Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Chitralekha Banerjee 1956 (age 68–69) Calcutta, West Bengal, India |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Calcutta (BA) Wright State University University of California, Berkeley (PhD) |
| Genre | Poetry, short stories, novels; fantasy, young adult, magical realism, historical fiction |
| Notable works | Arranged Marriage: Stories Mistress of Spices Sister of My Heart The Palace of Illusions One Amazing Thing The Conch Bearer The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming Independence |
| Notable awards | American Book Award PEN Josephine Miles Literary Award |
| Spouse | Murthy |
| Children | 2 |
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (born Chitralekha Banerjee in 1956) is a famous author and poet. She was born in India but now lives in America. She teaches writing at the University of Houston.
Chitra Divakaruni has won many awards for her books. Her collection of short stories, Arranged Marriage, won an American Book Award in 1996. Some of her novels, like The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart, have even been made into movies!
Her stories often take place in India and the United States. They usually focus on the lives of people from South Asia who have moved to America. She writes for both adults and young readers like you. Her books cover many different styles, including fantasy, historical fiction, and stories with a touch of magic.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chitra Divakaruni was born in Calcutta, India. She earned her first university degree from the University of Calcutta in 1976.
In the same year, she moved to the United States. There, she continued her studies at Wright State University. Later, she earned her PhD in English from the University of California, Berkeley in 1985.
Her Career Journey
While studying in the U.S., Chitra Divakaruni worked many different jobs. She was a babysitter, a store clerk, and even sliced bread in a bakery. These jobs helped her pay for her education.
She also taught at colleges in California. Today, she lives and teaches in Texas. She is a special professor of creative writing at the University of Houston.
Chitra Divakaruni also helps her community. She co-founded Maitri in 1991. This is a helpline in San Francisco for South Asian women who need support. She also advises Daya, a similar service in Houston. She has worked with Pratham Houston, an organization that helps bring reading skills to children in India.
Her Amazing Books
Chitra Divakaruni started her writing journey as a poet. She has published poetry collections like Black Candle and Leaving Yuba City.
Fiction and Poetry Works
Her first collection of stories, Arranged Marriage, won several awards. These included the American Book Award and the PEN Josephine Miles Award.
She has written many popular novels for adults. Some of these are The Mistress of Spices, Sister of My Heart, Queen of Dreams, and One Amazing Thing. She also wrote Palace of Illusions and Oleander Girl.
For young readers, she wrote a fantasy series called The Brotherhood of the Conch. These books are set in India and use Indian stories and traditions. The first book, The Conch Bearer, was nominated for an award in 2003. The second book is The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming. The final book in the series is Shadowland.
Her novel The Palace of Illusions was a best-seller in India for over a year. It tells the famous Indian epic story of The Mahabharata from the viewpoint of a character named Draupadi.
Chitra Divakaruni's stories have appeared in famous magazines like The Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker. Her writing has been included in important collections like Best American Short Stories. Her books have been translated into 29 different languages around the world!
Books on Screen and Stage
Many of Chitra Divakaruni's works have been adapted into other forms.
- Her novel The Mistress of Spices became a movie in 2005.
- Sister of my Heart was made into a TV series in India.
- Her story Clothes was turned into a play called Arranged Marriage.
- She wrote the story for an opera called River of Light in 2013. It was about an Indian woman's life in Houston.
- The Palace of Illusions has been adapted into a play. A Bollywood movie based on it, starring Deepika Padukone, is also being planned.
- Her novel One Amazing Thing is also set to become a Bollywood film.
Awards and Recognitions
Chitra Divakaruni has received many honors for her writing:
- 1996 American Book Award (for Arranged Marriage)
- 1996 PEN Josephine Miles Literary Award (for Arranged Marriage)
- Bay Area Book Reviewers' Award (for Arranged Marriage)
- 1997 Pushcart Prize (for Leaving Yuba City: New and Selected Poems)
- 2003 Pushcart Prize (for The Lives of Strangers)
- 2007 Distinguished Writer Award from the South Asian Literary Association
About Her Family
Chitra Divakaruni lives in Houston with her husband, Murthy. They have two sons named Anand and Abhay. She has even used her sons' names for characters in her children's novels!
See also
In Spanish: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni para niños
- List of Indian Americans
- Indian English literature
- List of Asian American writers
