Kusumavati Deshpande

Kusumavati Deshpande Biography

Kusumavati Deshpande was a noted fictional writer associated with Marathi literature. Her maiden name is Kusum Jayawant, and she changed her name to Kusumavati Deshpande after marriage. She was married to Atmaram Ravaji Deshpande, an Indian poet and writer, who wrote in Marathi language under the pen name Anil. He was a recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 1979 and several international honors also. He introduced free style – Muktachhand to Marathi literature. As a writer, she published four collections of her short essays and short stories. She was an English teacher by profession, who taught at Nagpur University for more than 25 years.

She was born on 10 November 1904 in Amravati, Maharashtra. Her father was a lawyer. She finished high school education at Huzurpaga H. H. C. P Girls' school in Pune in 1921. Her college education was completed at different cities of different places. After studying four years at Fergusson College, she continued her education at Pune followed by Nagpur. Finally she completed her graduation in Nagpur University in 1926. She also pursued her graduation in English literature in London and completed the course in 1929. She married the noted Marathi poet Atmaram Ravaji Deshpande the same year. Their marriage was live till her death in 1961.

After completing graduation in UK, started her professional career as a lecturer of English in Nagpur University. She published four books during her life time – Deepakali, Deepadan, Moli and Pasang. ). A collection of letters between Deshpande and his wife has been published in 1976 titled Kusumanil. She presided over Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Gwalior in 1961, exactly three years after her husband presided the event. She was the first female president of the annual Sammelan since its inception in 1878. She passed away the same year; another strange co-incidence.

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Updated: June 20, 2018