P. Lalita Kumari

Popuri Lalita Kumari, popularly known by her pen name Volga, is a Telugu poet and writer well known for her feminist perspective. She won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 2015 for her short story compilation 'Vimukta Kadha Samputi' in Telugu. Along with being a writer, she has also been a professor and head of scripting division in Tollywood. Her work initiated debates across the country about feminism, in times when the idea was hardly accepted. The Library of Congress has a collection of her most popular published works, including the English translations of selected short stories.

Early life and education Volga was born in Guntur on 27 November 1950. She completed her MA in Telugu literature from Andhra University in 1972.

Career Volga after her MA joined as a Telugu professor at VSR & NVR College, Tenali between the period 1973 to 1986. Later, she worked in scripting division as a senior executive at Ushakiran Movies during 1986–1995. She later in 1991 joined Asmita Resource Centre for Women, a Telangana-based NGO which addresses women's issues, as its President and presently serving as the Chairman of the organization. She is also the member of the publication, Vamtinti Masi (Soot from the Kitchen), an editorial of Asimita Organization, which is an active member of Telugu Advisory council for National Book Trust of India.

Author Volga had chosen her pseudonym because it was both the name of her deceased elder sister and the Volga river, which according to her was the 'perfect mix of the personal and political' because of her self-described 'Leftist leanings'. Volga is known for her feminist literary works. Her novels, articles, poems portray women with modern, progressive ideologies. She while keeping the quality of work maintains the reality of characters, intact. All of her novels were written while she was a full-time employee, rather than fully dedicating her time to the novels. She published her first novel, Sahaja in 1986. The novel was a debatable topic among the newspaper columns. The immediate next year, 1987, her second novel Sveccha was published. These two novels speak how marriage binds a woman and shackles her freedom.

Literary works Lalita Kumari has penned and translated around 50 publications. The most popular ones are listed below:

Year Name Type of work Notes 1983 Athadu, Aame, Manam Literary Criticism A review of a novel by Uppala Lakshmana Rao on nationalist struggle 1984 Agnes Smedley's Stories Translation to Telugu 1985 Daughter of Earth Translation to Telugu 1986 Sahaja Novel 1987 Sweccha Novel 1988 Kanneeti Kerataala Vennela Novel 1989 Three Generations Translation to Telugu Short story by Alexandra Kollontai 1989 Maanavi Novel 1989 Maku Godalu Levu Edited Work Collection of essays 1990 Letter to a Child Never Born Translation to Telugu Novel by Oriana Fallaci 1990 Aakasamlo Sagam Novel 1992 Rajakiya Kathalu Short story collection 1993 Gulabeelu Novel 1993 Neeli Meghalu Edited Work 1993 Neeli Meghalu Edited Work 1994 Nurella Chalam Edited Work Critical essays on the works of Chalam, whose centenary was celebrated in 1994 1994 Saramsam Co-edited work A report about the struggle of the women in Andhra Pradesh against liquor. 1994 Widows Translation to Telugu Novel by Ariel Dorfman 1995 Sarihaddulu Leni Samdhyalu Co-edited work Collection of essays 1995 Prayogam Short story collection 1995 Vallu Aaruguru Play 2001 Charitra Swaralu Play Not known Woman at Point Zero Translation to Telugu Arabic novel by Nawal El Saadawi 2016 The Liberation of Sita Novel

Lalita Kumari wrote articles that were published in journals and newspapers, mostly regarding feminism. She became the first person to introduce western feminists, Feminist Movement, First-Wave Feminism and Second Wave Feminism to Telugu readership.

Awards and honors Year Title Category Notes 1987 Sweccha Best Novel Award 1990 Aakasamlo Sagam Best Novel Award 1993 Sweccha Award in recognition for effort in women's causes 1998 Todu Nandi Award (Best Story Writer) Awarded by the Government of Andhra Pradesh 1999 NA Best Woman Writer Awarded by Telugu University 2009 NA Suseela Narayana Reddy Award 2013 NA Kandukuri Veerasalingam Literary Award 2014 NA Lok Nayak Foundation Award 2015 Vimuktha Sahitya Akademi Award