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{{Short description|Indian author, artist, and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox writer
|name = Kota Neelima
|image =
|caption =
|birth_place = United [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| occupation = Politician, Author, Researcher, Political Commentator, Artist
|language = [[English language|English]]
|nationality = Indian
|education = {{ubl|[[Jawaharlal Nehru University]]|[[University of Delhi]]|[[Johns Hopkins University]]}}
|genre = [[Non-fiction]], [[Fiction]], [[Political commentary|Commentary]]
|notableworks = ''[[Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows|Widows of Vidarbha]]''<br />''Shoes Of The Dead''
|spouse = [[Pawan Khera]]<ref name="f642">{{cite web | title=Pawan Khera Latest News, Updates in Hindi | website=आज तक | date=21 February 2023 | url=https://www.aajtak.in/topic/pawan-khera | language=hi | access-date=13 August 2024}}</ref>
|children =
|website = {{URL|https://www.kotaneelima.com/}}
}}

'''Kota Neelima''' is an Indian politician, author, researcher, political commentator and artist. Her writing, art, and academic work include a focus on the themes of rural distress, gender, [[Farmers' suicides in India|farmer suicides]], and the peripheries of democratic societies. She is the author of the nonfiction book ''[[Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows]]'' and several novels about rural farmers in India, including ''Shoes Of The Dead''.

==Early life and education==
Neelima was born to the journalist and author, Late Shri K.V.S. Rama Sarma, and Uma Sarma in United [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Senior journalist passes away|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/Senior-journalist-passes-away/article15364356.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 December 2008}}</ref> She obtained a PhD in political science from [[University of Delhi]], and a Master of Arts in international relations from the [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]], Delhi.<ref name="D’Souza 2019"/> Neelima has also been a Senior Research Fellow, South Asia Studies at the [[Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies]] (SAIS), [[Johns Hopkins University]], [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] DC.<ref name="Jayan 2018"/> She also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Literature led by [[Arpana Caur]].<ref name="Kapoor 2018">{{cite news |last1=Kapoor |first1=Aekta |title=It's Near Impossible to Write the Woman's Whole Truth, Says Kota Neelima |url=https://eshe.in/2018/02/12/kota-neelima-widows-of-vidarbha/ |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=eShe |date=February 12, 2018}}</ref>

==Research and writing==
Neelima has written books on the poor and women in India in both genres of fiction and non-fiction. Her novels ''Riverstones'' and ''Moneylender'' are based on rural farmers in India,<ref name="TIE 2009">{{cite news |last1=Express News Service |title=Kota Neelima's new novel released in city |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/kota-neelimas-new-novel-released-in-city/ |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=October 7, 2009}}</ref> and her novel ''Shoes of the Dead'' includes a focus on [[Farmers' suicides in India|farmer suicides]].<ref>Reviews of ''Shoes of the Dead''
*{{cite news|last=Balantrapu |first=Mihir |title=Gritty realities|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/gritty-realities/article4985467.ece|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=3 August 2013|access-date=18 September 2021}}
*{{cite news |last1=Narayan |first1=Manjula |title=Review: Shoes Of The Dead |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-shoes-of-the-dead/story-YfNb9c7EXZcC5JXnIFxUoL.html |access-date=6 March 2024 |work=Hindustan Times |date=26 April 2013 |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, filmmaker [[Vetrimaaran]] optioned ''Shoes of The Dead'' to be adapted into a film.<ref name="Srinivasan 2016">{{cite news |last1=Srinivasan |first1=Latha |title=Meet Neelima Kota - the author who writes about farmer suicides in India |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/interview-vetrimaaran-s-film-will-bring-about-positive-change-says-the-shoes-of-the-dead-author-neelima-kota-2197226 |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[Zee News#Newspaper|DNA]] |date=April 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Neelima Kota is confident that Vetrimaaran will do justice to her book|agency=IANS|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/shoe-of-the-dead-neelima-kota-is-confident-that-vetrimaaran-will-do-justice-to-her-book-314007-2016-03-19|newspaper=[[India Today]]|date=19 March 2016|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref> Her novel ''The Honest Season'' is a political thriller with a female journalist as the lead character.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Honest Season review: An engrossing political thriller that moves at a good pace|last=Dubey |first=Divya |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/an-engrossing-political-thriller/story-tiV1KB8nCapvydpAbvA3RN.html|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=21 May 2016|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref>

Her non-fiction book ''[[Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows]]'' is about the life of widows after the suicides of their farmer husbands due to agriculture distress in [[Vidarbha]] region of Maharashtra.<ref name="Jayan 2018">{{cite news|last=Jayan |first=TV |title=Unseen victims of farm distress|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/books/kota-neelima-book-review-widows-of-vidarbha-making-of-shadows/article23349489.ece|newspaper=[[Business Line|The Hindu Business Line]]|date=25 March 2018|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref> In a review for the ''[[Hindustan Times]]'', Manjula Narayan writes, "The writing is taut, often ironic, and devoid of unnecessary adjectives and stylistic flourishes. Instead, the author allows the women to speak, putting down the nuances of each of their stories, almost editing herself out. The result is a book that's filled with stark pain, one that's almost unbearably honest."<ref name="Narayan 2018">{{cite news |last1=Narayan |first1=Manjula |title=Review: Widows of Vidarbha by Kota Neelima |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-widows-of-vidarbha-by-kota-neelima/story-TSxMikncXssEvcJ6dc22zN.html |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=April 27, 2018}}</ref> Her non-fiction works also include two books on spirituality. One of them, ''Tirupati: A Guide to Life'' has been translated to [[Hindi]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Tamil language|Tamil]] languages.

As a journalist, Neelima covered politics as a principal correspondent for ''[[The Indian Express]]'' and was the Political Editor of ''[[The Sunday Guardian]]''.<ref name="Jayan 2018"/> Neelima writes in ''[[Economic and Political Weekly]]'', ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' India,<ref>{{cite news|title=Author profile at Huffington Post India|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/bloggers/kota-neelima/|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=13 February 2017}}</ref> ''[[The Quint]]'', ''[[The Wire]]'',<ref name="D’Souza 2019">{{cite news |last1=D’Souza |first1=Ornella |title=Thorns in the fields of women farmers |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2019/aug/25/thorns-in-the-fields-of-women-farmers-2023842.html |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |date=August 25, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Zee News#Newspaper|DNA]]'',<ref>{{cite news|title=Author profile at DNA|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/authors/kota-neelima|date=7 March 2018}}</ref> and ''[[Hindustan Times]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Misra |first1=Manjima |title=How Is The Agrarian Distress In Maharashtra Affecting Women |url=https://feminisminindia.com/2019/11/08/agrarian-distress-maharashtra-affecting-women/ |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=Feminism In India |date=November 8, 2019}}</ref> Her research organization, Institute of Perception Studies (IPS), maps rural distress and advocates for solutions,<ref name="Parasa 2021">{{cite news |last1=Parasa |first1=Rajeswari |title=How Hakku Initiative has been checking Hyderabad's monsoon preparedness |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/how-hakku-initiative-has-been-checking-hyderabads-monsoon-preparedness-152479 |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The News Minute]] |date=July 16, 2021}}</ref> and is also the founder of Rate The Debate, a campaign about media reforms.<ref name="Quint 2020">{{cite news |date=December 31, 2021 |title=Meet the unsung heroes of TS, AP who made a difference in 2021 |work=<nowiki>[[News Meter]</nowiki> |url=https://newsmeter.in/must-read/laila-to-blb-meet-the-unsung-heroes-of-ts-ap-who-made-a-difference-in-2021-688870 |access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref> She is also heading Hakku Initiative, Hyderabad, which is a campaign-based and solution-oriented initiative, some of its campaigns are 'Is Hyderabad Monsoon Ready?.<ref name="Quint 2020" />', Citizen Safety and Wine Shops', Sanitation Warriors of Hyderabad, Wall Against Citizens, Paddy Farmers of Telangana, Close Drain Save Lifes, Citizen Referendum on Wine Shops in Hyderabad.<ref name="New Indian Express 2022">{{cite news |date=February 19, 2022 |title=Citizens win fight against wine shop permit room in Hyderabad|work=<nowiki>[[New Indian Express]</nowiki> |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2022/feb/19/citizens-win-fight-against-wine-shop-permit-room-in-hyderabad-2421208.html|access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref> Her academic articles are on distress, farmer suicides and reforms on electoral system in India, such as 'Right to Recall'.<ref>{{cite news|title=Right to Recall reform experience in Madhya Pradesh|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2017/13/commentary/%E2%80%98right-recall%E2%80%99-reform-experience-madhya-pradesh.html|magazine=Economic and Political Weekly|date=1 April 2017}}</ref> She also speaks at academic institutions on topics including agricultural crisis and gender. Her initiative StudioAdda conducts periodic outreach events like art and photography shows, and discussions on social, economic and political conditions of India.

Neelima also participates in literary festivals and discussions, including the [[Jaipur Literary Festival]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Banerjee|first=Poulomi|title=India's invisible widows: Its time for a separate kind of feminism in rural India|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/india-s-invisible-widows-it-s-time-for-a-separate-kind-of-feminism-in-rural-india/story-bxf68b9E6RhClcGxFkWcyL.html|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=27 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Chatterjee|first=Rituparna |title=Apologise or we won't allow to participate in Jaipur Lit Fest, Karni Sena Threatens Author Kota Neelima |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2018/01/24/apologise-or-we-wont-allow-you-to-participate-in-jaipur-lit-a-fest-karni-sena-threatens-author-kota-neelima_a_23341854/|newspaper=Huffpost|date=24 January 2018}}</ref> Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, [[Dehradun Literature Festival]], Odisha Literary Festival,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2018/sep/29/eastern-indias-biggest-literary-show-from-today-1878624.html|title=Eastern India's biggest literary show from today|date=2018-09-29|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2018-01-18|language=en-IN}}</ref> Times LitFest,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/timeslitfest/delhi/speakers |title=Times LitFest Speakers|date=2018-09-29|work=The Times of India|access-date=2021-09-16|language=en-IN}}</ref> OotyLitFest <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ootylitfest.in/2021-WEB/index.html|title=Ooty Lit Festival, 2021|date=2021-09-29|work=OotyLitFest|access-date=2022-10-08|language=en-IN|archive-date=7 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007204655/http://ootylitfest.in/2021-WEB/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Times LitFest,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/timeslitfest/delhi/speakers |title=Times LitFest Speakers|date=2018-09-29|work=The Times of India|access-date=2019-08-03|language=en-IN}}</ref> Delhi Literary Festival and a workshop organsied by Pune University on the issues rural farm widows.

==Publications==
===Non-fiction books===
* ''Tirupati: A Guide to Life'', Penguin (2012)
* ''Tirumala: Sacred Foods of God'', Roli Publications (2017)
* ''[[Widows of Vidarbha|Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows]]'', Oxford University Press, (2018)

===Fiction books===
* ''Riverstones'', Penguin (Reprint/2016)
* ''Death of a Moneylender'', Penguin (Reprint/2016)
* ''Shoes of the Dead'', Rupa Publications (2013)
* ''The Honest Season'', Penguin (2015)

===Chapter in edited books===
*"Tirupati: The God for a Modern Age" in ''Travelling In, Travelling Out: A Book of Unexpected Journeys'' Edited by [[Namita Gokhale]] (2014)

===Articles===
* Widows of Farmer Suicide Victims in Vidarbha, ''Economic and Political Weekly'', Vol.53, Issue No. 26-27, 30 June 2018, pp. 24–31.
* 'Right to Recall' Reform Experience in Madhya Pradesh, ''Economic and Political Weekly'', Vol.LII, No. 13, 1 April 2017, pp. 24–26.

==Painting and photography==
Neelima is also a painter whose work often incorporates [[Charcoal (art)|charcoal]] sketching before paint.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ranjan |first=Dhriti Gandhi |title=Art and reconciliation|url=https://www.theweek.in/leisure/society/2018/04/22/art-reconciliation-kota-neelima.html|newspaper=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]]|date=22 April 2018|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref> In 2017, in her exhibition ''Remains of Ayodhya, Places of Worship'',<ref name="Thiyyadi 2017">{{cite news |last1=Thiyyadi |first1=Sreevalsan |title=Thicket Of Flowery Trees Is The Idol |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/thicket-of-flowery-trees-is-the-idol/297661 |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |date=January 17, 2017}}</ref> she reflected on [[Ayodhya]] and related themes of freedom and harmony.<ref name="TSG 2017">{{cite news |last1=Correspondent |title=Reimagining Ayodhya as a bastion of peace and freedom |url=https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/art/7878-reimagining-ayodhya-bastion-peace-and-freedom |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The Sunday Guardian]] |date=January 7, 2017}}</ref> In 2018, Swati Rai wrote for ''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'', "As an artist, her paintings abound in minimalism, which is a clear and consistent element in her art."<ref name="Rai 2018">{{cite news |last1=Rai |first1=Swati |title=What the moon says |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/arts/what-the-moon-says-597594 |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |date=June 3, 2018}}</ref> Her 2018 exhibition ''Metaphors of the Moon'' was influenced by her work on her book ''[[Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows]]'', which documented the lives of widows after the suicides of their farmer husbands.<ref name="R 2018">{{cite news |last1=R |first1=Shilpa |title=Kota Neelima's latest expo explores the lives of widows of Vidarbha farmers |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/many-shades-of-moon/article23912021.ece |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=May 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Raghuvanshi |first=Alka |title=Metaphors of the nature to the fore|url=https://www.asianage.com/life/art/310518/metaphors-of-nature-to-the-fore.html|newspaper=[[The Asian Age]]|date=31 May 2018|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref> In a review of the exhibit, Shilpa R writes, "The concept of negotiating and documenting the absence in and around us has been a recurring motif in the author-painter's oeuvre. [...] As is her wont, Neelima has always turned to the creative medium to draw attention to what she felt was left unsaid in the written word."<ref name="R 2018"/>

In 2019, sales proceeds from her ninth solo exhibition, a photography exhibit titled ''The Nature of Things: Death and Dualism in Indian Villages'' that is part of her research for [[Azim Premji University]], Bengaluru,<ref name="D’Souza 2019"/> were donated to farmers' widows.<ref name="IANS 2019"/>

Her works have been featured at the [[Lalit Kala Akademi]]<ref name="IANS 2018">{{cite news |title=Farmers' widows inspire Kota Neelima's art |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/farmers-widows-inspire-kota-neelima-s-art-118051800358_1.html |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=Business Standard |agency=IANS |date=May 18, 2018}}</ref> and the [[India Habitat Centre]] in Delhi, and in art shows in [[Mumbai]], [[Bangalore]], [[Kolkata]], among other cities in India.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Manifest Absence|url=https://www.nehrucentre.org.uk/events/exhibition-4/|newspaper=Nehru Centre|date=10 September 2018}}</ref> Her works have also been featured at several international exhibitions, including [[Nehru Centre, London|The Nehru Centre, London]], Museum, and [[China]] Art Museum, National Museum of Fine Arts, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Indian Contemporary Arts Exhibition in Bishkek|url=https://indembbishkek.gov.in/news_view.php?nid=65|date=18-23 October 2016}}</ref> Her works are part of the permanent collection in Museum of Sacred Arts, [[Belgium]].<ref name="IANS 2019">{{cite news |title=Reflections of farmers' suicides, widows in Kota Neelima's paintings |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/hot-news/reflections-of-farmers-suicides-widows-in-kota-neelima-s-paintings#read-more |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The Quint]] |agency=IANS |date=September 12, 2019}}</ref>

==Political career==
Neelima has served as General Secretary, [[Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Telangana Congress plans 'guarantee card' for Dharani glitches |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2023/jan/05/telangana-congress-plans-guarantee-card-for-dharani-glitches-2534804.html |access-date=19 February 2023 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |date=January 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pulipaka |first1=Balu |title=Nearly a million farmers losing out on MSP in Telangana |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/151222/nearly-a-million-farmers-losing-out-on-msp-in-state.html |access-date=19 February 2023 |work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |date=December 16, 2022}}</ref> In 2023, she was the [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]] candidate from Sanathnagar for the Telangana Assembly.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Janyala |first1=Sreenivas |title=Telangana Congress first list, the key takeaways: Party bets on experience, all three Lok Sabha MPs in fray |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/telangana-congress-first-list-key-takeaways-lok-sabha-mps-in-fray-8983859/ |access-date=8 January 2024 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=15 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dr. Kota Neelima Election Results 2023: News, Votes, Results of Telangana Assembly |url=https://www.ndtv.com/elections/telangana-assembly-election-candidates-list-2023/dr-kota-neelima-54062-2 |access-date=6 March 2024 |work=[[NDTV]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Honors and awards==
* Exceptional Women of Excellence, Women Economic Forum (WEF) 2019<ref>{{cite web |title=Women Economic Forums Awards |url=https://wefawards.in/cat.php?cat=66&awardid=4 |publisher=Women Economic Forum. |access-date=18 September 2021 |archive-date=18 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918205343/https://wefawards.in/cat.php?cat=66&awardid=4 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wef.org.in/wef-2019-program-details/|title=Women Economic Forum|date=2019-04-11|work=WEF|access-date=2019-04-11|language=en-IN}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Neelima is married to [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]] spokesperson [[Pawan Khera]].<ref name="PTI 2020">{{cite news |title=Congress leaders' families move SC for intervention in Sudarshan TV case |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/congress-leaders-families-move-sc-for-intervention-in-sudarshan-tv-case-6609024/ |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |agency=PTI |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Indian writers]]
* [[List of Indian women writers]]
* [[List of Indian women artists]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://www.kotaneelima.com/}}
* [https://scroll.in/article/778184/how-to-engineer-a-communal-riot-when-fiction-can-tell-the-truth ''The Honest Season'' excerpt] (''[[Scroll.in]]'', 2015)

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neelima, Kota}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:English-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Delhi]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian artists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]

Kota Neelima - Revision history

MavisLandale6 at 22:27, 30 December 2025