Mandakranta Sen

Mandakranta Sen
Born (1972-09-15) 15 September 1972 (age 52)
Calcutta, West Bengal
OccupationAuthor
LanguageBengali
NationalityIndian
EducationHigher secondary
Alma materLady Brabourne College
GenrePoetry, fiction, drama
Notable awards
SpouseArinindam Mukhopadhyay

Mandakranta Sen (born 15 September 1972[1]) is an Indian poet of Bengali language. She became the youngest ever winner of Ananda Puraskar in 1999 for her very first poetry book.[citation needed] In 2004, she was awarded Sahitya Akademi Golden Jubilee Award for poetry.[2] She quit medical studies to become a full-time writer.[1]

Early life and education

Mandakranta was born in Tollygunge, Kolkata in 1972. She completed her secondary education from Sakhawat Memorial Govt. Girls' High School and higher secondary from Lady Brabourne College. She later went on to study MBBS at Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital from 1991-1997, but dropped out just before appearing at her final examinations.[1] Thereafter she devoted herself fulltime to literature.[3]

Literary works

Mandakranta is a major voice in 21st century Bengali poetry.[4] She has achieved success in different literary genres like poetry, novel, short story and essays, although she enjoys reputation chiefly as a poet. She is among foremost Bengali writers writing on conjugal and sexual issues of women.[5] Her poetry is regarded as feminist.[6] Her works have been translated into English and Hindi. She has also worked as a lyricist, composer, cover designer and a magazine editor.[7]

Awards and recognition

Mandakranta has been awarded Sahitya Akademi Golden Jubilee Award for young writer for her contributions to Bengali poetry.[8] She has also won numerous other awards including Ananda Puraskar (1999), Krittibas Puraskar and Akash Bangla Barsha Samman etc.[9] She is one of the contributors to Sahitya Akademi journals.[10] She was the youngest ever winner of Ananda Puraskar at the age of 27. She has also given poetry readings in Germany.[11]

Controversies

In 2015 Mandakranta returned her Sahitya Akademi Award in protest against the Dadri incident and the mob attacks on writers and rationalists.[12] In 2017 she was threatened with gang rape for standing by fellow writers who protested against Hindutva terror.[13]

Bibliography

Books in English

  • Sen, Mandakranta (2016). My Heart is an Unruly Girl. Mumbai: Paperwalla Media & Publishing. ISBN 978-93-827493-7-0.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2015). After the Last Kiss. New Delhi: Harper Collins India.

Books in Bengali

  • Sen, Mandakranta (2019). Bosobas. Kolkata: Patra Bharati. ISBN 978-81-837459-0-1.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2005). Shreshtha Kabita. Kolkata: Dey's Publishing. ISBN 978-81-295045-3-1.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2014). Premer Kabita. Kolkata: Saptarshi Prakashan. ISBN 978-93-827067-1-7.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2015). Dalchhoot. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-81-775619-6-8.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2018). Jhaptal. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-81-264140-8-6.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2015). Hriday Abadhya Meye. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-81-721591-2-2.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2017). Kolkobja. Kolkata: Dey's Publishing. ISBN 978-81-295214-7-7.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2019). Swapner Gaan. Kolkata: Dey's Publishing. ISBN 978-81-264467-4-2.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2020). Mithe Kora Kichhu Chora. Kolkata: Dey's Publishing.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2014). Balo Anya Bhave. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-81-775610-3-6.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2021). Antyakshari. Kolkata: Dey's Publishing.
  • Sen, Mandakranta (2019). Jonmosutra Hotyasutra. Kolkata: Dhansere Publishers. ISBN 978-93-884325-4-2.

Chapters in books

  • Sen, Mandakranta (2017), "Madri and Maria", in Anilkumar, K. S.; Resmi, G. (eds.), Lesbian Stories in Malayalam, vol. 1 (1st ed.), Trivandrum: Chintha Publishers, ISBN 978-81-770239-7-8

Journal articles

Translated works

  • Andhi Chhalaang (2006) in Hindi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Sen, Mandakranta (2002). Dalchhoot (1. saṃskaraṇa. ed.). Kolkata: Ananda. ISBN 8177561960.
  2. ^ "Sahitya Akademi Golden Jubilee Awards". Government of India Ministry of Culture. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Mandakranta Sen Author Profile". Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. ^ "One Language Many Voices : 21st Century Bengali Poetry". Indian Literature. 61 (2). Sahitya Akademi: 192. 2017. JSTOR 26791214. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Conjugality & Sexual Economics in India". Feminist Studies. 37 (1): 7-13. 2011. JSTOR 23069880. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ Manik Sharma (23 July 2016). "Mandakranta Sen's Feminist Poems : My Heart is an Unruly Girl". First Post. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Mandakranta Sen - Poet Profile". Poetry International. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Sahitya Akademi Awards Ceremony 2004". Government of India. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Mandakranta Sen - Life & Works". Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Translators and Contributors to Sahitya Akademi Journal". Indian Literature. 49 (1). Sahitya Akademi: 199-204. JSTOR 23346594. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Mandakranta Sen Literary Works". Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Bengali Poet Mandakranta Sen Returns Sahitya Akademi Award". NDTV.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Poet Mandakranta Sen Threatened With Gang Rape". The Indian Express. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022.