History News Desk !!! Chitra Mudgal (English: Chitra Mudgal, born- 10 September 1943, Chennai) is a well-known and respected writer of modern English fiction. On one hand, her writing depicts human emotions, on the other hand, it depicts the compulsions of life caught in the pace of the new age. Chitra Mudgal was awarded the ‘Vyas Samman’ in 2003 for her novel ‘Aavaan’. This novel of hers has been translated into eight languages. Chitra Mudgal was born on 10 September 1944 in Chennai (Tamil Nadu). She received her primary education in her ancestral village Nihali Kheda located in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh and higher education in Mumbai University. According to Chitra Mudgal, “Rebellion, struggle and cowardice, a person gets all these things from the home environment. The home environment also made me a rebel.” See the coincidence that this rebellion also showed Chitra Mudgal the path of the creative world. The first story was on man-woman relationships, which was published in 1955.
On one hand, Chitra Mudgal’s writings depict the human sensibilities that are becoming a norm, on the other hand, they also depict the compulsions of life caught in the speed of the new age in a very good way. Her characters belong to the lower class of the society and move forward by studying the entire scope of their lives. Dalits and oppressed classes have got a special place in her works. When Ashk ji wrote in detail about the works included in a story collection of Chitra Mudgal in the Mahakatha special issue of ‘Vartaman Sahitya’ and suggested some changes in the title of the story, Chitra ji said this in the preface of the story collection – “…the fight of Kishore Motya, who is ready to fight the system, is not over yet, and will not end either because he is not being deceived in just one way. The pulse of his physical and mental hunger is in their hands. And they know who he may be hungry for at what time and what to give, by showing him, he can be cajoled, coaxed and used.”
Chitra Mudgal has published thirteen story collections, three novels, three children’s novels, four children’s story collections and five edited books so far. The novel ‘Aavaan’ has been translated into eight languages and has been awarded six prestigious awards of the country. Chitra ji’s major works are as follows
Novels : A land of ours, Aavan, Giligadu.
Story collections: Hunger, Poison is still there, Lakhshagriha, My return, In this bath, Eleven long stories, Jinwar, Flames, Jagadamaba Babu is coming to the village, The matter will move forward now, Skin, etc.
Miniature Art Collection: Statement.
Narrative Reportage: Locked in the basements.
Article: The wind is in his fist.
Children’s novels : Jeevak, Madhavi Kannagi, Manimekha.
For the neo-literate: forest.
Children’s story collection: Distant Drums, Wisdom, Folk tales from different countries.
Dramatic adaptations: Panch Parmashwar and other plays, Sadgati and other plays, Budhi Kaki and other plays.
Chitra Mudgal was awarded the ‘Vyas Samman’ in 2003 for her novel ‘Aavaan’. She is the first writer of the country to receive the thirteenth ‘Vyas Samman’. Apart from this, Chitra ji has also received many awards for the novel ‘Aavaan’, including England’s ‘Indu Sharma Katha Samman Award’ and Delhi Academy’s ‘English Sahityakaar Samman Award’. Currently residing in Delhi, she is continuously engaged in literary creation. Chitra Mudgal was awarded the ‘Udayraj Singh Smriti Award’ in 2010.
