Profiling Mahashweta Devi....!

If you like Indian literature then eminent writer Mahashweta Devi needs no introduction.

Neither, her works and social activities that led her to win many national and international awards in a short span of time. Born as the eldest daughter of Manisha Ghatak at Jinabehar lane of Dhaka on January 14, 1826 she was elder amongst her nine brothers and sisters. Renowned film maker Ritwik Ghatak was her uncle, just two months older than her.

Education:-Mahashweta Devi started her primary education in a Montessori school of Dhaka(Bangladesh)then she was shifted to another school at Midnapur(west Bengal).when she turned ten in 1936 she had completed her seventh standard education under supervision of great Ravindra Nath Thakur, at Shanti Niketan. But when pursuing education at Shanti Niketan wasn’t seemed possible due to economical reasons, her father took her to Kolkata to continue her further study. In Kolkata her main subjects of study were History and English.She done her B.A.honours in English literature and M.A. at Kolkata University.

Marriage & Family:-Mahashweta Devi was married to a equally famous stage artist-Vijon Bhatacharya in the year 1947.Her son Navarun Bhatacharya is also a very respected poet of Bangla literature.

Job & Activities:-Although, Mahashweta Devi had joined as a lecturer in Vijayagrha College and also at a post office but later she was removed from the job as she was a communist. After that, she never tried to get a job again and decided to pursue freelance writing career from home, itself. Interestingly that writing profession was her only source of income. The magazines and journals she has been associated with her contribution were-Ugantar, Economic and Political weekly, Vertmaan and others. During her initial period of life as a social activist she also worked for tribal of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orrisa.

Books: - Mahashweta Devi first composition was titled as ’Jhanser Rani(The queen of Jhansi.)Which was published in 1956.She has, so far, written more than hundred books of which Nati, 1084 Ki Maa, Pterodactyl, Arenyer Adhikar, Agnigarbha and others top the list. Her short stories and novels have not only been translated in Indian languages but also in Japanese, Italian and English.

Awards & Achievements:-

1. Sahitya Academy Award-1979.

2. Padmashri Award-1985.

3. Megassay Award-1997.

http://writingcampus.com/blog/100

You can read summary of her two famous novels at this links:-

http://www.shvoong.com/books/novel/psychological-novel/1789957-pterodact...
http://www.shvoong.com/books/novel/1804611-mother-prisoner-number-1084/

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