Harimohan Jha (1908–1984) is the great modern prose-writer of Maithili — sometimes called its “Vidyapati of prose”. His novel Kanyadan and its sequel, and above all the gently devastating satire of Khattar Kakak Tarang, used wit and warmth to question the rigidities of Maithil Brahmin society.
Widely read and loved, his books brought a modern, self-aware sensibility to Maithili literature. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously for his autobiography.