Mahasweta Devi is an extraordinary individual whose writings have impacted the lives of countless people
Shobhaa De: Author
Salutes: Mahasweta Devi
Who is she: Author, Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, Padma Vibushan awardee, social and political activist Mahasweta Devi is an extraordinary individual whose writings have impacted the lives of countless people. She
is all that any writer in the world aspires to be, a beacon of hope, an inspiring and courageous individual whose work is her life. She, more than any other living writer, deserves the Nobel for Literature, and I hope she gets it soon.
Mahasweta Devi has devoted her life to using her writings for expressing her varied concerns, especially those surrounding women. Winner of the Magsaysay award, more recently she was in the news for her protest march in February against P Chidambaram's Maoist policies. Fearless, outspoken, and prolific, she is a true icon for women across the world, for providing a voice to the voiceless.
I have met her just once in my life at the Frankfurt Book Fair. I saw this frail, bespectacled lady in a wheel chair leaving a packed salon after her passionate address. She was dressed in a simple, homespun sari and was the only author from India to receive a standing ovation from the audience. Believe me, this is a feat!! Regulars at the Frankfurt Book Fair will tell you how hard it is to impress the hard-boiled press corps and book lovers who go from one amazing session with an internationally acclaimed author, to the next without falling over anybody. Yes, the atmosphere is intellectually charged, but blasu00e9 about celeb-writers.
I rushed across to pay my respects. She took me by surprise by greeting me like a long lost daughter. I started babbling out of sheer nervousness, I felt overwhelmed in her presence (it happens rarely!). She chuckled at my plight and said in a strong, powerful voice that rang across the large hall, "No need to introduce yourself Sova (Bengali version of my first name) De. I know your work. And you know something? To the world we may appear to be totally different but we aren't different at all. In fact, we both write about the same things you in your way, me in mine." It remains the most significant compliment I have ever received.
--u00a0as told to Asha Mahadevan
