Ashapoorna Devi & Mohan Rakesh

Ashapoorna Devi

Born: 8 January 1909 

Died: 13 July 1995

She also Ashapurna Debi or Asha Purna Devi, was a prominent Bengali novelist and poet.

She has been widely honoured with a number of prizes and awards.

In 1976, she was awarded Jnanpith Award and the Padma Shri by the Government of India; D.Litt. by the Universities of Jabalpur, Rabindra Bharati, Burdwan and Jadavpur.

Vishwa BharatiUniversity honoured her with Deshikottama in 1989.

For her contribution as a novelist and short story writer, the Sahitya Akademiconferred its highest honour, the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, in 1994 .

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Mohan Rakesh

Born: 8 January 1925 

Died:  3 January 1972

He was one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani (“New Story”) literary movement of the Hindi literature in the 1950s. 

He wrote the first modern Hindi play, Ashadh Ka Ek Din (One Day in Aashad) (1958), which won a competition organised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

He made significant contributions to the novel, the short story, travelogue, criticism, memoir and drama.

He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968.

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