M. K. Binodini Devi

Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi, known simply as Binodini, was a prolific writer and a prominent figure in Manipuri literature. Born on February 6, 1922, in the Royal Palace of Imphal, Manipur, she was the youngest child of Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh and Maharani Dhanamanjuri Devi.

Binodini Devi was a trailblazer in many respects. She was the first woman graduate from Manipur and wrote extensively in Meiteilon (Manipuri language). Her literary works encompassed a wide range of genres, including short stories, plays, screenplays, essays, travelogues, and lyrics. She also translated works from Bengali to Manipuri, bringing the essence of Rabindranath Tagore, Badal Sircar, and Shankar to her native audience.

Her 1976 historical novel, “Boro Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi,” is particularly renowned, having won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979. The novel’s English translation, “The Princess and the Political Agent,” was later published as a Penguin Modern Classic in 2020.

Beyond literature, Binodini Devi’s talents extended to the arts; she was a sculptor who studied under Ramkinkar Baij at Santiniketan. Her life and work have been celebrated through various mediums, including a biographical documentary directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and a biographical and literary monograph written by her son, L. Somi Roy.

Her contributions to Manipuri culture and the arts were recognized with several awards, including the Jamini Sundar Guha Gold Medal, the Padma Shri in 1976, and the Sahitya Akademi Award1. Binodini Devi passed away on January 17, 2011, but her legacy continues to influence and inspire the world of literature and arts in Manipur and beyond.