Nana Roser 9ti Upanyas by Mahasweta Devi [Hardcover]

Mahasweta Devi was born into a middle-class Bengali family. Her father, Manish Ghatak, was a prominent literary figure of the Kallol era, and her uncle was the renowned filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. Her mother, Dharitri Devi, was also a writer and social worker. Mahasweta Devi married the famous playwright Bijon Bhattacharya. Their only son, the late Nabarun Bhattacharya, left a lasting impact on Bengali literature with his memorable poetic line "E mrityu upatyaka amar desh noy" ("This valley of death is not my country") and his novel Herbert.

She spent her childhood and adolescence studying in Dhaka. After the Partition of India, she moved to Kolkata. She pursued her undergraduate degree in English from Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan and later completed her master's degree from the University of Calcutta.

In 1964, she began teaching at Bijoygarh College. During this time, she also worked as a journalist and writer. Later, she gained prominence primarily for her work on the tribal communities and women of West Bengal. Through her writings, she highlighted the oppression and deprivation faced by various tribal groups and women.

In recent years, Mahasweta Devi became vocal against the industrial policies of the West Bengal government. She strongly criticized the government's policy of acquiring vast amounts of agricultural land and distributing it to industrialists at low prices. Additionally, she protested against the real estate business in Santiniketan.

Among her numerous books, Hajar Churashir Maa (Mother of 1084) remains one of the most notable. She was honored with several prestigious awards, including the Padma Vibhushan (India's second-highest civilian award, 2006), the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1997), the Jnanpith Award (India’s highest literary honor), and the SAARC Literary Award (2007).

On Thursday, July 28, 2016, at 3:16 PM, Mahasweta Devi passed away while undergoing medical treatment.