Kamala Das
Poet in English and short-story writer in Malayalam
- Lived
- 75 yrs
- 1934 – 2009
- Works listed
- 4
- Poetry, Book
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 1985
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
Kamala Das was a poet who wrote frankly about female desire and identity in English, and a celebrated Malayalam short-story writer under the name Madhavikutty. Her autobiography My Story caused a sensation in 1973. She died in 2009.
Biography
Poetry
Her collections in English, beginning with Summer in Calcutta (1965) and The Descendants, spoke openly of love, loneliness and a woman’s body in a confessional voice that was new in Indian poetry. Poems such as “An Introduction” became widely studied.
Madhavikutty
Writing in Malayalam as Madhavikutty, she published short stories and novellas such as Neermathalam Pootha Kalam that made her one of Kerala’s best-loved writers. Her autobiography, published in English as My Story (1973), shocked many readers with its candour.
A literary family
Kamala Das was the daughter of poet Balamani Amma and V. M. Nair, editor of the newspaper Mathrubhumi. She grew up between Calcutta and her family home in Kerala and was married at fifteen.
Later life
In 1999 she converted to Islam and took the name Kamala Surayya, which again stirred controversy. She received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985 and died in Pune on 31 May 2009.
Timeline
-
1934
Born in Punnayurkulam, Malabar, Madras Presidency (now Thrissur district, Kerala)
-
1965
Summer in Calcutta
-
1973
My Story
-
1985
Sahitya Akademi Award
-
1999
Converts to Islam
-
2009
Dies in Pune
-
2009
Died, aged 75
Notable works
-
1965
Summer in Calcutta Poetry
-
1967
The Descendants Poetry
-
1973
My Story Book
Autobiography.
-
1993
Neermathalam Pootha Kalam Book
In Malayalam.
Awards and honours
-
Sahitya Akademi Award
1985
Did you know?
-
1
She wrote in English as Kamala Das and in Malayalam as Madhavikutty.
-
2
Her mother was the poet Balamani Amma.
-
3
Her poem “An Introduction” is widely taught.
Frequently asked
Who is Kamala Das?
Kamala Das was a poet who wrote frankly about female desire and identity in English, and a celebrated Malayalam short-story writer under the name Madhavikutty. Her autobiography My Story caused a sensation in 1973. She died in 2009.
When did Kamala Das die?
Kamala Das died on 31 May 2009 at the age of 75.
Where is Kamala Das from?
Kamala Das was born in Punnayurkulam, Malabar, Madras Presidency (now Thrissur district, Kerala).
What is Kamala Das known for?
Kamala Das is best known for Summer in Calcutta; My Story; Malayalam stories as Madhavikutty.
What awards has Kamala Das received?
Notable honours include Sahitya Akademi Award (1985).
References
- Kamala Surayya — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Kamala Surayya — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Kamala Surayya — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Kamala Surayya (Q594565) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Kamala Surayya”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
Featured in
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Kamala Das.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/kamala-das
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Literature
Literature
Kabir
Fifteenth-century poet-saint of the Bhakti movement
Literature
Mahasweta Devi
Bengali writer and activist for tribal communities
1926 – 2016
Literature
Mirza Ghalib
Urdu and Persian poet of the late Mughal era
1797 – 1869
Politics & Leadership
Sarojini Naidu
Poet, freedom fighter and first woman governor of an Indian state
1879 – 1949
Literature
Amrita Pritam
Punjabi poet and novelist
1919 – 2005
Literature
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Educator and reformer who championed widow remarriage
1820 – 1891