Usha Kiran Khan
Usha Kiran Khan (also known as Ushākiraṇa Khāna and other variants,[1] 24 October 1945 – 11 February 2024) was an Indian writer who worked in the Hindi and Maithili languages. She was also an academic historian.[2]
Career
[edit]Of her writing influences, Usha said: "My great idol and role model for my inclination towards Maithli language is the noted writer and novelist Nagarjun. He has penned many novels, stories and poems and Maithli language and also he has been my guru from whom I have learned the beauty of this language" and "Nagarjun is like father like figure to me and his style of writing has always influenced me a lot."[3]
Personal life and death
[edit]Usha Kiran Khan was married to Ram Chandra Khan, who served the Indian Police Service from 1968 to 2003, and had four children.[4]
Khan died at a private hospital in Patna, Bihar, on 11 February 2024, at the age of 78.[5][6][7]
Awards and honours
[edit]In 2011, Usha won a Sahitya Akademi Award for the Maithili novel Bhamati: Ek Avismaraniya Premkatha.[3][8] The award is presented by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.
In 2012, she was awarded a Kusumanjali Sahitya Samman by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for her novel Sirjanhaar.[9][10] This was the first year that the awards had been given[2] and they included a purse of Rs.2,50,000[clarification needed].[11]
Khan was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015 for her service in the field of literature and education.[12]
She was awarded Bharat Bharti Puraskar by Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan, Lucknow in 2018. She has also been awarded Vanmali Kathashirsh Puraskar posthumously in February 2024.
References
[edit]- ^ Library of Congress Name Authority File
- ^ a b "Winners of First Kusumanjali Sahitya Samman 2012". 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Story recital programme organised at Bharat Bhavan". Daily Pioneer. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013. Quote: "A renowned Hindi-Maithil writer, Usha Kiran Khan"
- ^ "UshaKiranKhan". www.ushakirankhan.com. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Renowned litterateur and Padma Shri awardee Usha Kiran Khan passes away in Patna". Indian Express. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Padma Shri awardee Hindi, Maithili writer Usha Kiran Khan passes away in Patna
- ^ Bihar's immortal litterateur Padma Shri Dr. Usha Kiran Khan passed away in Patna
- ^ "Sahitya Akademi Awards 2011". india.gov.in. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ^ Staff writer (3 August 2012). "Litterateurs honoured". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ^ Sanjay (12 January 2011). "Usha Kiran Khan Gets Sahitya Academy Award For Maithili". The Bihar Times. Retrieved 26 October 2013.. Quote: "Usha Kiran Khan .. well known name in Hindi and Maithili literature"
- ^ "Kusum Ansal foundation awards new Hindi, Tamil authors". IANS. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ^ Chaudhary, Pranav (26 January 2015). "2 from Bihar get Padma Shri". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
Further reading
[edit]- Devakānta Jhā (2004). A History of Modern Maithili Literature: Post-independence Period, Sahitya Akademi Publications, ppg. 199, 241-242, 251, etc.
External links
[edit]- Dr. Usha Kiran Khan, Kusumanjali Sahitya Samman 2012