Chowdhury was born in 1960 to the writer Biraja Nanda Chowdhury at Nampong in Tirap District of Arunachal Pradesh.[2] She did her schooling in Upper Haflong L.P. School and higher secondary in Margherita Public Higher Secondary School.[2] She has spoken of the impact of the death of her older sister from cerebral malaria, including "I think my childhood ended the day she passed away," and how she "read obsessively, as if to try to forget the grief that surrounded me."[3] She has described reading the works of Bankim Chandra, Lakshminath Bezbarua, Sarat Chandra, Rabindranath Tagore, Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Shankar, and Sankho Maharaj during this time.[3]
Her family moved to Guwahati in 1980, during the Assam Movement; she became involved in the movement and was jailed several times.[3][2][4][5] She was in jail when her first novel was published in 1981.[5]
She holds a postgraduate degree in political science and a postgraduate degree in Assamese, as well as a doctorate in political science and a law degree.[3] She passed her B.A. in political science from Cotton College under Gauhati University in 1982. She is double MA in political science and Assamese from Gauhati University with LLB(1990) and Ph.D. She did Ph.D. from Gauhati University on Comparative Literature in 2005. Her thesis was on Society and Women psychology depicted in Nirupama Borgohain and Ashapurna Devi's Novels: a Comparative Study.
Literary careeredit
Chowdhury began writing in 1981, during the Assam Movement.[4] She wrote her first novel, Abirata Jatra, within three months, and it was published in 1981.[4][6] She won an award from the Asom Sahitya Sabha for this book.[4] She then married politician Chandra Mohan Patowary and stopped writing until after the birth of her daughter.[3]
Chowdhury then wrote a series of novels, including Tirthabhumi (The Shrine) in 1988, Maha Jibanar Adharshila (Foundation Stone of Great Life) in 1993, Nayana Tarali Sujata in 1996, Popiya Torar Xadhu (Tale of a shooting star) in 1998, Rag-malkosh in 1999, Jala-Padma (Water-Lotus) in 1999, Hridoy Nirupai (The Helpless Heart) in 2003, Deo Langkhui (The Divine Sword) in 2005, Makam (The Golden Horse) in 2010 and Mayabritta (The Circle of Worldly Illusion) in 2012.
Her poetry collections include Xudoor Nakshatra, Banariya Batahar Xuhuri, Alop Pooharar Alop Andharar, and Boga Matir Tulaxi.[3]
She received Sahitya Akademi Award in 2008 for the novel Deo Langkhui[2] which is based on the Tiwas of Assam.[7] She spent four years writing her novel Makam (মাকাম) in Assamese, and it was published in 2010.[4] After Makam was published, she publicly called for greater acceptance of Assamese people of Chinese origin, and met with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in November 2010 as part of her advocacy.[8] In 2015, at a screening of the documentary Wars and Tears that she directed, she advocated for reunification of families separated during the Sino-Indian War in 1962.[9] She also translated Makam into English, and it was published with the title Chinatown Days in 2018.[10][11]
In 2011, she formed Adharxila, an organisation to support young writers[12] and Assamese literature.[13]
In 2022, she became the editor of the Assam literary magazine Gariyoshi.[17]
Teaching careeredit
Chowdhury started her teaching career as lecturer in political science in Diphu Government College, Karbi Anglong from the year 1989 to 1991. She then worked as lecturer from 1991 to 1996 and as senior lecturer from 1996 to 2001 at Cotton College, Guwahati, Assam in the Political Science Department. She became an associate professor in 2001.
In 2016, she left her position as associate professor to become the director of the National Book Trust in India.[15]
Selected worksedit
Novelsedit
Abirata Jatra (Relentless Journey)[18] in 1981 published by Bani Mandir, Dibrugarh
Thirthabhumi (Pilgrimage)[18] in 1988 published by Deepti Prakashan, Dibrugarh
Maha Jibanar Adharshila (Foundation of a great life)[18] in 1993 published by Jyoti Prakashan, Dibrugarh
Nayana Tarali Sujata (Tale of a Meteor)[18] in (1996), published by Lawyer's Book Stall, Guwahati
Popiya Torar Sadhu (Tale of a Meteor)[18] in 1998 published by Cambridge India, Guwahati[19]
Ragmalkosh (Water lotus)[18] in (1999), published by Assam Book Depot, Guwahati
Jala Padma (Water lotus)[18] in 1999 published by Assam Book Depot, Guwahati
Hridoy Nirupai (The Heart is Helpless)[18] in 2003 published by Jyoti Prakashan, Guwahati
^Zahan, Syeda Ambia (13 June 2022). "Regional Literature Needs Quality Translators: Assam Poet Rita Chowdhury". Outlook. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^ abcde"The heart yearns for days of yore". The Telegraph India. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
^ abcdefghRaimedhi, Indrani (2014). My Half of the Sky: 12 Life Stories of Courage. SAGE Publications. ISBN 9789351504740. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^ abcdeDas, Guarav (29 October 2012). "Assam Agitation gave me fodder for my book: Rita Choudhury". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^ abDeka, Kaushik (10 March 2017). "The power couple". India Today. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^ ab"Chowdhury, Narzary given Akademi award". The Assam Tribune. 18 February 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
^"'Initiate steps to reunite Indian Chinese with families'". The Assam Tribune. 19 May 2015. ProQuest 1681532158
^ abKire, Easterine (25 February 2018). "This novel is the untold tragic history of Chinese settlers in Assam (and of love and separation)". Scroll.in. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
^"Chinatown Days by Rita Chowdhury: Tales from a lost town". Purple Pencil Project. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
^Konwar, Rajiv (8 November 2015). "Naga life through eyes of a militant". The Telegraph. ProQuest 2289580423
^"Forum boost to Assamese - Author launches Adharxila to elevate literature, culture & society". The Telegraph. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
^"Chowdhury new NBT Director". The Telegraph. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
^ ab"Rita Chowdhury quits as NBT Director". The Sentinel. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^"Dr Rita Chowdhury resigns from National Book Trust (NBT)". India Today NE. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^"Rita Chowdhury takes charge as Editor of Gariyoshi". The Assam Tribune. 1 April 2022. ProQuest 2646092329
^ abcdefghijk"A tale of illusions and experiences - Mayabritta may be Chowdhury's last novel". The Telegraph. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
^"The Assam Tribune Online". www.assamtribune.com. Retrieved 16 October 2019.[permanent dead link]
^Sarma, Jasnea (January 2013). "Makam". Asian Ethnicity. 14 (1): 117–120. doi:10.1080/14631369.2012.722450. S2CID 214614489 – via SocINDEX with Full Text.
^Changmai, Manashi (15 July 2017). "REMEMBERING PAST: A NEW HISTORICAL STUDY OF RITA CHOWDHURY'S MAKAM". International Education and Research Journal. 3 (7). ISSN 2454-9916.
^Doctor, Geeta (17 February 2018). "Chinatown Days by Rita Chowdhury reviewed by Geeta Doctor". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
^ abcdBasu, Anjan (3 April 2018). "The author describes the customs and traditions of the Assamese Chinese, and the lives of the so-called 'tea tribes' minutely". Outlook. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^Borbora, Reeta (16 February 2024). "Revenge and Redemption". Open The Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2024.