Munshi Premchand was born on July 31, 1880, in the village of Lamahi near Varanasi and was originally named Dhanpat Rai (meaning “master of wealth”) by his parents, Munshi Ajaib Lal and Anandi. His uncle, Mahabir, affectionately called him “Nawab” (prince). Tragically, he lost his mother at the age of eight, and his father, an ordinary clerk in the postal department, soon remarried, leaving young Premchand under the care of his grandmother. However, his grandmother also passed away, and he was left to fend for himself at a young age, growing up without the love and support of his parents. His early education began at a local madrasa under the guidance of a Maulavi, where he learnt Urdu.
