Shrikant Verma

{{short description|Indian poet}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}

{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Shrikant Verma

| image = Shrikant Verma.jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1931|09|18}}

| birth_place = Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1986|05|25|1931|09|18}}

| death_place = New York, US

| education = MA Hindi (Hons) Nagpur University

| occupation = Poet
Politician

| known_for = Nai Kavita

| notable_works = Magadh

Jalsaghar

Maya Darpan

Apollo Ka Rath

Doosri Bar

| children = Abhishek Verma

| relatives = Nicolle Verma (granddaughter)

| website = https://thevermafamily.org

| spouse = Veena Verma

}}

Shrikant Verma (18 September 1931 – 25 May 1986) was an Indian poet and a Member of Parliament from Madhya Pradesh as a Congress party candidate from 1976 to 1982 and 1982 to 1986. Verma died of cancer in 1986 in New York.{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/the-great-performance/|title=The Great Performance: The awkward alliance of poetry and politics|date=2014-03-08|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-06-03|language=en-US}}

Verma married to Veena Verma in 1967, who later was elected Member of Parliament for three consecutive terms from the state of Madhya Pradesh.{{cite web|title=Member of Rajya Sabha from 1952-2003|url=http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/pre_member/1952_2003/v.pdf|accessdate=25 May 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.priyadarshniacademy.com/4-ann-national-awards/photo-gallery/4-national-awards1.html|title=Photo Gallery|website=www.priyadarshniacademy.com|access-date=2016-09-04|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916030752/http://www.priyadarshniacademy.com/4-ann-national-awards/photo-gallery/4-national-awards1.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://defence.pk/threads/verma-wife-in-cbi-net-for-tweaking-defence-deals.186126/|title=Verma, wife in CBI net for tweaking defence deals|date=9 June 2012 |access-date=2016-09-04}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/team-anna-alleges-corruption-in-defence-deals-names-mps-son-289920.html|title=Team Anna alleges corruption in defence deals, names MP's son - Firstpost|date=2012-04-26|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-04}} Verma's only child, Abhishek Verma was declared the youngest billionaire of India in 1997.{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rich-across-the-world-identify-with-the-same-brands-for-status/1/276726.html|title=Rich across the world identify with the same brands for status|date=10 November 1997 |access-date=2016-09-04}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/charges-against-verma-fabricated/article3474228.ece|title=Charges against Verma fabricated|date=2012-05-31|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=2016-09-04}}

Verma was born in Bilaspur in a brahmin Kayastha family. He graduated from Nagpur University with a Master of Arts degree in Hindi. He has authored twenty books.{{cite web|title=Indian Poets I Bio-Notes on Hindi Poets I|url=http://www.lchr.org/a/4/65/hindi.html|website=www.lchr.org|accessdate=25 May 2016}} Bilaspur city named the central vista as 'Shrikant Verma Marg' and in 1992 the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh unveiled a 30 feet statue of Verma at 'Shrikant Verma chowk'.

Verma was awarded Tulsi Samman for Jalsagar from Madhya Pradesh Government in 1976 and Shiksha Samman from Madhya Pradesh State Kala Parishad in 1981. In 1982, he presided over the Afro-Asian Writer's Conference hosted in New Delhi.{{cite book|last1=Lal|first1=Mohan|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=9788126012213|page=4504|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KnPoYxrRfc0C&q=Madhya+Pradesh+Government%27s+Tulsi+Puraskar+SHrikant+verma&pg=PA4504|accessdate=25 May 2016|language=en}} In 1987, he was posthumously awarded the Sahitya Academy Award for Magadh.{{cite news|author1=Sridala Swami|title=Through the ghostly lights of Verma's ancient cities|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/bookbeat/magadh-by-shrikant-verma|accessdate=25 May 2016|work=The Sunday Guardian|date=8 June 2013}}

A philanthropic foundation, 'Shrikant Verma Trust' was setup by Verma's son Abhishek Verma in 1989 to further the cause of arts, literature and journalism in the memory of his father and it continues to support initiatives in education, literature, fine arts, cultural heritage and community welfare. The trust is run by Verma's daughter in law Anca Verma, who collaborates on global campaigns such as 'HungerFreeWorld' that is managed by Verma's granddaughter Nicolle Verma.{{Cite web |last=admink |date=2024-09-03 |title=Dr. Abhishek Verma Honors Late Mother, Veena Verma, with State-of-the-Art Shelter at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma |url=https://www.liveuttarpradesh.com/en/dr-abhishek-verma-honors-late-mother-veena-verma-with-state-of-the-art-shelter-at-kgmu-inaugurated-by-daughter-nicolle-verma/ |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=Live Uttar Pradesh |language=en-US}}