He is one of the most celebrated writers of the Indian subcontinent, and is regarded as one of the foremost Hindi writers of the early twentieth century. A novel writer, story writer and dramatist, he has been referred to as the "Upanyas Samrat" ("Emperor among Novelists") by writers. His works include more than a dozen novels, around 300 short stories, several essays and translations of a number of foreign literary works into Hindi. His novels include Godaan, Karmabhoomi, Rangabhoomi, Gaban, Nirmala and Seva Sadan. He published his first collection of five short stories in 1907 in a book called Soz-e Watan. Idgah, Kafan, Namak Ka Daroga, Bade Ghar ki Beti, Panch Parameshwar, Sawa Sher Genhu, Shatranj ke khiladi and other stories are published in Manasarovar in eight volumes.