Dhan Gopal Mukerji

Born on July 6, 1890, in Bengal, Dhan Gopal Mukerji became one of the earliest Indian writers to build a literary career in the United States. His work introduced many American readers to Indian life through stories shaped by memory, nature, and myth.

Mukerji wrote for both adults and children, but his children's books became especially influential. Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon, published in 1927, won the 1928 Newbery Medal, making him the first Indian-born author to receive that honor. His books often drew on Indian wildlife and traditional beliefs, giving them a strong sense of place and wonder.

He also wrote autobiographical and reflective works, including Caste and Outcast, which explored his experience moving between India and America. Mukerji died in 1936, but his writing remains notable for the way it connected cultures and opened a path for later South Asian voices in American literature.