{"id":47622,"date":"2026-02-28T18:46:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T13:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2026\/02\/28\/writing-beyond-applause-the-inner-calling-of-videh-arvind-kumar\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T18:46:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T13:16:36","slug":"writing-beyond-applause-the-inner-calling-of-videh-arvind-kumar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2026\/02\/28\/writing-beyond-applause-the-inner-calling-of-videh-arvind-kumar\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing Beyond Applause: The Inner Calling of Videh Arvind Kumar"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

New Delhi [India], February 28: <\/strong>In the culturally resonant city of Lucknow, where refinement of language and tehzeeb shape intellectual discourse, 68-year-old\u00a0\u2018Videh\u2019 Arvind Kumar<\/strong>\u00a0stands as a steadfast custodian of disciplined literary commitment. A retired Assistant General Manager of the State Bank of India, he is, in essence, a writer by temperament and conviction \u2014 one for whom literature is not a pursuit of momentary acclaim but a lifelong tapasya.<\/p>\n

With an impressive corpus of\u00a027 published books<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 17 in English and 10 in Hindi \u2014 spanning fiction, poetry, drama, translation, and literary commentary, his journey reflects not only productivity but persistence. His long-running English fiction series,\u00a0Hypocrisy & Reality<\/em>, comprises nine volumes that probe societal contradictions with unsparing candour. Alongside this, works such as\u00a0Chambellion<\/em>\u00a0(a comedietta),\u00a0Brainy Beasts<\/em>\u00a0(short stories),\u00a0Bewailing Muse<\/em>\u00a0(poetry), and\u00a0Self-Styled Sovereign, the Judiciary<\/em>\u00a0(dramatic deliberation) demonstrate his comfort across genres.<\/p>\n

Equally significant is his engagement with literary scholarship. His critical study\u00a0Nagasaki: Bomb & Aftermath<\/em>\u00a0examines\u00a0A Pale View of Hills<\/em>\u00a0by Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, while\u00a0Procreation, the Adorable<\/em>\u00a0reinterprets the\u00a0Shiva Puraan<\/em>\u00a0through a contemporary lens. As a translator, he has rendered major Hindi poetic works into English, notably\u00a0Search for Life<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Reality of Invisible<\/em>, thus bridging linguistic traditions.<\/p>\n

His Hindi oeuvre is no less substantial: three short story collections (Anapadh Lipi<\/em>,\u00a0Paashaan Yug<\/em>,\u00a0Nisarg<\/em>), three poetry anthologies (Aart Gaan<\/em>,\u00a0Kaal Krandan<\/em>,\u00a0Ananubhoot Kaal<\/em>), a drama (Ambedkar Smriti<\/em>), and scholarly condensations of classical texts including\u00a0Priya Pravaas<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Mahaamuni Vaalmeeki Rachit Itihaas: Ramayan \u2013 Uttar Kaand<\/em>. Through these, he demonstrates a commitment to recontextualising India\u2019s literary heritage for contemporary readers.<\/p>\n

The pen name\u00a0\u2018Videh\u2019<\/strong>, suggestive of detachment and transcendence, mirrors the philosophical undercurrent in his writing. His prose is marked by forthrightness \u2014 often blunt, always deliberate. Poverty and struggle in childhood, followed by professional success and international exposure, have lent his voice both grit and breadth.<\/p>\n

Retirement in 2018 did not diminish his creative output; rather, it intensified it. His works are accessible globally via platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart in eBook, paperback, and hardcover formats \u2014 affirming the universality of his themes.<\/p>\n

For aspiring writers, his message is resolute:\u00a0continue writing, irrespective of external validation<\/strong>. Doubt from others is inevitable; perseverance must be intentional. True literary worth, he believes, is not measured by applause but by authenticity of expression.<\/p>\n

In an era enamoured of immediacy, \u2018Videh\u2019 Arvind Kumar represents the enduring power of sustained reflection. His twenty-seven books are not mere publications; they are milestones of intellectual labour. Through fiction that questions, poetry that mourns, drama that debates, and scholarship that interprets, he has carved a literary space defined by depth rather than display.<\/p>\n

His journey reminds us that creative vitality is governed not by age but by intent \u2014 and intent, in his case, remains unwavering.<\/p>\n

If you object to the content of this press release, please notify us at pr.error.rectification@gmail.com. We will respond and rectify the situation within 24 hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Delhi [India], February 28: In the culturally resonant city of Lucknow, where refinement of language and tehzeeb shape intellectual discourse, 68-year-old\u00a0\u2018Videh\u2019 Arvind Kumar\u00a0stands as a steadfast custodian of disciplined literary commitment. A retired Assistant General Manager of the State Bank of India, he is, in essence, a writer by temperament and conviction \u2014 one…<\/p>\n

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