“Kamala” the Unsung Hero of Marathi Literature

• A tribute by Geetanjali Joshi to her mother Kamala Phadke for her silent contribution to Marathi Literature
• A book that brings out the untold tumultuous stories of the life of Kamala Phadke, well known Marathi writer Na.Si.Phadke and his first wife Manorama Phadke
• Book released at the hands of honourable Governor of Sikkim Shrinivas Patil

Pune, 3rd August 2016: Pune, the cultural capital of India has played a significant role in bringing out the true essence of Marathi literature. What better plan then, to release a book on the life of an unsung hero late Mrs. Kamala Phadke, whose literary contributions have long faded with time.

Mrs. Geetanjali Joshi’s book ‘Kamala’ is a tribute to her mother for being the person she was, the turmoil she faced in life, and to bring out her contribution to Marathi Literature, which was somewhere overshadowed by the legendary work of her father Na.Si. Phadke

The book was released today on the eve of Kamala Phadke’s birth centenary at the hands of the Governor of Sikkim, Shrinivas Patil in the august presence of renowned writer Anand Antarkar, Shrinivas Bhanage & and Prof. Milind Joshi at Patrakar Bhawan, Navi Peth

Speaking at the release Mrs. Geetanjali Joshi said, “Many know Na. Si. Phadke, but, not too many know Kamala Phadke, his better half, who was a talented strong lady who dared to go against the tide and come out victorious. I felt that her contribution to Marathi literature was significant and wanted the world to know this. It took me 1.5 years to collate and compile all facts before I could write this book”.

Kamala Phadke, was a student of Na.Si.Phadke. Their 22year age gap and the fact that Na.Si Phadke was married did not stop them from taking the path less travelled. The Book brings out this complex triangle of love and war between Kamala, Na.Si and Manorama Phadke. It is an effort to narrate the untold story of the purity and the sanctity of their relations in an era where such things were nothing but a taboo. The book spans the life of Kamala Phadke from 1916-1980 also highlighting her literary work and her strong bond with her sister, eminent poetess Indira Sant.

The book is been published by Sunidhi Publication and will be available at most book stalls. It will soon be available for e-reading on www.bookganga.com.

About the Author:

Geetanjali Joshi is a Marathi author and a poetess with a strong inclination towards theatre. Prior to “Kamala”, she has published two books. The first one was a compilation of her poems by the name of “Geetanjali” published in 1970. Her second book “Shat Taraka” was published in 2014 as a tribute to her aunt Indira Sant on her birth centenary. The book is a compilation of 100 poems by women poets written over 800 years.

Apart from writing, Geetanjali Joshi has been a part of Sai Paranjpe’s children’s theater group called Progressive Dramatic Association (PDA). She has also been a part of plays like Tu Veda Kumbhar & Sati by Venkatesh Madgulkar and Sharada by GD Deval for which she won the State award for Best Actress. During the theatre stints, Geetanjali Joshi has worked with renowned directors like Jabbar Patel, Bhalaba Kelkar , Sai Pranajape amongst others. She has also written, directed & performed for  writers like Amrita Pritam , Indira Sant , Man Mohan & Roy Kinikar across many cities in Maharashtra and has worked with famed  artists like Shreeram Lagoo , Mohan Agashe , Suhas Joshi , Ramesh Medekar & Suresh Basale. She regularly writes for Sakal , Huns , Sahitya Suchi & Sahitya Premi.