Nalini Bala Devi


Nalini Bala Devi was a noted Indian writer and poet of Assamese literature, known for nationalistic as well as mystical poetry. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1957 for her contribution to literature, and 1968 she won the Sahitya Akademi Award given by Sahitya Akademi for her poetry collection Alakananda.

Early life and career

She was born in Guwahati in 1898, Assam. Her father, Karmaveer Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, was a famous Assamese Indian freedom movement activist and writer. She wrote her first poem, Pita at age 10, and was married at age 12, but tragedy also struck early, when her husband, Jeeveshwar Changkakoti, died when she was only 19. She also lost two of her sons early in her life. These tragic incidents in life however could not break her down and she started writing poems, with emotion, tragedy, patriotism and devotion as central themes, which are still acclaimed in Assamese literature.
Her first book of poems Sandhiyar Sur, published in 1928, was later adopted by Calcutta University and Guwahati University as a textbook in 1946 and 1951 respectively.
Her other works include Alakananda, Sopunar Sur ,Porosh Moni,Yuga Devata,Shesh Puja, Parijator Abhishek, Prahlad, Meghdut, Suravi,Rooprekha, Shantipath, and Sheshor Sur.
Smritir Tirtha, Biswadeepa, Eri oha Dinbur, Sardar Vallavbhai Patel are some of her biographical works.
In 1950, she established Sadou Asom Parijat Kanan which later become famous as Moina Parijat, the children organisation in Assam.
She had to her credit one drama titled Meerabai.

Awards and recognition

She was awarded with Sahitya Akademi Award for her poetry anthology Alakananda in 1968 and conferred Padma Shri in 1957 by the Government of India.
She was the president of 23rd Jorhat session of Assam Sahitya Sabha in 1955.
She died on 24 December 1977, but is remembered in Assamese literature by the last four lines of her famous poem NaatGhar
....Kun Kar Jogotor / Kun Kar Moromor / Chokur Chinaki Dudinor // Sasimor Rooprekha /Asimot Bur Jabo / Khohi Gole Jori Moromor
The Cotton College, Guwahati named its girls hostel after her as 'Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi Girls' Hostel' in 1986.