What is Mahasweta Devi?
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] --> | name = Mahasweta Devi | image = Mahashweta_devi (cropped).jpg | caption = Mahasweta Devi | pseudonym = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|1|14|df=y}} | birth_place = Matualalaya, [[Dhaka]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|7|28|1926|1|14|df=y}} | death_place = [[Kolkata]], India | occupation = Political activist, author, diplomat | period = 1956–2016 | genre = [[Novel]], [[short story]], [[drama]], [[essay]] | subject = [[Denotified tribes of India]] | movement = [[Gananatya]] | notableworks = ''[[Hajar Churashir Maa]]''<br />(Mother of 1084)<br />''Aranyer Adhikar''<br />(The Right of the Forest)<br />''Titu Mir'' | spouse = [[Bijon Bhattacharya]] (1947–1962)<br/>Asit Gupta (1965–1976) | children = [[Nabarun Bhattacharya]] | relatives = [[Manish Ghatak]] (father)<br/> Dharitri Devi (mother) | awards = [[Padma Vibhushan]]<br> [[Padma Shri]] <br>[[Sahitya Akademi Award]]<br>[[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] <br>[[Jnanpith Award]] | signature = মহাশ্বেতা দেবীর স্বাক্ষর.svg | website = }} '''Mahasweta Devi''' (14 January 1926 – 28 July 2016) was an Indian [[Bengalis|Bengali]] fiction writer and socio-political activist. Her notable literary works include ''[[Hajar Churashir Maa]]'', ''Rudali'', and ''Aranyer Adhikar''.<ref name=HinduCurtain>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/mahasweta-devi-tearing-the-curtain-of-darkness/article8922158.ece|title=Tearing the curtain of darkness|date=2016-07-31|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=2016-07-31}}</ref> She wrote over 100 novels and over 20 collections of short stories primarily written in [[Bengali language|Bengali]] but often translated to other languages.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mahasweta-devi-dies-at-90-bengali-writer-social-activist/1/726438.html|title=Who was Mahasweta Devi? Why her death is a loss for Indian readers|access-date=2016-07-31}}</ref> Devi died of [[mult