Gauri Deshpande


Gauri Deshpande was a novelist, short story writer, and poet from Maharashtra, India. She wrote in Marathi and English.

Biography

Deshpande was born in Pune to Irawati and Dinkar Dhondo Karve, youngest of three children. She is also the granddaughter of the social reformer Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve.
Her daughter Urmila Deshpande is also an author and published the novels Kashmir Blues, A Pack of Lies, and Equal to Angels; the short story collection, Slither: Carnal Prose, and edited Madhouse: True stories of the Inmates of Hostel 4.

Education

Deshpande finished her high school education at Ahilyadevi School in Pune. She then attended Fergusson College to receive an M.A in English Literature. She eventually received her PhD in English from Pune University.

Professional life

Deshpande taught at the Department of English at Fergusson College and later as a professor at the department of English at the then University of Pune.

Death

Deshpande died in Pune on 1 March 2003 due to complications arising as a result of alcohol abuse. She is survived by two daughters from her first husband, one daughter from her second husband, three grandsons and a granddaughter.

Works

Deshpande wrote in Marathi and English. Her works include fiction, non-fiction, short stories, articles and translations.

Marathi works

Paus Ala Motha Ekek Pan Galawaya
  • * translated to Gujarati as Ekek aa khare pandadun in 1989 by Jayantilal Mehta Teruo Te Ani Kahi Door Paryant Ahe He Ase Ahe Niragathi Ani Chandrike Ga Sarike Ga Dustar Ha Ghat Ani Thang Mukkam Vinchurniche Dhade Goph Utkhanan
  • ''She also translated the ten volumes of "Arabian Nights" written by Sir Richard Burton from English to Marathi. The volumes were published in 1976-77.''

English works

  • "Between Births" Lost love The Murder Beyond the Slaughterhouse The position of women in India An anthology of Indo-English poetry Small is beautiful That's the way it is Collected Plays of Satish Alekar co-editor. Within the book, the story The Dread Departure was the english translation of the 1974 Marathi play Mahanirvan by Satish AlekarRight on, Sister!
  • --and Pine for What Is Not
  • The Lackadaisical Sweeper Diary of a decade of agony
  • ''The female of the Species''

Influence

  • In 1989, her book Ekek Pan Galawaya was translated to Gujarati as Ekek aa khare pandadun by Jayantilal Mehta
  • In 2010, her book Niragathi Ani Chandrike Ga Sarike Ga was translated to English as Deliverance: a Novella by Shashi Deshpande
  • In 2018, her book Paus Ala Motha was adapted into the Marathi film Aamhi Doghi.