Mallika Sengupta (Bengali: মল্লিকা সেনগুপ্ত; 1960–2011) was a Bengali poet, feminist, and reader of Sociology from Kolkata, known for her "unapologetically political poetry".[2]
Biography
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.[3] She 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.
For twelve years in the 90s she was the poetry editor of 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.
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.
She had undergone breast cancer treatment starting in October 2005 and died on 28 May 2011.[citation needed]
Activism and literary themes
Sengupta was also active in a number of protest and gender activism groups. Her fiery, combative tone is noticeable in many poems, e.g. "While teaching my son history":
Man alone was both God and Goddess
Man was both father and mother
Both tune and flute
Both penis and vagina
As we have learnt from history.
– from Mallika Sengupta, Kathamanabi, Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005, (tr. poet)
often dealing with women's marginalised role in history:
Particularly evocative is her feminist rendition of the legend of Khana, a medieval female poet whose tongue was allegedly cut off by her jealous
husband:
Junior Fellowship for Literature from the Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India (1997–99)
Sukanto Puroskar from the Govt. of West Bengal (1998)
Bangla Academy award from the Govt. of West Bengal (2004)
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.
Works
Poetry
Challish Chander Ayu, Virus publication, 1983
Ami Sindhur Meye, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1988
Haghare O Debdasi, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1991
