Das, Kamala (1934–)

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Das, Kamala (1934–)

Indian poet and journalist. Name variations: (pseudonym) Madhavi Kutty. Born Mar 31, 1934, in Malabar, Kerala, India; dau. of Nalapat Balamani Amma; married K. Madhava Das.

Served as poetry editor of Illustrated Weekly of India and president of Jyotsna Art and Education Academy; helped found Bahutantrika Group of Artists; wrote syndicated column and established own political party; nominated for Nobel prize (1984); works include Summer in Calcutta (1965), The Descendants (1967), The Old Playhouse (1973), Tonight, This Savage Rite: The Love Poems of Kamala Das and Pritish Nandy (1979) and Collected Poems (1984); novels in Malayalam include Palayan (1990), Neypayasam (1991) and Dayarikkurippukal (1992).

See also autobiography My Life (1976).