Career
He is the author of, which after Premchand"s Godaan, is regarded as the most significant Hindi novel. Phanishwar Nath "Renu" is best known for promoting the voice of the contemporary rural India through the genre of "Aanchalik Upanyas" (Regional Story), and is placed amongst the pioneering Hindi writers who brought regional voices into the mainstream Hindi literature. His short story Maare Gaye Gulfam was adapted into a film Teesri Kasam (The Third Vow), by Basu Bhattacharya (produced by the poet-lyricist Shailendra) in 1966 for which he also wrote the dialogues.
Later his short story Panchlight (Petromax) was made into a television short film.
Phanishwar Nath "Renu" was born on 4 March 1921 at village Aurahi Hingna near Forbesganj, in Araria district (then Purnea district), Bihar. He was educated in India and Nepal.
His primary education was held in Araria and Forbesganj. He did his Matriculation from Biratnagar Adarsh Vidyalaya(school), Biratnagar, Nepal while staying with Koirala Family.
Later he participated in the Nepali revolutionary movement in 1950 which resulted in the establishment of democracy in Nepal.
He ushered in "Anchalik-katha" (Regional Story) of Hindi writing. He had a very close friendship with Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayana Agyey - his contemporary poet. A biography on the writer has also been produced with the name: Phanishwar Nath ‘Renu’ in Unki Nazar Unka Shahar.
His first novel which is also considered his masterpiece, (The Soiled Linen, 1954), was a social novel that depicted the life of rural Bihar and its people, especially the backward and the deprived.
He was subsequently awarded one of India"s highest civilian honours, the Padma Sri in 1970. He returned the Padma Sri in protest of the proclamation of Internal Emergency.
Later during Jayaprakash Narayan Andolan, he gave up his award in solidarity.