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Rudyard KiplingWriter, Nobel laureate 1907
Date of Birth: 30.12.1865
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Content:
- Early Life and Literary Beginnings
- Return to India and Journalistic Success
- Travelogue and Literary Fame
- Marriage and Literary Triumphs
- Return to England and Later Years
- Public Recognition and Legacy
Early Life and Literary Beginnings
Rudyard Kipling, born in Bombay, India on December 30, 1865, was the son of prominent parents. His father, a renowned art historian, directed a museum, while his mother's family hailed from London, with grandfathers serving as Methodist priests. At the age of six, Kipling was sent to England, where he spent his childhood under the care of a Calvinist family.

Return to India and Journalistic Success
In 1882, at the age of sixteen, Kipling returned to India and secured a position as an assistant editor at a Lahore newspaper. His keen intellect and perceptive understanding of India, gained largely through conversations with his erudite father, set him apart within the British Raj. Annual retreats to the Himalayan town of Simla became a source of inspiration for his literary works.

His literary journey began with the publication of "Departmental Ditties" (1886), a collection of verses satirizing colonial life. This was followed by "Plain Tales from the Hills" (1888), a series of concise and often gritty stories depicting British India. In 1887, Kipling joined the "Pioneer" newspaper in Allahabad, where he wrote many of his most famous stories, which were published in England in volumes such as "Soldiers Three" and "Wee Willie Winkie."
Travelogue and Literary Fame
In 1889, Kipling embarked on a global journey, writing travelogues along the way. Arriving in London in October, he quickly achieved literary fame. "The Ballad of East and West" (1889) and "Barrack-Room Ballads" (1892) revolutionized English poetry, establishing a new style that celebrated the British army.
Marriage and Literary Triumphs
Despite health issues, Kipling continued to write prolifically. He married the sister of American publisher Wolcott Balestier in 1892. During their honeymoon in Japan, they were financially ruined by a bank failure, forcing them to settle in Brattleboro, Vermont. The years spent in America brought some of Kipling's greatest works, including the "Jungle Books" (1894-1895), "Captains Courageous" (1897), and the poetry collection "Seven Seas" (1896).
Return to England and Later Years
In 1896, Kipling and his family returned to England, where they settled in a remote village in Sussex in 1902. His literary style shifted towards a more deliberate and introspective approach, resulting in works such as "Kim" (1901), "Just So Stories" (1902), "Puck of Pook's Hill" (1906), and "Rewards and Fairies" (1910).
Public Recognition and Legacy
Despite his fame and wealth, Kipling shunned the limelight. He declined the poet laureateship and other honors, choosing instead to focus on his writing. His reputation waned somewhat in the 1920s, but his passing in London on January 18, 1936, marked the end of an era in English literature. Though the death of his son in World War I and his own declining health weighed heavily upon him, Kipling remained steadfast in his literary pursuit, leaving behind a vast body of work that continues to be cherished by readers worldwide.