Harindranath Chattopadhyaya (1898 - 1990) was an Indian English poet, dramatist, actor, musician and a member of the 1st Lok Sabha from Vijayawada constituency.
His sister was the famed Sarojini Naidu. His father was a Doctorate of Science from the University of Edinburgh who founded the Hyderabad College (later Nizam's College). His mother was a poet. With that kind of family, it's no wonder he became such a multifaceted character.
At just 19, Harin published his first book of poems, The Feast of Youth, which received praise from literary bigwigs. He wrote in English, but his topics often revolved around ancient Indian culture and Vedic ideas.
Harin wasn't just a poet, though. He was also a dramatist, actor, and musician. He composed music, wrote lyrics, and sang songs. One of his memorable songs was Rail Gaadi, which was sung by Ashok Kumar in the film Aashirwad. He even penned the first English song in a Hindi film, "My Heart is Beating," for the movie Julie.
In 1951, Harindranath won the Lok Sabha election from the Vijayawada constituency in Madras State as an independent candidate, supported by the Communist Party of India. From 1952 to 1957, he served as a member of the 1st Lok Sabha.
As an actor, he is remembered for his role in the Hindi movie Bawarchi, where he played the strict patriarch. He also had cameos in three Satyajit Ray films: Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, Sonar Kella, and Seemabaddha. In 1984, he appeared in the TV serial Ados Pados.
In 1973, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan.
Harin married Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, a social reformer and freedom fighter.
They later divorced, which was one of the first legal separation granted by the courts of India. He later married Sundari Rani Chattopadhyaya in 1962.