Nalini Prava Deka

Nalini Prava Deka was a leading Assamese short-story writer, radio dramatist, poet, children’s writer, stage actress, and social activist. She died on 15 June 2014 in Guwahati city in India.

Book Author

Nalini Prava Deka authored & edited a total 30(thirty) numbers of books, mostly in Assamese language. Some of her writings including some short-stories had been translated into English. Many of her widely read books had been critically reviewed by leading Assamese literary scholars and critics including Dr Maheswar Neog, Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Dr Pramod Chandra Bhattacharya, Sheelabhadra, Prof Rammal Thakuria, Principal Bhabananda Deka, Prof Bisweswar Hazarika, Prof Kanak Chandra Deka and others. An edited book compiling her outstanding literary works together with her famous littérateur-husband with the title 'Sahityik Dampati Adhyaksha Bhabananda Deka–Nalini Prava Deka’ was published in 2014, which was publicly released at a function on 4th December 2014 in presence of leading littérateurs, scholars, film personalities, technocrats, physicians and others in Guwahati city.

Radio Playwright

She had been a popular Radio Playwright from early 1970s. Many of her women and children-centric dramas had been broadcast over India Government-owned All India Radio from its Guwahati city centre. She herself also acted in some of her own radio dramas, apart from enacting various roles in stage plays.

Short Story Writer

She authored three short story collections including ‘Elandhu’(‘Smut’)(2011) and ‘Ebigha Mati’(‘A Plot of Land’)(1990). Several of her short stories had been translated into English. Some English stories had been compiled together with her Assamese stories in the same book ‘Elandhu’(‘Smut’). Her short stories usually carried messages of universal brotherhood and sisterhood and religious tolerances.

Editor of Children's Magazine

Nalini Prava Deka also edited a popular children’s magazine ‘Phul’(‘Flower’) from 1987. She single-handedly managed the entire responsibilities of editing, publishing, printing, distributing, marketing and publicity of her pet journal for several years, which had been printed in her own printing press.

Role Model for Women Empowerment in Assam

Nalini Prava Deka always believed in empowerment of women. She revolted against the religious orthodoxy prevalent amongst the Vaisnavite Satras (Monastaries) in Assam, wherein the womenfolk had been kept marginalized and deprived from practicing religious rituals inside the sanctum sanctorum(‘Monikut’) of the prayer houses called ‘Naam Ghar’. As a token of her protest against this form of religious apartheid, she herself built a Naam Ghar at the Centre of Guwahati City, the capital of Assam state in India in the year 1974. She remained founder Secretary of the Naam Ghar for a long decade, and managed all administrative and religious affairs of the prayer house herself with active support of fellow ladies of the locality. Her pioneering role in empowering womanhood to exercise their right to practice own religious rituals inside Monikuts and Naam Ghars facilitated the advent of a progressive and more tolerant society in the next few decades which believed in equality and respect towards women.

Political Leader of North East India

She was the founder President of Purbanchaliya Mohila Parishad, the women wing of a regional political outfit of North East India. As President of PMP, she led from the front the down-trodden and marginalized womenfolk of the entire NE India in asserting themselves. She used to deliver fiery lectures as President in many political rallies in NE India as well as the capital city of India in New Delhi.

Organiser

She also founded several reputed organizations, including Delhi Asomiya Sahitya Samaj, Assam Foundation–India, Srimanta Sankardev International Foundation, Pub–Sarania Naamghar, Urvashi Sangeet Vidyalay, Urvashi Kristi Kendra, Pohar Proyasi Mohila Samiti, Rajgarh Sahitya Chora, Sadou Asam Moina Parijat, Sadou Asam Chemoniya Chora and Kamrup District Sahitya Sabha.

Book on Nalini Prava Deka

On the completion of six months of death of renowned storywriter, radio dramatist and social activist Nalini Prava Deka, a commemorative book ‘Sahityik Dampati Adhyaksha Bhabananda Deka–Nalini Prava Deka’ edited by award-winning popular story-writer & novelist Arnab Jan Deka comprising critical essays of literary luminaries of Assam like Dr Maheswar Neog, Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Sheelabhadra, Prof Rammal Thakuria, Biren Borkotoky, Prof Bhabananda Deka, Nalini Prava Deka, Prof Bisweswar Hazarika and film actor Bijay Sankar was published on 4 December 2014. This milestone book on a pioneer Assamese littérateur and social reformer was formally released in a glittering ceremony by first Assamese lady pilot and symbol of women empowerment in Assam, the London-based author-columnist Dheera Hazarika.