Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s2.t32.2

v2.c10.s2.t32.2

Agyeya was born in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. He obtained the Bachelor’s degree of Science from Forman Christian College, Lahore (now in Pakistan) in 1929. In November 1930, he was arrested and jailed for taking part in the Indian independence movement. He was placed under house arrest after being released in 1933 and was freed in 1935. Later, he joined the Progressive Writers Association of India. During the Second World War, he joined the allied forces and took charge of propaganda and mobilisation works. After the war, he left the army and began to engage in literary creation and editorial work. From 1961-1964, he acted as a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1964, he was given the Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of poems *Angan Ke Par Dvar*. In 1965, he returned to India and continued to engage in editorial work. From 1969 to 1970, he taught at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1976, he served as the Director of the Department of Comparative Literature of University of Jodhpur. From 1977 to 1980, he held the post of editor-in-chief of *Navbharat Times*. In 1978, he was given the Jnanpith Award for his collection of poems *Kitni Naavon Mein Kitni Baar*. In 1983, he obtained the Golden Wreath at the Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia. Agyeya died in New Delhi in 1987.