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New Delhi: An
increasing number of women are now stepping out in the world of
literature to shape up the voice of feminist authors, feel
well-known women authors and publishers.
"As a feminist publisher, I find it interesting to see more and
more women willing to write. We often talk if there's 'women's
writing' in India, but on seeing writers coming up with ideas on
all sorts of issues, it's great," said Urvashi Butalia, director
and co-founder of publishing house Kali for Women.
"And other than just works of non-fiction, women writers are also
coming up with pertinent issues such as female foeticide and dowry
brought out through fiction writing," Butalia added.
Well-known authors and names from the publishing industry gathered
here Saturday at an award function for Indian Women's Press Corps
(IWPC) short story writing competition. In the first-ever
story-writing competition by the professional organisation for
women journalists, three best story writers were awarded among 75
entries received.
Present for the award ceremony, Prasar Bharati chairperson and
founder-president of IWPC, Mrinal Pande, said: "It is notable that
some of the best writers in the country are women. And they are
present among us. But when writing begins to happen, the mind is
androgynous. There is a man inside every woman writer and vice
versa," Pande said.
Treading into the art of story writing was pulling women writers
into literature, the authors said.
"Short story writing is the most difficult kind of writing as
opposed to the popular impression that this form is inferior or
easier than longer novels. Writers should not get discouraged by
this wall of opposition. These are exciting times for both writers
and publishers in India, and we find more women wanting to write
now," said Butalia.
The jury included author Githa Hariharan, Urvashi Butalia, and
Antara Dev Sen, editor of The Little Magazine.
The first prize was won by Chennai-based short story writer Hema.
S. Raman for "A Good Father is Hard to Find", the second prize was
bagged by freelance journalist Azera Parveen Rahman, who reports
for newswire IANS, for her story "Letters to Unborn Sister", while
the third prize was bagged by Vijaya Venkataraman, who teaches
Spanish at Delhi University, for her story "A Moment of
Reckoning".
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