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Dhan Gopal Mukerji

ダン・ゴパール・ムケルジー

Dhan Gopal Mukerji

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1890-07-06 （Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Kolkata, West Bengal, India)）
Died
1936-07-14 （New York City, New York, United States） age 46
Nationality
Indian
Languages
English, Bengali
Religion
Hinduism (Brahmin background)
Residence History
Calcutta (birth and early life) → Japan (study period, including Tokyo) → California (Berkeley, Stanford — study and early career) → New York City (later life)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Children's author, Essayist, Translator
Active Years
1910-1936
Influenced By
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (influential saint/figure), Jadugopal Mukherjee (brother; political influence)
Influenced
Romain Rolland (said to have been influenced by Mukerji's writings)

Education

Duff School (now Scottish Church Collegiate School)
Country: India
Primary/secondary schooling during early life
Duff College (Scottish Church College, affiliated with the University of Calcutta)
Country: India
Attended higher education in Calcutta
University of Tokyo (study period)
Period: 1910頃
Country: Japan
Short study period in industrial machinery and textiles
University of California, Berkeley
Period: 1910頃
Country: United States
Enrolled but later transferred to Stanford
Stanford University
Philosophy
Degree: A.B.（学士）
Period: 1911–1914
Year of Graduation: 1914
Country: United States
Received A.B. degree in philosophy

Awards

Newbery Medal
1928
Work: Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon
Organization: American Library Association (ALSC)
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kari the Elephant

1922 Children's literature 200 pages

A children's story centered on an Indian elephant, Kari, depicting friendship and growth through naturalistic animal portrayal.

NatureFriendshipBond between humans and animals

Hari, the Jungle Lad

1924 Children's literature 200 pages

Adventure tales of Hari set in the Indian jungle, portraying exchanges across ethnic and caste lines.

AdventureJungleCaste and equality

Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon

1927 Children's literature / Animal story 192 pages

Follows the carrier pigeon Gay-Neck through training, service as a messenger in World War I, and return to India where healing from war trauma occurs; explores the brotherhood between humans and winged animals.

War and its effectsHealingHuman-animal relationships

Caste and Outcaste (autobiography)

1923 Autobiography 280 pages

Autobiographical account describing his upbringing as a Brahmin, ascetic experiences, and critical reflections on Indian society.

CasteReligion and spiritualitySelf-formation

The Face of Silence

1926 Religious writing / Biography 220 pages

Consideration of the nineteenth-century saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa; deals with religious vision and spirituality.

ReligionSpiritualityBiographical reflection

Ghond, the Hunter

1928 Children's literature / Tribal tale 200 pages

Tells of a Gond hunter and explores relations between the forest and people, expressing respect for tribal culture.

Tribal cultureNature and humansHunting and livelihood

The Master Monkey

1932 Children's literature 200 pages

An allegorical tale featuring a clever monkey as protagonist, blending humor and moral lessons.

Cunning/wisdomFableMorality

Fierce-Face, the Story of a Tiger

1936 Children's literature 200 pages

Story centered on a tiger, depicting animal behavior and its relationship with humans.

WildlifeHuman-animal relationsSurvival

Bibliography

  • Sandhya, or Songs of Twilight (1917)
  • Rajani, or Songs of the Night (1922)
  • Laila Majnu (1922)
  • Kari The Elephant (1922)
  • Caste and Outcaste (1923)
  • Hari: the Jungle Lad (1924)
  • My Brother's Face (1924)
  • The Face of Silence (1926)
  • Gay Neck: The Story of a Pigeon (1927)
  • Ghond, the Hunter (1928)
  • A Son of Mother India Answers (1928)
  • The Chief of the Herd (1929)
  • Devotional Passages from the Hindu Bible (1929)
  • Hindu Fables for Little Children (1929)
  • Visit India With Me (1929)
  • Disillusioned India (1930)
  • Rama: The Hero of India (1930)
  • The Song of God: Translation of the Bhagavad-Gita (1931)
  • The Master Monkey (1932)
  • Fierce-Face, the Story of a Tiger (1936)

Translations by Author

  • The Song of God: Translation of the Bhagavad-Gita (1931)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Descriptive prose with strong natural observationNarrative, persuasive storytellingTreatment of spiritual and religious themes
Recurring Motifs
Human-animal relationshipsJungle and natureCaste and social statusSpiritual quest

Health

  • Depression (suspected)
    1930年代（晩年）
    Likely affected his creative work and private life and is considered to have contributed to his eventual suicide.

Legacy

One of the earliest Indian-born writers to write consistently in English and the first Indian-American children's author to win the Newbery Medal (1928). Regarded as a pioneering figure in children's literature and a cultural interpreter of India for Western readers.

Archives

  • South Asian American Digital Archive (materials)
  • Stanford University archives (materials related to Mukerji)

Trivia

  • Won the Newbery Medal in 1928 for Gay Neck, bringing attention as an Indian-born author in the U.S.
  • Lived between India and the United States throughout his life; reportedly became increasingly isolated in later years in New York.
  • Died by suicide in New York in 1936; no note was reported.
  • Wrote autobiographical works such as Caste and Outcaste addressing caste and religious experience.