Suchitra Bhattacharya

Born in Bhagalpur, Bihar on 10th January 1950, she started writing from her childhood. She graduated from Calcutta University with Honours in Bengali literature. In the late 1970s, she emerged as one of the most prominent writers in Bangla.

Her writing focuses on contemporary social issues, especially those concerning the urban middle class. Crisis in human relationships and the changing values of the present era along with degeneration of the moral fibre of the society are compellingly depicted in her stories. Exploitation and suffering of women regardless of their social or economic identities find a distinct voice in her writing.

Over the past two decades, Bhattacharya has written about twenty four novels and a large number of short stories in different leading Bangla literary magazines. Some of her acclaimed novels are Kachher Manush, Dahan, Kancher Dewal, Hemonter Pakhi, Neel Ghurni, Gabhir Asukh, Aleek Sukh, Bhangankaal, Parabas, Uro megh, Onyo Basanta, Alochhaya, Palabar Pat Nei, Ami Raikishori and Jalchhabi among others. Her novels and short stories have been translated in many Indian languages such as Hindi, Oriya, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati and English. She also writes novels and short stories for children.

This prolific writer has received several awards, which include Nanjanagudu Thirumalamba Award (1996) from Bangalore, Katha Award (1997) from Delhi, Tarashankar Award (2000) from Kolkata, Sahitya Setu Award (1998) from Kolkata, Dwijendralal Award (2001) from Kalyani, Sarat Puroshkar (2002) from Bhagalpur, Bharat Nirman Award and Sailajananda Smriti Puroshkar.

Suchitra Bhattacharya's work "I am Madhabi" has been translated from Bengali by Jadu Saha, for Katha.