Munshi Premchand is one of the most important writers of the Hindi-Urdu canon in India. His prolific writing contributed largely to shape the genre of short stories as we know it in India. His range and diversity were limitless as he tackled themes of romance and satire, gender politics and social inequality, with unmatched skill and compassion. Premchand's writing often showed his deep interest in the lives of the simple Indian peasant and this concern often extended to animals, particularly their cattle. He was very sympathetic of the cruelty that was often meted out to the animals. Very few writers have depicted such an intimate bond between animals and human beings.