Newsbytes
  • India
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Science
  • Entertainment
  • Auto
  • Lifestyle
  • Inspirational
  • Career
  • Bengaluru
  • Delhi
  • Mumbai
  • Videos
  • Find Cricket Statistics
Hindi
More
Newsbytes
Hindi
Newsbytes
User Placeholder

Hi,

Logout


India
Business
World
Politics
Sports
Science
Entertainment
Auto
Lifestyle
Inspirational
Career
Bengaluru
Delhi
Mumbai
Videos
Find Cricket Statistics

More Links
  • Videos

Download Android App

Follow us on
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
 
Home / News / India News / Eminent writer-activist Mahasweta Devi passes away in Kolkata
  • India

    Eminent writer-activist Mahasweta Devi passes away in Kolkata

    Akriti Asthana
    Written by
    Akriti Asthana
    Mail
    Last updated on Jul 29, 2016, 10:28 am
    Eminent writer-activist Mahasweta Devi passes away in Kolkata
  • Renowned Bengali author and activist Mahasweta Devi breathed her last at Belle Vue clinic in Kolkata on Thursday.

    The 90 year old author was suffering from kidney and lung ailments, and various blood and urinary-tract infections.

    She passed away at 3.16 p.m. following a cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure.

    She left behind a formidable literary legacy that focused on the lives of marginalized communities.

  • In this article
    Early life Her literary legacy Adaptions on screen Voice of the marginalised Her political inclinations Awards and accolades Eminent writer-activist Mahasweta Devi passes away in Kolkata Condolences posted by notable figures on Twitter
  • Biography

    Early life

    Early life
  • Mahasweta Devi was born in Dhaka in undivided-Bengal in 1926.

    After partition, she moved to West Bengal where she completed her BA and MA in English.

    Her first book "Jhansir Rani" was published in 1956. She contributed to various literary magazines and wrote short stories and around a hundred novels, mainly in Bengali.

    She also worked as an English professor at Calcutta University.

  • Works

    Her literary legacy

    Her literary legacy
  • Mahasweta Devi began writing in the 60s, moved by the everyday realities she saw in rural Bengal.

    Among her masterpieces are 'Draupadi', 'Haazar Churasi Kimau', 'Rudali', 'Bioscopes', 'Kulaputra', 'Agnigarbha' , 'Aranyer Adhikar' and 'Chatti Munda O Tan Ti'.

    A collection of short stories "Breast Stories"(2010), translated by post-colonial critic and theoretician Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, introduced the West to her world of subalterns.

  • Do you know?

    Adaptions on screen

  • Films based on her works include Sunghursh (1968), Rudaali (1993), Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998) and Maati Maay (2006). 'Hazaar Churasi Kimau' had been turned into a film starring Jaya Bachchan.

  • Activism

    Voice of the marginalised

    Voice of the marginalised
  • Mahasweta Devi was one of the first Indian writers to address the concerns of Dalits and tribals, especially women.

    She organised welfare activities for the tribals of Bengal, especially the Sandhal, Lodha and Kheria Shabar communities.

    In 1997, owing to a petition submitted by her, she successfully convinced the then President, Shankar Dayal Sharma to stop the execution of 2 boys from Andhra Pradesh.

  • Affiliations

    Her political inclinations

    Her political inclinations
  • During the Singur-Nandigram movement, she criticised the CPM government's acquisition of agricultural land to set up industrial plants.

    Before the 2011 West Bengal assembly elections, she was among many intellectuals who supported Mamata Banerjee's promise of "change" and later became an adviser to the Trinamool leader.

    Regardless, she did not flinch from criticising the CM for her "intolerance for criticism from civil society".

  • Information

    Awards and accolades

  • Mahasweta Devi has won both the Sahitya Akademi (1979) and Jnanpith (1996) awards for literary excellence. She is also a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay award (1997) and the Padma Vibhushan (2006), the country's second-highest civilian honour and the Padamshri (1986).

  • 29 Jul 2016

    Eminent writer-activist Mahasweta Devi passes away in Kolkata

    Eminent writer-activist Mahasweta Devi passes away in Kolkata
  • Renowned Bengali author and activist Mahasweta Devi breathed her last at Belle Vue clinic in Kolkata on Thursday.

    The 90 year old author was suffering from kidney and lung ailments, and various blood and urinary-tract infections.

    She passed away at 3.16 p.m. following a cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure.

    She left behind a formidable literary legacy that focused on the lives of marginalized communities.

  • Tributes

    Condolences posted by notable figures on Twitter

    Condolences posted by notable figures on Twitter
  • Narendra Modi expressed grief, "Mahashweta Devi wonderfully illustrated the might of the pen. A voice of compassion, equality & justice, she leaves us deeply saddened."

    Mamata Banerjee wrote "India has lost a great writer. Bengal has lost a glorious mother. I have lost a personal guide."

    Mahesh Bhatt tweeted "the woman who walked with the broken and refused to sit with the 'great'!"

Latest News
  • Golden Globes 2021: 'The Crown,' 'Schitt's Creek' win big
    Golden Globes 2021: 'The Crown,' 'Schitt's Creek' win big
    Entertainment
  • PM Modi gets the first shot of coronavirus vaccine
    PM Modi gets the first shot of coronavirus vaccine
    India
  • Coronavirus: India's tally reaches 11.11 million with 15K+ new cases
    Coronavirus: India's tally reaches 11.11 million with 15K+ new cases
    India
  • #HealthBytes: Carpal tunnel syndrome - its causes, symptoms, and prevention
    #HealthBytes: Carpal tunnel syndrome - its causes, symptoms, and prevention
    Lifestyle
  • Premier League, Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United: Records broken
    Premier League, Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United: Records broken
    Sports
Related Timelines
  • Bengal: Bureaucrat (38) leading fight against coronavirus, succumbs to disease
    Bengal: Bureaucrat (38) leading fight against coronavirus, succumbs to disease
    India
  • Cyclone Amphan: 72 dead in Bengal; Rs.  2.5L compensation announced
    Cyclone Amphan: 72 dead in Bengal; Rs. 2.5L compensation announced
    India
  • With rapists' hanging, long-drawn struggle ends for Nirbhaya's mother
    With rapists' hanging, long-drawn struggle ends for Nirbhaya's mother
    India
Trending Topics
ISRO Vaccine Farmers Protest
Next News Article
Share
Cancel

Want to share it with your friends too?

Facebook Whatsapp Twitter Linkedin
Copied

Love India news?

Subscribe to stay updated.

India Thumbnail
India News Business News World News Politics News Sports News Science News Entertainment News Auto News Lifestyle News Inspirational News
Career News Bengaluru News Delhi News Mumbai News Bharti Airtel Mukesh Ambani Indian Premier League Samsung Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma
Cricket News YouTube Hollywood News WhatsApp Bollywood News ISRO Yoga Honda Batman Football News
BMW Vaccine Reliance Jio OPPO Food News, Healthy Recipes Royal Challengers Bangalore Toyota Fashion Tips Farmers Protest Mohammed Bin Salman
Mercedes Europa League Isha Ambani India Vs England Cricket OnePlus Mobiles Android TV Smart TV Marvel Comics Avengers Neha Kakkar
Premier League Big Bang Theory X-Men TATA
About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us News Reviews News Archive Topics Archive Find Cricket Statistics
Follow us on
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Youtube
All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2021