M. K. Indira

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M. K. Indira (Mandagadde Krishnarao Indira) (Kannada:ಮಂಡಗದ್ದೆ ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾವ್ ಇಂದಿರ) is a well known novelist in the Kannada language. She has written novels like Phaniyamma which has won many awards. She started writing novels only after her age of forty-five.[1]

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[edit] Early life

Indira was born in year 1917 in the town of Thirthahalli in the state of Karnataka, India. Her native village was Mandagadde, near Thirthahalli. Her formal education lasted for seven years before she got married. She studied Kannada poetry and also had a good knowledge of Hindi literature.[1] She ventured into writing novels at a late age of forty five.

[edit] Career

Indira's first published novel was Tungabhadra which was released in 1963. This was followed by other novels like Sadananda (1965), Gejje Pooje (1966) and Navaratna (1967). Her most well-known work is however Phaniyamma which was released in 1976. Phaniyamma is a novel based on the life of a child widow. It is a real life story of a widow whom Indira knew during her childhood. Indira heard the story when the widow narrated it to Indira's mother.[2] This novel has been a subject matter of discussion in many books related to feminism. Phaniyamma was made into a film by the director, Prema Karanth and this film went on to win many international awards.[3] Indira's other novels to be made into films are Gejje Pooje and Poorvapara. Indira has written about forty novels.

[edit] Awards

Indira's novels, Tungabhadra, Sadananda, Navaratna and Phaniyamma have won her the Kannada Sahitya Akademi awards.[1] This annual award is given to the best Kannada literature of the year. In view of her contribution to literature, an award is constituted in Indira's name and is given to the best women writers.[4] Thejaswini Niranjana, has translated Phaniyamma to English, and this translation has won her the Sahitya Akademi of India award.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita (1991), p138
  2. ^ Barbara Koenig Quart (1988) p251
  3. ^ Theatre personality Prema Karanth dead. Online Edition of The Hindu, dated 2007-10-30. Retrieved on 2007-11-27.
  4. ^ Literary awards. Online Edition of The Deccan Herald, dated 2007-02-12. Retrieved on 2007-11-27.

[edit] References

  • Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita (1991). Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present. Feminist Press. ISBN 1558610294. 
  • Barbara Koenig Quart (1988). Women Directors: The Emergence of a New Cinema. Praeger/Greenwood. ISBN 0275934772.