A daughter to writers Manish Ghatak and Dharitri Devi, and a niece to noted filmmaker, Ritwik Ghatak, legendary Mahasweta Devi, was one of the most extraordinary writers and activists in India. One of the most respected figures in a state that is full of artists, Devi as a novelist, that she has won just almost every award that is to be won for literature in the country. Her social activism and journalism got her the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award. She has authored of many bengali novels and collections of short stories, and they have been translated into other languages. She was also widely acclaimed for her fight for the rights of the most unfortunate, downtrodden marginal people in the society, including tribals and dalits. She brought all her experiences and wrote powerful, fearless tales. Her characters were unforgettable as they were fictional people from the real world.
Saturated with writers and artists, the state of Bengal witnessed Mahasweta Devi, create her own niche. She made her presence felt by writing about real characters but in such a mythic way that they became universal. Even when she wrote about a fighter like rani of Jhanis, Devi took into account what folk tales, she had heard from the people. At the same time she kept on with her journalistic career. Mahasweta Devi had respect from everyone in the literary world. Eminent authors and publishers poured out condolences on Twitter after her death.
Amitav Ghosh (Ibis triology: Sea of Poppies (2008), River of Smoke (2011), and Flood of Fire (2015))
RIP Mahasweta Devi. A terrible loss for literature. A great writer and extraordinary activist; a woman with a warm, generous heart.
— Amitav Ghosh (@GhoshAmitav) 28 July 2016
Amish Tripathi (Shiva Trilogy: The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras)
Tragic news that Mahasweta Devi has passed on. An iconic writer and a national treasure. May her soul find purpose once again.
— Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) 28 July 2016
Anita Nair (Ladies Coupe, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting)
C.S.Lakshmi, Mahasweta Devi & I were 2gether at Göteborg book fair & Stockholm. Conversation, literature & laughter. RIP indomitable spirit!
— anita nair (@anitanairauthor) 28 July 2016
Ramachandra Guha ( Gandhi Before India, India after Gandhi, The VHP Needs To Hear The Condemnation Of The Hindu Middle Ground)
Mahasweta Devi was an inspiration to us all. Here’s what I wrote about her in 2006: https://t.co/qfiY8IlMqv
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) 28 July 2016
Namita Gokhale (Priya: In Incredible Indyaa, A Himalayan Love Story, Gods, Graves, and Grandmother)
‘The right to dream should be the first fundamental human right.’- Mahasweta Devi
Remembering an extraordinary life pic.twitter.com/T72TcE4K4A— Namita Gokhale (@NamitaGokhale_) 28 July 2016
Patrick French (India: a Portrait, The World Is What It Is, Liberty or Death: India’s Journey to Independence and Division)
RIP Mahasweta Devi. What a long, remarkable, engaged life of writing and doing. https://t.co/a197vGfAur
— Patrick French (@PatrickFrench) 28 July 2016
Aleph Book Company
Writer, social activist & extraordinary human being Mahasweta Devi passed away today. She will continue to inspire with her powerful words.
— Aleph Book Company (@AlephBookCo) 28 July 2016
Mahasweta Devi was an author known for her bravery and integrity; because she always stood her ground her ground and spoke her mind against the bourgeoisie.