Mahasweta Devi dies at 90

Mahasweta Devi

The acclaimed writer and social activist, Mahasweta Devi died of multiple organ failure at 3.16 pm today. Mahasweta Devi's health was not doing well in recent times and she was suffering from kidney and lung ailments, besides blood and urinary tract infections. The legendary writer was kept on ventilation support since 25 July, Monday.


Mahasweta Devi has been awarded with Ramon Magsaysay award and Padma Vibhushan among others for her notable works. Mahasweta Devi is known for her dedicated work for the development of tribals in different parts of India.

Mahasweta Devi, who belongs to the famous Ghatak family is West Bengal won the Sahitya Akademi and Jnanpith awards for literary excellence, and the Ramon Magsaysay award and Padma Vibhushan for the political importance of her work as a writer and activist equally.

Mahasweta Devi was born in 1926 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her father, Manish Ghatak, was a well-known poet and novelist.  Noted filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak was Mahasweta Devi's uncle. Mahasweta Devi's mother, Dharitri Devi, was also a writer and a social worker.

Mahasweta Devi completed B.A. (Hons) in English from Vishvabharati University in Santiniketan and completed M.A. in English at Calcutta University. Mahasweta Devi was married to renowned playwright Bijon Bhattacharya and in 1948, she gave birth to Nabarun Bhattacharya, one of Bengal's and India's leading novelists. She got divorced from Bijon Bhattacharya in 1959.