Anuj Lugun
Biography
Anuj Lugun was born on 10 January 1986 in Simdega (Jharkhand) and is a Hindi writer known above all for his poetry. Anuj Lugun belongs to the Munda community, and his work centres on the loss of tribal identity and of the Adivasi's natural livelihood. Central to his writing is the eroding relationship between humans and nature and the advance of capitalism. He also draws on the myths of his people and engages with the history of their struggles.
From childhood he had a passion for reading and writing. His father served in the army, and his mother contributed to the family's livelihood by brewing and selling rice beer. His paternal uncle was, in the 1970s and 80s, an influential leader of the people in the Jharkhand movement and the Naxalite uprising, and his wide-ranging collection of literature from around the world made a deep impression on the young Anuj Lugun. His father followed this example and brought him into contact with magazines from an early age, which he attributes to the emphasis placed on education within the movement. His mother occasionally allowed him to read comics.
Anuj Lugun describes the atmosphere of his childhood as charged with conflict, shaped by the Jharkhand movement, the Naxalite uprising, the struggle against what he calls the "jungle mafia" (the Koel-Karo dam project), and the oppression of the Adivasi by the state and society.
The desire to rise up against the injustice suffered by the Adivasi grew steadily, and this too shaped the young Anuj Lugun.
He received his schooling at St. Vianney School in Lachragarh (Jharkhand), and in the seventh grade he wrote his first complete poem about resistance to the police, who discriminated against the Adivasi.
Despite the difficult circumstances and persecution by the state, his parents made it possible for him to keep studying without interruption. As his knowledge deepened, so did his thoughts of rebellion, spurred by the example of his parents, who stood with the disadvantaged strata of society and opposed injustice — themes that came to shape his literary work. He first studied at Ranchi College.
In 2007 he was admitted to the Master of Arts programme at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, which he describes as a great leap forward for his literary work. There he learned for the first time that poetry also involves public recitation. He began taking part in literary programmes and, from his very first appearance, received confirmation and support for his poetic talent from his teachers. His poems gained recognition, and the idea of the Adivasi struggle made its way into Hindi literature.
His poems were first published in the magazine "Vagarth" and later, with the support of his doctoral advisor Dr. Ashish Tripathi (Banaras Hindu University), in the magazine "Vasudha".
He completed his degree and subsequent teacher training, and went on to write his doctoral thesis on "The Melodic Framework of Life in Adivasi Songs in Mundari and the Aspirations of the Adivasi".
His poems are now regularly published in leading Indian newspapers and magazines. He also regularly writes editorial-page pieces on Adivasi issues for the Indian daily "Prabhat Khabar". He has taken part in numerous national and international seminars on the subject, has published research articles, and is active in social and cultural initiatives. He has a particular focus on Adivasi issues and on the Hindi literature that emerged in independent India. He regularly recites poetry at events devoted to lyric poetry.
Anuj Lugun currently holds a position as Assistant Professor of Indian Languages (Hindi) at the Central University of South Bihar (Gaya).
Vanessa Kremer
Publications
Literary works:
- Aghoshit Ulgulan ("The Unproclaimed Great Tumult"), Pragatishil Vasudha 2009
- Bagh aur Sugna Munda ki Beti ("The Tiger and Sugna Munda's Daughter"), Vani Prakashan 2017
Non-fiction:
- Adivasi Asmita Prabhutav aur Pratirodh ("Adivasi Identity – Domination and Resistance"), Ananya Prakashan 2015
Works in German Translation
- Der Tiger und die Tochter von Sugna Munda, translated from Hindi by Vanessa Kremer, Draupadi Verlag 2022 (in German)
Awards
- "Bharat Bhushan Agarwal" Prize 2011 for young poets (for the collection Aghoshit Ulgulan)
- "Savitri Tripathi Smriti" Prize 2014 (for his body of literary work)
- Sahitya Akademi "Yuva Puraskar" 2019 (for the long poem Bagh aur Sugna Munda ki Beti)
Links
- Jharkhand poet gets Sahitya Academy award (The Pioneer)
- Poet from Jharkhand bags Sahitya Akademi award (Countercurrents)
- Anuj Lugun at Kavita Kosh (selected poems, in Hindi)
Excerpt
📄 Download this author profile as a PDF (in German)