The Bell

An active member of the Progressive Writers Movement, Ahmad Nadeem Qasimi is probably one of the most admired Pakistani writers. A poet, journalist, literary critic and short story writer, he is a major figure in contemporary Urdu literature.

Ahmad Yusuf started his literary career in 1948. "Khwab Gar Khwab Shiken" was originally published in the Mumbai-based Urdu magazine- Shair. A translated version was later published in Samkaleen Sahitya under the title "Khwab Dar Khwab."

Bolwar Mahammad Kunhi is the first writer to depict the travails of Muslims in Kannada literature. His short story collections have received many awards: Devarugala Rajyadalli which won the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award (1983), Anka which won the Bharatrajya Samsthan Award (1986), and Akashakke Neeli Parade which won the Sahitya Akademi Award for the Best Creative Book (1991).

She has a doctorate in English Literature from the University of Mysore and has been actively involved in translating short stories, novels and anthologies from Malayalam into English. Her works include: Kaalam by MT Vasudevan Nair, The Eye of God by N P Mohamed, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2001 and Cast Me Out if You Will, a collection of short stories and autobiographical essays by Lalithambika Anterjanam. Gita Krishnankutty has contributed to The Demon Seed and Other Writings by MT Vasudevan Nair and Bhaskara Pattelar and Other Stories by Paul Zacharia. She has also translated a Katha Trailblazer – Two Novellas by Paul Zacharia. Gita Krishnankutty has received the Katha Award for Translation twice, in 1993 and 2000, and also the Crossword Award for Translation in 1999.
 

Himanshi Shelat had her first collection of short stories, Antaral, published in 1987. It received the Gujarat Sahitya Parishad Award. She received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1996 for her short stories collection Andhari Galima Safed Tapakan.

Mahasweta Devi was a significant Bangla fiction writer best known for her short story “Draupadi”. She was a socio-political activist who worked at the grass root level for the landless labourers and women. In her crucial works- Bitter Soil, Mother of 1084, After Kurukshetra, Jhansi Rani, Imaginary Maps among others- one witnesses her blatant refusal of the contemporary historical material conditions imposed on women and her rebellious protest against the injustice done to the marginalized sections.

Mridula Garg was born in 1938 and has a Master's degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics. She has won the Maharaja Vir Singh Puraskar from the Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Parishad in 1975 and the Delhi Hindi Academy Sahityakar Samman in 1991. She has many novels to her name, besides a number of short stories. She has also translated a few Hindi novels and stories into English.

Swayam Prakash is a Hindi writer and novelist. He has a diploma in Mechanical Engineering.

Vasudha Mane is a noted writer of short stories, essays, travelogues and memoirs in Marathi. Dhalo Govyatil Dhalo, published in 1964, is a collection of folk songs from Goa. Neelshail, published in 1974, is Vasudha Mane's translation of an Oriya novel. Her other works include Goiya Divas, a memoir of her days in Goa, Sarhadd Ani Itar, a collection of essays in Marathi and Siberiatun Palayan, a translation of a travelogue.