Hemant Kumar Jha

Nirad C. Chaudhuri : His Mind and Art Hemant Kumar Jha

Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999) was a product of the Indian Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual revolution initiated by the Indo-British encounter. Nirad Chaudhuri shot into fame after the publication of his 'The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian' in 1951. The Autobiography was devoted to the ?Memory of the British Empire in India?. The book labelled Nirad Chaudhuri as a controversial writer, and established him as an India-baiter. However, 'The Autobiography' has a much wider canvas. Chaudhuri wrote a number of scholarly books thereafter. Some of them are 'The Continent of Circe', 'Hinduism' and 'Scholar Extraordinary'. Nirad Chaudhuri wrote a sequel to The Autobiography in 1987; the book was published under the title 'Thy Hand, Great Anarch!' 'Nirad C. Chaudhuri: His Mind and Art' explores the multi-faceted aspect of Nirad C. Chaudhuri?s psyche and persona, through an in-depth study of his books published between 1951 and 1987. The work would be immensely useful for the research scholars, antiquarians, intellectuals and even for the common people interested in the iconic personality of Nirad Chaudhuri?s life and works.