Mahashweta Devi

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This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

A profile

The Hindu

Influenced by the Communist movement of the 1940s, she chose to work among the poorest of the poor in the tribal areas of West Bengal.

Wife of one of Bengal’s most prolific playwrights and litterateurs, Bijon Bhattacharya, the activist-writer grew up in the family of Bengal’s leading writers, poets and filmmakers. Filmmaker Ritwick Ghatak was her uncle. Influenced by the Communist movement of the 1940s, she chose to work among the poorest of the poor in the tribal areas of southern West Bengal and in other parts of the country. She also received the Magsaysay award.

Play: "Draupadi"

The Tribune, november 9, 2016

Facing criticism from the academia for instituting an inquiry against two teachers who had coordinated staging of Mahasweta Devi’s play ‘Draupadi’, the Central University of Haryana (CUH) in Mahendragarh has decided to warn them and order prior screening of all presentations in the future. The teachers concerned, Dr Snehsata and Dr Manoj Kumar, have described the university action as unfortunate and disappointing.

“The university authorities, instead of defending the academic freedom and dignity of its teachers, has surrendered, held us guilty of an imaginary wrong and warned us of strong action in the future,” the two teachers said in a statement.

On the other hand, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has expressed dissatisfaction over the university action and is demanding sacking of the teachers after registration of cases of sedition.

“The short story has been included in the curriculum under the title ‘Breast Stories’, which was approved by the Board of Studies, Academic Council and Executive Council. If the enactment of the story is questionable, its study in the classroom is debatable as well,” said Dr Manoj Kumar.

A controversy had erupted in the university after students of the English and foreign languages department staged the play ‘Draupadi’ by Mahashweta Devi, which as per ABVP activists portrayed armed forces personnel as rapists.