ramdas]])<ref name=":0" />
* ''Geeta Rahasya'' (By [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]])<ref name=":0" />
* ''Mahabharat Mimamsa'' (Marathi work by [[Chintaman Vinayak Vaidya]])<ref name=":0" />

== Legacy ==
=== Madhavrao Sapre Smriti Newspaper Museum ===
On 19 June 1984, the "Madhavrao Sapre Smriti Samacharpatra Sangrahalaya Evam Shodh Sansthan" was established in [[Bhopal]] to preserve the nation's intellectual heritage. It was named to honor Madhavrao Sapre's contributions to Hindi journalism and literature.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shukla |first1=Pankaj |title=माधवराव सप्रे जयंती: राजद्रोह का मुकदमा झेलने वाले हिंदी के पहले पत्रकार |url=https://hindi.news18.com/blogs/pankaj-shukla_1/pandit-madhavrao-sapre-writer-journalist-freedom-fighter-movement-literature-journalism-chhattisgarh-nodakm-3625631.html |publisher=[[News 18]] |date=June 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mishra |first1=Ambreesh |title=Museum of rare and old newspapers in Bhopal chronicles growth of Indian journalism |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/offtrack/story/20050926-madhavrao-sapre-museum-of-rare-old-newspapers-and-periodicals-in-bhopal-786878-2005-09-25 |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=September 26, 2005}}</ref>

=== National Creativity Award ===
The [[Chhattisgarh government]] instituted the "Pandit Madhavrao Sapre Rashtriya Rachnatmakta Samman" (National Creativity Award) to recognize excellence in [[creative writing]] and contributions to Hindi literature. The award is presented annually by the state's Public Relations Department.<ref>{{cite news |title=राज्य अलंकरण:राजेन्द्र धोड़पकर को मिलेगा छत्तीसगढ़ सरकार का प... |url=https://www.naidunia.com/ |publisher=Nai Dunia]|date=June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chhattisgarh Culture Department {{!}} Welcomes to you |url=http://www.cgculture.in/samman_front_list.aspx?id=j71hMdczTmZCV9bCw7JDhQ== |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=www.cgculture.in}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{Cite book |last=Sukla |first=Santosha Kumara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bxdlOyXkxWkC&dq=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87&pg=PA46 |title=Patrakarita Ke Yug Nirmata: Madhavrao Sapre: Bestseller Book by Santosha Kumara Sukla: Patrakarita Ke Yug Nirmata: Madhavrao Sapre |date=2010-01-01 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7315-754-7 |language=hi}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sapre, Madhavrao}}
[[Category:1871 births]]
[[Category:1926 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Hindi-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Indian social reformers]]
[[Category:Translators to Hindi]]
[[Category:Indian literary critics]]
[[Category:Indian newspaper editors]]
[[Category:People from Damoh district]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian lexicographers]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian writers]]
[[Category:Hindi-language journalists]]

Madhavrao Sapre - Revision history

DilKhus at 07:39, 31 December 2025