View source for B. T. Lalitha Naik

{{short description|Indian writer, activist, politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name          = B.T. Lalita Naik 
| image         = 
| imagesize     =
| caption       = 
| birth_name    = Balaji Tangali Lalita Naik
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1945|04|04}}
| birth_place   = VL Nagar,<br/>[[Kadur]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| occupation    = Author, politician, social activist
| nationality   = Indian
| citizenship   = 
| education     = 
| alma_mater    = 
| period        = 
| genre         =
| subjects      =
| movement      = [[Bandaya movement]]
| notableworks  = ''Gati'' (1986)<br/>''Banjara Hejjegurutugalu'' (2009)
| spouse        = Champla Naik
| partner       =
| children      = 
| relatives     = [[K. Venkatalakshamma]] (grandaunt)
| awards        = [[Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award]]: 1991<br />[[Karnataka Rajyotsava award|Karnataka Rajyotsava Award]]: 1991
| signature = 
|module = {{Infobox politician 
|party = [[All India Mahila Empowerment Party]] (February 2018 - present)
| otherparty = [[Janata Dal (United)]] (until February 2018)
|office = Minister of Kannada, Culture & Women and Child Welfare of Karnataka
|term_start = 1996
|term_end = 1998
}}}}
'''Balaji Tangali Lalitha Naik''' (born 4 April 1945) is an Indian social activist,  politician, writer, film actress who was the minister of Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare of Karnataka. <ref name="AAP springs a surprise in Gulbarga" /> Naik has also served as an MLC (1986-1992) and MLA (1994-1999). She won the [[Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award]] in 1991. She is also known for leading important literary, social and language-rights movements such as [[Bandaya movement]] and [[Gokak agitation]].

== Personal life ==

Lalita Naik was born in a [[Lambani]] family on 4 April 1945, in Tangali Tanda(now V.L.Nagara), a small village in [[Kadur]], [[Chikmagalur]], to the agriculturalists, (late) Balaji Naik and Ganga Bai.

Naik married Champla Naik in the late 60s and was married to him until his death in 1996. She has three sons from the marriage.<ref name="a">{{cite book|last1=Chandra Dutt|first1=Kartik|title=Who's Who of Indian Writers 1999: A&ndash;M|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788126008735|page=665|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QA1V7sICaIwC&pg=PA665|year=1999}}</ref><ref name="wel">{{cite web|title=Profile of B.T. Lalitha Naik|url=http://www.welfarepartyofindia.org/welfarepatry-info-all?event=vi&id=280|website=Welfare Party of India}}</ref>

Lalitha Naik is the grand-niece of the renowned [[Bharatanatyam]] danseuse [[K. Venkatalakshamma]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=ನಾಯಕ್ [Naik]|first1=ಬಿ.ಟಿ. ಲಲಿತಾ [B.T. Lalitha]|title=ಬಂಜಾರ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಗುರುತುಗಳು [Banjara Hejjegurutugalu]|year=2009|publisher=ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಪತ್ರಾಗಾರ ಇಲಾಖೆ [Karnataka Rajya Patragara Ilakhe]|location=Bangalore|isbn=978-81-908438-1-2|page=142}}<!--|accessdate=7 June 2015--></ref>

== Writing career ==

After her marriage, Naik, started writing radio plays about the trials and tribulations of middle class life for the local [[Akashavani]] station. Encouraged by the popularity she started writing and contributing poems, short stories and articles for prominent Kannada periodicals such as [[Sudha (weekly magazine)|Sudha]], [[Prajavani]] and Taranga. When her novella, ''Nele Bele'', won an award in the annual novella competition conducted by Sudha magazine, she was invited by the writer [[P. Lankesh]] to contribute to his newly started tabloid ''[[Lankesh Patrike]]''. Naik started writing regularly for the tabloid and was soon recognized for her sensitivity, social commitment and progressive views. Her popularity as a writer and journalist led her to being nominated as Member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]] (MLC) by the then [[List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka|Chief Minister]] [[Ramakrishna Hegde]].<ref name="KKC">{{cite web|last1=Gundurao |first1=Y.N. |title=B.T. Lalitha Naik |url=http://kanaja.in/archives/dinamani/%E0%B2%AC%E0%B2%BF-%E0%B2%9F%E0%B2%BF-%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%A4%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%AF%E0%B2%95%E0%B3%8D |website=Kanaja: Kannada Internet Encyclopaedia |publisher=Kanaja Project, Karnataka Knowledge Commission |accessdate=2 September 2014 |language=Kannada |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015100639/http://kanaja.in/archives/dinamani/%E0%B2%AC%E0%B2%BF-%E0%B2%9F%E0%B2%BF-%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%A4%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%AF%E0%B2%95%E0%B3%8D |archivedate=15 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref> Naik continued to write and produce memorable books like the short story collection ''Habba mattu Bali'' ("Festival and the Sacrifice"), the novel ''Gati'' ("Fate") and the poetry collections, ''Ide Koogu Matte Matte'' ("The Same Cry Again and Again") and ''Bidiru Mele Kantiyali'' ("In the Bamboo Thicket"). Author of sixteen books, she is also known for her plays, children's fiction and essays. She won the [[Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award]] in 1991.<ref name="KKC" /> Her novel ''Gati'' has been translated into English, and her stories and poems have been translated into English, [[Hindi]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] languages. Her works are part of the syllabus in several universities in Karnataka.<ref name="wel" />

== Political career ==

While serving as MLC (1986&ndash;1992) Naik joined the Janata Dal, inspired by the socialist ideals of [[Shantaveri Gopala Gowda]] and [[Jayaprakash Narayan]].<ref>{{cite news|title= ಸಮಾಜವಾದದ ಅನುಷ್ಠಾನವೇ ವೆಲ್ಫೇರ್ ಪಾರ್ಟಿಯ ಉದ್ದೇಶ: ಲಲಿತಾ ನಾಯಕ್|trans-title=Aim of Welfare Party is implementation of socialism: Lalitha Naik|url=http://vijaykarnataka.indiatimes.com/articleshow/19174768.cms|work=Vijaya Karnataka|date=24 March 2013|language=Kannada}}</ref> In 1994 she was elected MLA from [[Raichur (Lok Sabha constituency)#Assembly segments|Devadurga]] constituency, Raichur on a Janata Dal ticket, and was made Minister for Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare in the [[J. H. Patel cabinet]]. Barely two years into her tenure as minister, her son Vishwajit was accused of defiling the statue of [[B.R. Ambedkar]] at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, [[Bangalore]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rajesh|first1=Y.P|title=Avenging Ambedkar|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Avenging-Ambedkar/200396|work=Outlook magazine|date=13 December 1995}}</ref> Though subsequent investigations revealed the allegations to be baseless, she was forced to step down at that time and [[Vimalabai Deshmukh]] succeeded her as [[Minister for Women and Child Welfare]], [[Karnataka]].<ref>Former minister Vimalabai Deshmukh no more https://www.deccanherald.com/state/former-minister-vimalabai-682790.html</ref> She also served as the President of Women's [[Janata Dal]]. After the split of [[Janata Dal]] in 1999 into [[Janata Dal (Secular)]] and [[Janata Dal (United)]], she joined [[Janata Dal (Secular)]] headed by [[H.D. Deve Gowda]]. She was a member of its National Executive. Later she quit [[Janata Dal (Secular)]] over Gowda's decision to form alliance with [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Welfare Party is the Answer for a Better India: Lalita Naik|url=http://www.karnatakamuslims.com/portal/welfare-party-is-the-answer-for-a-better-india-lalita-naik/|accessdate=2 September 2014|publisher=Karnataka Muslims|date=2 July 2011}}</ref> She later joined [[Janata Party]], but left it in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lalitha Naik quits JP|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Lalitha-Naik-quits-JP/articleshow/775721.cms|work=Times of India|date=13 July 2004}}</ref> Subsequently, she joined the [[Welfare Party of India]] and served as its National Vice President.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lalitha Naik inaugurates Udupi unit of the Welfare Party of India |url=http://www.megamedianews.in/index.php/90553/lalitha-naik-inaugurates-udupi-unit-of-the-welfare-party-of-india/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903133842/http://www.megamedianews.in/index.php/90553/lalitha-naik-inaugurates-udupi-unit-of-the-welfare-party-of-india/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 September 2014 |accessdate=2 September 2014 |publisher=megamedia News |date=26 March 2013 }}</ref> In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections she contested from the [[Gulbarga (Lok Sabha constituency)|Gulbarga constituency]] on an [[Aam Aadmi Party]] ticket and lost to [[Mallikarjun Kharge]].<ref name="AAP springs a surprise in Gulbarga">{{cite news|title=AAP springs a surprise in Gulbarga|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/aap-springs-a-surprise-in-gulbarga/article5774472.ece|work=The Hindu|date=12 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Sivanandan|first1=T. V.|title=Kharge repeats victory with a resounding margin|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/kharge-repeats-victory-with-a-resounding-margin/article6018648.ece|website=The Hindu|accessdate=7 October 2014|location=Gulbarga, Karnataka|date=17 May 2014}}</ref><ref name="candidates.aamaadmiparty.org">{{cite web|title=Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Loksabha Candidate, Gulbarga, Karnataka|url=http://candidates.aamaadmiparty.org/dr.-b.t.lalitha-naik.html|website=Aam Aadmi Party|access-date=31 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903125449/http://candidates.aamaadmiparty.org/dr.-b.t.lalitha-naik.html|archive-date=3 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2016, Naik was one of 7 JD(S) MLAs suspended for cross voting for candidates of different parties in the [[2016 Indian Rajya Sabha elections|2016 Rajya Sabha]] election. Naik eventually joined the [[Indian National Congress]] on 29 January 2017.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/JDS-rebels-preparing-ground-to-join-Cong./article17114772.ece | title=JD(S) rebels preparing ground to join Cong.?| journal=The Hindu| date=2017-01-29| last1=Khajane| first1=Muralidhara}}</ref>

== Social activism and films ==

Lalitha Naik participated in several social-literary movements of the 1980s including Bandaya movement, a protest movement for social equality and justice, and [[Gokak agitation]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Puttappa|first1=Dr.Patila|title=ಕನ್ನಡ ನಾಡು ನುಡಿ|trans-title=The Kannada Land and Language|date=2005|publisher=Directorate of Publications, Kannada University|edition=Chapter 9 : Gokak Movement|language=Kannada|url=http://kanaja.in/archives/7336|access-date=2 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903003449/http://kanaja.in/archives/7336|archive-date=3 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> An avowed feminist Lalitha Naik has strongly appealed for the passing of [[Women's Reservation Bill]] in both central and state legislatures <ref>{{cite news|last1=Naik|first1=B.T. Lalitha|title=ಮಹಿಳಾ ರಾಜಕಾರಣದ ಸವಾಲು: ಹೊಸ ಗಾಳಿ...|trans-title=The Challenge of Women's Politics: A New Wave...|url=http://www.prajavani.net/article/%E0%B2%B9%E0%B3%8A%E0%B2%B8-%E0%B2%97%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B3%E0%B2%BF|language=Kannada|work=Prajavani|date=29 March 2014}}</ref> and urged women to learn [[martial arts]] to protect themselves in the prevailing [[rape culture]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Panel Discussion on Gang Rape|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdA0zTXxOiU|work=Raj News Kannada|date=September 2013}}</ref> She has also lodged her strong protest against the victimization of innocent Muslim youth and social activists fighting for justice like [[Binayak Sen]]. She has protested against teaching [[Bhagavad Gita]] in schools.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bhagavad Gita Abhiyan in schools challenged|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/bhagavad-gita-abhiyan-in-schools-challenged/article2222805.ece|work=The Hindu|date=13 July 2011}}</ref> She has also demanded for the setting up of a National Men's Commission along the lines of [[National Commission for Women|Mahila Ayog]] to prevent the rising atrocities against men and the unscrupulous use of [[Indian Penal Code|IPC]] 498(A), the [[Dowry law in India|anti-dowry harassment law]] which she alleges is often used as a means to [[blackmail]] and [[extort]] men.<ref>{{cite news|title=ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಪುರುಷ ಆಯೋಗ ರಚನೆಯಾಗಬೇಕು : ಬಿ.ಟಿ.ಲಲಿತಾ ನಾಯಕ್|trans-title=Karnataka Men's Commission Should be formed: B.T. Lalitha Naik|url=http://www.bangalorewaves.com/news/bangalorewaves-news.php?detailnewsid=5365|work=Bangalore Waves|language=Kannada|date=7 December 2012}}</ref> She is of the view that reservations should not be permanent.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reservation should not be permanent: Lalitha Naik|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/reservation-should-not-be-permanent-lalitha-naik/article4879263.ece|work=The Hindu|date=4 July 2013}}</ref>

Naik acted in and wrote dialogues for the [[Banjara]] language film, ''Zadero Pankheru'' ("Forest Bird") in 1996.<ref name="wel" /> She has also acted in films ''Priya-O-Priya'' and ''Ashanti'', a tele-serial ''Mukta Mukta'' and one telefilm ''Ondu Hennina Kathe''.<ref name="AAP springs a surprise in Gulbarga" /> Naik was president of Karnataka State Bala Bhavana Society and has held other positions in some other community associations and societies.<ref name="a" /> She is a member of Karnataka Film Chambers.<ref name="wel" />

== Awards and honours ==

* 'Best Legislator' honour (1987)
* [[Rajyotsava Prashasti|Karnataka Rajyotsava award]] (1991)
* [[Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award]] for ''Gati'' (1991)
* Rajiv Gandhi National Unity Award (1995)
* Mahila Ratna Award (2003)
* [[Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award]] by [[Karnataka Government]] (2007)
* Kannada Shree Award (2010)
* Alvas Nudisiri Award (2011)<ref>{{cite news|title=ಹತ್ತು ಮಂದಿ ಹಿರಿಯರಿಗೆ ಆಳ್ವಾಸ್ ನುಡಿಸಿರಿ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ|trans-title=Alvas Nudisiri Award to Ten Writers|url=http://kannadanet.blogspot.in/2011/10/blog-post_4783.html|language=Kannada|work=Kannada Net|date=20 October 2011}}</ref>
* Karnataka Choodamani (2011).<ref name="KKC" /><ref>{{cite news|title=ಡಾ.ಲಲಿತಾ ನಾಯಕ್‌ಗೆ 'ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಚೂಡಾಮಣಿ' ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಪ್ರದಾನ |trans-title='Karnataka Chudamani' Awarded to Dr.B.T.Lalitha Naik |url=http://vbnewsonline.com/Karnataka/71684/ |work=Varta Bharati |date=24 October 2011 |language=Kannada |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903112223/http://vbnewsonline.com/Karnataka/71684/ |archivedate=3 September 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref> 
* Honorary Doctorate from [[Kuvempu University]] in 2009–10.<ref name="wel" />

== Bibliography ==
* ''Chandraparabhava'', collection of radio plays, 1972
* ''Bhattana Kanasu'', stories for children, 1979. (reprinted 1995)
* ''Nele-Bele'', novel, 1982, 1995
* ''Gati'', novel, 1986, 1995
* ''Habba mattu Bali'', stories, 1989, 1995
* ''Namrupli'', poetry, 1983
* ''Ide Koogu Matte Matte'', poetry, 1996
* ''Odala Bege'', poetry, 1996
* ''Bidiru Male Kantiyali'', collected poems 1983-1997
* ''[[Devadurga, India|Devadurga]] Taluku Darshana'', 1986
* ''Sava-seru'', poetry, 2005
* ''B.T. Lalitha Naik Chutukugalu'', 2005
* ''Kai Hididu Nadesennanu'', interviews with centenarians, 2006
* ''Gadi Kannadigara Kathe-Vyathe'', Ed., 2006
* ''Banjara Hejjegurutugalu'', 2009

'''Translated works'''
*''Gati/Momentum'' (2013) Translated into English by H.S.M. Prakash. Bangalore: Sirivara Prakashana. {{ISBN|978-93-81846-46-9}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://kannadabhavageetegalu.blogspot.in/2012/07/blog-post_17.html "ನಾ ಮೇಲಿನವನು ಬಲು ದೊಡ್ಡವನು" A famous poem]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naik, B.T. Lalitha}}
[[Category:People from Chikkamagaluru district]]
[[Category:Aam Aadmi Party candidates in the 2014 Indian general election]]
[[Category:Members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Members of the Karnataka Legislative Council]]
[[Category:Women in Karnataka politics]]
[[Category:Indian women's rights activists]]
[[Category:Bandaya writers]]
[[Category:Kannada-language writers]]
[[Category:Actresses in Kannada cinema]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian actor-politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Dal (Secular) politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]