Birthday Special: 8 Things To Know About Gayatri Chakrovarty

Gayatri Chakrovarty is a renowned name in the world of academicians. In a world that worships materialism, her pursuit of inspiring young minds using the tool of education and learning is appreciable. An Indian scholar, literary theorist and feminist critic, she is also the founding member of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society:

Read on to know 8 things about Gayatri Chakrovarty on her 75th birthday.

1. She was born and brought up in Calcutta. After completing her secondary education at St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School, Chakrovarty went to Cornell University, where she completed her MA in English. She continued to pursue her PhD in comparative literature from Cornell. Interestingly, she was also teaching at the University of lowa at the same time.

2. Her dissertation, advised by Paul de Man, was on W. B. Yeats and titled Myself Must I Remake: The Life and Poetry of W.B. Yeats.

3. Gayatri Chakrovarty's name was scripted in history when she became the coloured woman professor in Columbia University. She has received a lot of honorary degrees from universities around the world.

4. She believed in the power of self-improvement. In 1967, she purchased a book entitled 'De La Grammatologie'. The author was unknown to her. She resolved to translate this brilliant book and insisted on writing a long translator's piece. She rose to fame with this publication.

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5. She is the proud recipient of 11 Honorary Degrees from University of Toronto, University of London, Oberlin College, Universitat Rovira Virgili, Rabindra Bharati University, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, University of St Andrews, Université de Vincennes à Saint-Denis, Presidency University, Yale University, University of Ghana-Legon. She has also been awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan by the government of India.

6. Her essay, "Can the Subaltern Speak", established her as one of the most intellectual feminists of that time. It talks about feminizing and globalizing the theme of deconstruction.

7. Since 1986, Gayatri Chakrovarty has been imparting education to children and adults residing near the borders of West Bengal and Bihar.

8. She has also expressed her concern over the global issue of terrorism,suicide bombings and environmental degradation in many of her speeches and writings.

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