Biography of Kavi Pradeep

(6 February 1915-11 December 1998)

Kavi Pradeep was the most venerated composer of patriotic songs in India. No occasion of patriotic significance is complete without songs written or sung by Kavi Pradeep.

Kavi Pradeep was born as Ramchandra Naryanji Divedi in Badnagar in Madhya Pradesh on February 6, 1915. After finishing his graduation, he decided to join a teacher's course. But destiny had other plans for him. He was invited to a Kavi Sammelan in Mumbai and from then he remained associated with poetry.

Kavi Pradeep first wrote the song for the film 'Kangan' in 1939, produced by Himanshu Rai of Bombay Talkies. He wrote many famous songs like Ai Mere Watan ke logon', Ao bachchon tumhe dikhayen', 'Chal chal re navjawan' etc., which have directly addressed and inspired millions of Indians spanning several generations. In 1961, he received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award for Best Film Lyricist. He got the Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1997.