Kailash Chandra Pant (26 April 1936 – 31 July 2026) was an Indian writer and journalist. An advocate for the Hindi language, he was the general secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, based in Bhopal. In 2026, he was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, for his contributions to literature and education.
Career Pant through his role at the Madhya Pradesh Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, organized numerous seminars, workshops, and literary events aimed at fostering the language.
He served as the editor of Akshara, a quarterly magazine dedicated to Hindi literature. Throughout his career, Pant authored several books and worked extensively to promote Hindi both within India and internationally.
Pant also published the Hindi weekly Janadharm for over two decades, contributing significantly to Hindi journalism and cultural discourse in Madhya Pradesh.
Personal life and death Pant was born on 26 April 1936 in Mhow, Indore district, Central Provinces and Berar. Over the course of his journalistic career, he was associated with several Hindi publications and cultural institutions. Pant came from a background rooted in social and cultural service. His father, Leeladhar Pant, was a independence activist, and his father-in-law, Madan Mohan Joshi , was a noted scholar. Pant attributed his commitment to cultural and linguistic work to the influence of these family connections.
Pant died from a cardiac arrest on 31 July 2026, at the age of 90.
Awards and recognition Padma Shri (2025): Awarded for his contribution to Hindi language and literature. The award was conferred by the president of India on Republic Day. Pant dedicated the honour to those working for the promotion of Hindi.
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