Rahul Sankrityayan, one of the finest scholars of modern India, was born in 1893 at a remote village in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. His father, Govardhan Pande and mother, Kulvanti, belonged to a pious and conservative Brahmin family. However, Sankrityayan lost his mother in his early childhood and was brought up by his paternal grandmother. An outstanding scholar, Sankrityayan was highly creative and knew more than thirty languages. He had also travelled to many parts of the world, sometimes even on foot.

Sankrityayan chose not to pursue the route of prescribed curricula and yet he was invited to teach to many famous universities. He joined the anti-imperialist freedom movement of the country following the brutal massacare at Jallianwallabagh in 1919, and was imprisoned several times. During the initial period of his life, he was attracted towards the Buddhist view of life, but later he started the pursuit of the Marxist philosophy. He made great contribution to various fields of science and the humanities. He published s many as 146 books including those on Sociology, History, Religion, Philosophy, Linguistic, Science, Biography, Folklores etc. He also wrote nobles and dramas.

Apart from visiting many parts of India, Sankrityayan went to countries like Tibet, Sri Lanka, Iran, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union. Needless to say, in those days it was not easy to visit those countries and sometimes he had to pay great amount of risks in doing so.

This proves the adventurous nature of this character, which was also evident in his quest of a number of intellectual fields. A man of rare courage and conviction, Sankrityayan was able to introduce life-force and philanthropy in his intellectual pursuits.

This great soul breathed his last in 1963.