Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c15.s2.t54.2

v2.c15.s2.t54.2

He was born on April 9, 1893 in a Brahmin agricultural family of Goverdhan Pandey in Pandaha village of Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh. His original name was Kedarnath Pandey. His parents died at an early age, and he was raised by his grandmother. He had his formal education only up to standard VIII in the village school. Rahul was essentially a self educated person, who gradually trained himself not only in various languages but also mastered in humanities and social sciences. He was proficient in various Indian languages like Hindi, Sanskrit, Pali, Bhojpuri, Urdu, Tamil and Kannada, and in foreign languages like Persian, Arabic, Tibetan, Sinhalese, French and Russian. His knowledge and expertise earned him visiting professorships in Soviet Union and Sri Lanka. Adventurous by nature, he never remained stuck to any official position but vigorously pursued his vocation for creative writing and interest in travel.