Kolkata: Eminent writer and social activist
Mahasweta Devi passed away at a city nursing home on Thursday following
prolonged illness, an attending doctor said. She was 90. The Ramon Magsaysay
winner is survived by her daughter-in-law and grandchild. Mahasweta Devi’s son
pre-deceased her two years ago.
The Jnanpith, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shri and Ramon
Magsaysay awardee had been suffering from age-related illness for a long time
and had been admitted in the hospital for around two months.
Mahasweta Devi was known for a lifetime of
dedicated work for the welfare of tribals in different parts of India -
especially lodhas and shabars.
“The reason and inspiration for my writing,"
she had said, "are those people who are exploited and used, and yet do not
accept defeat”.
In recent years, she raised her voice against
forcible land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram. “My India” she once said, “still
lives behind a curtain of darkness”. Over the years, several of her novels have
been turned into films. Award winning films Hazar Chaurasi ki Ma and Rudali were based on her novels.
As the news of social activist and writer Mahasweta
Devi’s demise spread, many dignitaries and political leaders took to Twitter to
express condolence and pay homage.
Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj took to
Twitter to express condolence and said that the works of the writer had
“left a lasting impression” on her life.
However, something went terribly wrong when the
accolades were wrongly attributed. Swaraj while paying homage Mahasweta Devi
mentioned names of two books, Pratham Pratishruti and Bakul Katha.
Both these books were not written by Mahasweta Devi but by Ashapurna Devi.
Given
to Swaraj’s wide following and popularity on Twitter and Mahasweta Devi
trending, the post drew quick attention and the External Minister was trolled
for confusing the works of the two authors, following which she deleted her
second tweet.
Mahasweta
Devi was one of the first Indian writers to address the concerns of Dalits and
tribals, especially women.
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