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Young at 80!
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Meet the octogenarian poet-novelist Dineshnandini Dalmia, the winner of this year's Padma Bhushan
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THE QUINTESSENTIAL FEMINIST Durgeshnandini Dalmia
Spunky poet-novelist Durgeshnandini Dalmia, who was recently conferred with this year's prestigious Padma Bhushan, has penned 40 novels, bagging numerous literary awards. Among them are the Maithilisharan Gupt Award, Munshi Premchand Award, Sakhsaria Award and the Sahitya Akademi Award. Best known for her gadya-kavya (prose-poetry) literary style, the feisty author, now 80, had turned down the Sahitya Akademi Award two years ago though she says she is "delighted" to have been considered for the Padma Bhushan this year.
Currently working on her 41st novel ("Vasiyatnama"), the poetess is also the President of Lekhika Sangh, a consortium of Indian authors, Indo-China Friendship Society, Institute of Comparative Religion and Literature and `Richa', a forum of 500 Hindi authors. She is also a consultant for TV serials and chief editor of a monthly Hindi magazine Richa. Writing since the age of 13, the poetess won her first national literary award at the age of 19. Her work, she says, is reflective of her "personal journey, loneliness and unrequited love".
The firebrand poetess was the quintessential feminist of her times. She has the distinction of being India's first postgraduate woman (from Rajasthan University), and chose to be the sixth wife of the famous industrialist R.K. Dalmia, fought against the purdah system and rebelled against her parents to be treated at par with her brothers. Here, the effervescent octogenarian author talks about women's issues, the state of Hindi literature, her forthcoming novel and the value of awards:
Q. You turned down the Sahitya Akademi Award last year but accepted the Padma Bhushan. What was the thought behind this?
A. Well, not only did the Hindi Sahitya Akademi Award come too late, I felt it was much below my status to accept it as it was being given to very young and upcoming authors. If at all, I should have been considered for the Shalakha Award, which is considered much more prestigious in the world of Hindi literature. However, the Padma Bhushan is a different award altogether as it is one of the highest civilian awards and though it has come late, the recognition has made me very happy.
Q. Do you think awards are a true reflection of an author's literary worth?
A. There are no fixed parameters by which one can measure the true worth of an artist or author's creativity. Just like you can never put the `correct' price tag on a painting, similarly `awards' can't really be the benchmark for a novel's merit. But certainly, in this age and day, awards are a source of recognition and encouragement to people. But it's not as if, had I not been awarded, I'd have lost heart. I would have continued to write as my writing comes from my soul and it is my life. My soul inspires me to write... .
Q. What do you think about women in politics today?
A. Well, before making a comment on women politicians, I'd like to say that politics in general has degenerated to a level where corruption and nepotism is rampant like never before. In the thirties, I was asked by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to head the Congress' women's wing. But I turned down the offer. I've always felt that women have to work doubly hard to prove themselves in any field - be it politics or literature. Ultimately, it's a man's world. But yes, society has become more liberal in accepting women as compared to our times. We had to struggle to be even heard but women of this century are far luckier and better placed. Also, I had no time for politics as I was married to a famous industrialist. Home, seven children and writing kept me quite busy. But I've always led an active life and like to be surrounded by young, intelligent and vibrant people.
Q. What are you currently working on?
A. I started writing when I was 13 and my first book was published when I was 19. Though I don't write regularly now, I'm trying to wrap up my 41st book titled "Vasiyatnama" (The Will). It is a family drama written in the flashback style about a woman who has been declared dead by the doctors. It deals with interpersonal relationships and is a comment upon today's society.
Q. What do you feel about the status of Hindi literature today? Do you think it's being given its due as Hindi is our national language?
A. Certainly not. Hindi literature is a dying discipline and Hindi authors form the less privileged strata of society. I'm trying to do something for young Hindi authors through our national organisation Richa, which has 500 authors under its umbrella. We encourage the youth to write in Hindi and then help them get their work published.
Q. You've always been a rebel. Has it been a conscious choice?
A. Yes, my whole life has been a rebellion. I've always followed my heart and done what my conscience told me to do. The idea was never to break any rule consciously. In the course of being unconventional, however, I always ended up doing what tradition forbade! My choice of marriage to Dalmiaji during those times - as I was his sixth wife - was itself an act of rebellion against social mores. Publicly, I rebelled against the suppression of women and the purdah system in Rajasthan. In fact not many people know this, but I was the first woman postgraduate of my times in India!
NEETA LAL
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