https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Mallika_SenguptaMallika Sengupta - Revision history2026-07-31T01:13:55ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Mallika_Sengupta&diff=142737&oldid=previmported>Scorpions13256 at 04:39, 10 July 20212021-07-10T04:39:49Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Bengali poet, feminist, activist and reader of Sociology}}<br />
{{COI|date=May 2021}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Mallika Sengupta<br />
| image = MallikaSenguptaPic.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
| birth_name = <br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1960|03|27}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Nadia district]], [[India]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2011|05|28|1960|03|27}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/noted-bengali-poet-mallika-sengupta-dead/article2059226.ece|title=Noted Bengali poet Mallika Sengupta dead|work=thehindu.com|accessdate=23 March 2017}}</ref><br />
| death_place = [[Lucknow]], [[India]]<br />
| nationality = Indian<br />
| other_names = <br />
| known_for = Poet<br />
| occupation = <br />
| spouse = [[Subodh Sarkar]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Mallika Sengupta''' ({{lang-bn|মল্লিকা সেনগুপ্ত}}, 1960–2011) was a [[Bengali people|Bengali]] poet, feminist, and reader of Sociology from [[Kolkata]], known for her "unapologetically political poetry".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://india.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=2728 |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321130819/http://india.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=2728 |archive-date=21 March 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
<br />
== Biography ==<br />
Mallika Sengupta was the head of the Department of Sociology in Maharani Kasiswari College, an undergraduate college affiliated with the [[University of Calcutta]] in Kolkata,<ref>[http://www.museindia.com/showauthor.asp?id=100 ]{{dead link|date=October 2012}}</ref> Mallika Sengupta was much better known for her literary activity. The author of more than 20 books including 14 volumes of poetry and two novels, she was widely translated and was a frequent invitee at international literary festivals.<br />
<br />
For twelve years in the 90s she was the poetry editor of [[Sananda (magazine)|Sananda]], the largest circulated Bengali fortnightly (edited by [[Aparna Sen]]). Along with her husband, the noted poet [[Subodh Sarkar]], she was the founder-editor of ''Bhashanagar'', a culture magazine in Bengali.<br />
<br />
English translations of her work have appeared in various Indian and American anthologies. In addition to teaching, editing and writing, she was actively involved with the cause of gender justice and other social issues.<br />
<br />
A victim of breast cancer, she was under treatment since October 2005 and died on 28 May 2011.<br />
<br />
===Activism and literary themes===<br />
<br />
Sengupta was also active in a number of protest and gender activism groups. <br />
Her fiery, combative tone is noticeable in many poems, e.g. "While teaching my son history": <br />
: Man alone was both God and Goddess<br />
: Man was both father and mother<br />
: Both tune and flute<br />
: Both penis and vagina<br />
: As we have learnt from history.<br />
: &nbsp;– from Mallika Sengupta, ''Kathamanabi'', Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005, (tr. poet)<br />
often dealing with women's marginalised role in history:<br />
:after the battle said chenghis khan<br />
:the greatest pleasure of life,<br />
:<br />
:is in front of the vanquished enemy<br />
:to sleep with his favourite wife.<br />
: &nbsp; – ''JuddhasheShe nArI'' &nbsp; – from Mallika Sengupta, ''Kathamanabi'', Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005, (tr. amitabha mukerjee<ref>[http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/sengupta-2005-chheleke-history-parate.html Chheleke history paRAte giye] (5 translations)</ref>)<br />
<br />
Particularly evocative is her feminist rendition of the legend of [[khanA]], a<br />
medieval female poet whose tongue was allegedly cut off by her jealous<br />
husband: <br />
: In Bengal in the Middle Ages<br />
: Lived a woman Khanaa, I sing her life<br />
: The first Bengali woman poet<br />
: Her tongue they severed with a knife<br />
: Her speechless voice, "Khanaar Bachan"<br />
: Still resonates in the hills and skies<br />
: Only the poet by the name of Khanaa<br />
: Bleeding she dies.<br />
: &nbsp; – ''khanA'', tr. amitabha mukerjee <ref>[http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/other/ut-sample-gifs.html unsevered tongue], 2005</ref><br />
<br />
== Awards and honours ==<br />
{{no refs|section|date=March 2021}}<br />
*Junior Fellowship for Literature from the Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India (1997–99)<br />
*Sukanto Puroskar from the Govt. of W.B.(1998)<br />
*Bangla Academy award from the Govt. of W.B.(2004)<br />
*Has been invited to poetry readings, conferences and seminars in Sweden (1987), Australia (1994), USA (2002 & 2006), Czech Republic (2009) and Bangladesh (1998 & 2002) as part of Indian writer's delegation.<br />
<br />
== Works ==<br />
<br />
===Poetry===<br />
<br />
* Challish Chander Ayu, Virus publication, 1983<br />
* Ami Sindhur Meye, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1988<br />
* Haghare O Debdasi, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1991<br />
* Ardhek Prithivi, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1993, {{ISBN|81-7215-247-7}}<br />
* Meyeder Aa Aaa Ka Kha, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1998<br />
* Kathamanabi, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1999, {{ISBN|81-7215-915-3}}<br />
* Deoyalir Rat, Patralekha, Kolkata, 2001<br />
* Amra Lasya Amra Ladai, Sristi Prakashani, Kolkata, 2001 [http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/sengupta-2001-amra-lasya-amra.html Book Excerptise] (2 translations)<br />
* Purushke Lekha Chithi, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2003, {{ISBN|81-7756-286-X}} [http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/master-booklist.html Book Excerptise] (1 poem online)<br />
* Chheleke History Parate Giye, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2005<br />
* Shrestha Kabita, Kolkata, Dey's Publication, 2005<br />
* Aamake Sariye Dao Valobasa, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2006, {{ISBN|81-7756-573-7}}<br />
* Purusher Janyo Eksho Kabita, Deep Prakashan, Kolkata, 2007<br />
* O Janemon Jibananada, Banolata Sen Likhchhi, Kolkata, Ananda Pub. 2008<br />
* Brishtimichhil Barudmichhil, Kolkata, Ananda Pub. 2010<br />
<br />
===Poetry in English translation===<br />
<br />
* Carriers of Fire, Bhashanagar, Kolkata, 2002<br />
* Kathamanabi, her voice and Other Poems, Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005<br />
<br />
=== Novels ===<br />
* Seetayan, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1995, {{ISBN|81-7215-618-9}}<br />
* Sleelatahanir Pare, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1996, {{ISBN|81-7215-713-4}} <br />
* Kabir Bouthan, Ananda Publishers,Kolkata, 2011, {{ISBN|978-81-7756-977-3}}<br />
<br />
=== Books on sociology of gender ===<br />
* Strilinga Nirmana, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1994, {{ISBN|81-7215-368-6}}<br />
* Purush Noi Purushtantra, Vikash Grantha Bhavan, Kolkata, 2002<br />
* Bibahabichchhinnar Akhyan, Banglar Samaj O Sahitye, Kolkata, Papyrus, 2007<br />
<br />
=== Translation ===<br />
* Akaler Madhye Saras, translation from Kedarnath Singh's Hindi poems, Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata, 1998<br />
<br />
=== Bengali poetry anthology ===<br />
* Dui Banglar Meyeder Shreshtha kabita, Upasana, Kolkata, 2003<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{Reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050214085727/http://india.poetryinternational.org/cwolk/view/24331 Mallika Sengupta and the Poetry of Feminist Conviction]. (4 bilingual poems)<br />
* The unsevered tongue: modern poetry by Bengali women, tr. amitabha mukerjee. Nandimukh samsad, kolkata, 2005. (4 poems with translations, [http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/other/ut-sample-gifs.html excerpts])<br />
<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sengupta, Mallika}}<br />
[[Category:20th-century Bengali poets]]<br />
[[Category:Indian feminists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women poets]]<br />
[[Category:1960 births]]<br />
[[Category:2011 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali writers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian feminist writers]]<br />
[[Category:University of Calcutta faculty]]<br />
[[Category:Indian sociologists]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Bengali poets]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali female poets]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]<br />
[[Category:Writers from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Poets from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian women writers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian social scientists]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Indian women writers]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Indian social scientists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women educational theorists]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Indian poets]]<br />
[[Category:Women writers from Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Scientists from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Women scientists from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:People from Nadia district]]<br />
[[Category:Women educators from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Educators from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women sociologists]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century women educators]]</div>imported>Scorpions13256