‘Adivasis most civilised people’

Mahasweta Devi visits UoH

Balladeer Gaddar taking the autograph of Magsaysayaward winner Mahasweta Devi at the University ofHyderabad on Monday. Photo: M. Subash

Renowned writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi termed Adivasis as “the most civilised people” to whom Indian forests, rivers and mountains owe their survival.

She praised their egalitarian social structure where nobody is greater than anybody, and where social evils such as dowry do not exist.

Addressing students at the University of Hyderabad here on Monday, she attributed whatever natural balance left to survive in India to the presence of Adivasis.

Referring to the Telangana struggle, she said she has always been a great supporter of people’s movements. Though belonging to Bengal, she has already read all works about Telangana struggle that have been published in English so far.

She also reminisced her days in Shantinikethan, and how she embarked on her first work ‘Jhansir Rani’.

Unexpected visitor

Balladeer Gaddar was an unexpected visitor to the venue.

The interactive session was organised by the Centre for Dalit and Adivasi Studies and Translation, University of Hyderabad.