New Delhi, June 01: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday expressed grief at the demise of eminent poet and author Kamala Das and praised her poems "focusing on womanhood and feminism" for sensitivity.
In his condolence message, the prime minister paid glowing tributes to Das, saying her "poems focusing on womanhood and feminism gained her recognition as one of the most noted of modern Indian poets".
"Her achievements extended well beyond her verses of poetry. She made a mark in painting and fiction. As a syndicated columnist, her columns touched on everything from women`s issues and child care to politics," he said in his condolence message.
The prime minister singled out her books of poems, including "The Descendants" and "Only the Soul Knows How to Sing", for praise, sating they were widely read and admired for their human sensitivity.
He expressed his sincere condolences to the bereaved members of her family and "thousands of her readers and admirers".
Das, known for her unconventional poems celebrating teenage rebellion and frank exploration of female sexuality, is known as one of the pioneers of Indian English poetry. Intense, melancholic and sensuous by turns, in Das`s memorable words, poetry was like "the April sun squeezed like an orange juice".
A writer in Malayalam and English, the 75-year-old Kamala Das died in Pune early Sunday.
She suffered from diabetes and was recently hospitalised with pneumonia. The end came in a private hospital, a family source said in Thiruvananthapuram.
Born in a conservative Hindu Nair family, Das converted to Islam a decade ago at the age of 65 and assumed the name Kamala Suraiya.
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.