Lesser-known facts about Amitabh Bachchan's father Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan’s father Late Harivansh Rai Bachchan is still remembered for his wonderful poems from the Hindi Kavi Sammelan. His popular poems include Madhushala, Tera Haar, Halahhaal, Satarangi and more. Here are some of the lesser-known facts about Harivansh Rai Bachchan that fans might not be aware of. Read ahead to know more-

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Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s lesser-known facts

• Harivansh Rai Bachchan has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his incredible contribution to the world of Hindi literature. He is the writer of the worldwide popular poem Madhushala and has often introduced himself with the lines, “Mitti ka tan, masti ka man, kshan-bhar jivan- mera parichay”, which means “a body of clay, a mind of fun, a second of life, my introduction”.
• Bachchan was not initially Harivansh Rai’s surname. His real surname was Srivastava. Bachchan, which means a little boy, was the nickname given to Harivansh Rai by his family. It was at Cambridge University, where he completed his doctoral thesis on WB Yeats, where he started using Bachchan as his surname.
• Harivansh Rai Bachchan is the second-ever Indian to get a doctorate in English literature from Cambridge University.

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• Harivansh Rai Bachchan joined the Ministry of External Affairs in 1955, as an Officer on Special Duty, where he was involved in the evolution of making Hindi the official language of India.
• Some of Harivash Rai Bachchan’s works that became the part of Hindi Cine are the popular couplets that were used in 1990 in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Agneepath. It was later used again in the Hrithik Roshan starrer remake of Agneepath. Rang Barse was used as a holi song in Silsila. Koshish Karne Walo Ki Haar Nahi Hoti was used in the Anupam Kher starrer Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara.

• Harivansh Rai Bachchan was first married to Shyama Bachchan at an early age of 19 years old. Shyama Bachchan died within 10 years of their marriage due to tuberculosis. Harivansh Rai Bachchan later got married for the second time to Teji Bachchan, who gave birth to two sons, Ajitabh Bachchan and popular actor Amitabh Bachchan.

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