Angarey and ‘The Purpose of Literature’: Setting the Stage for Progressive Writing

Tabinda Sadiq
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16536241

Abstract. With its publication in December 1932, Angarey rose like a beacon of progressive thought on the Indian literary stage. In reply to all the furore that followed, Mahmuduzafar published an article on 5 April 1933, “In Defence of Angarey”, which tried to justify their efforts and also called for formation of “League of Progressive Authors” across India. Meanwhile, Sajjad Zaheer established Progressive Writers Association along with Mulk Raj Anand and the organization met for the first time on 24 November 1934 in London.
Sajjad Zaheer came in close contact with Premchand who published the manifesto in his Hindi Journal Hans in October 1935. With positive responses from writers all over India, Zaheer decided to hold the first All India Progressive Writers Association meeting on 9-10 April 1936 in Lucknow. Premchand delivered the first address titled, “The Purpose of Literature”. According to him, literature can no longer be limited to individualism or egotism but needs to focus on psychological and social issues.
In this paper, I intend to analyze Premchand’s address at the first meeting of the AIPWA and the manifesto that Sajjad Zaheer formulated in London to bring out how Angarey exemplified the kind of literature that these documents called for later. Premchand said that “progress” meant a situation that showed us our degradation and that we must strive to remove it. Likewise, the stories in Angarey shocked readers out of their complacencies and made them uncomfortable. This paper tries to establish how Angarey was not only a cornerstone of Progressive Movement but also a fine example of what a Progressive writing should be.
Keywords. Angarey; Premchand’s presidential address, PWA Manifesto, “The Purpose of Literature”.

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Works Cited:
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Tabinda Sadiq is a research scholar at the Department of English and Modern European Languages, University of Lucknow. Her research is related to Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies. Her Master’s Dissertation was titled, “Raising the Banner of Revolt: Life and Works of Rashid Jahan”. She has also served as Fulbright FLTA Scholar at Wake Forest University, USA from 2020-2021.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9421-6315
Email: tabsadiq26@gmail.com

Angarey and ‘The Purpose of Literature’: Setting the Stage for Progressive Writing © 2025 by Tabinda Sadiq is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0