B.T. Lalitha Naik
| B.T. Lalitha Naik | |
|---|---|
| Born | Balaji Tangali Lalitha Naik 4 April 1945 Tangali Tanda, Kadur, India |
| Occupation | Author, politician, social activist |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Literary movement | Bandaya movement |
| Notable works |
Gati (1986) Banjara Hejjegurutugalu (2009) |
| Notable awards |
Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award: 1991 Karnataka Rajyotsava Award: 1991 |
| Spouse | Champla Naik |
| Relatives | K. Venkatalakshamma (grandaunt) |
B.T. Lalitha Naik (born 4 April 1945) is an Indian politician, writer, and social activist. A former minister for Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare in the Government of Karnataka Naik has also served as an MLC (1986-1992) and MLA (1994-1999). She won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1991. She is also known for leading important literary, social and language-rights movements such as Bandaya movement and Gokak agitation.
Lalitha Naik was born in a Lambani family on 4 April 1945, in Tangali Tandya, a small village in Kadur, Chikmagalur, to the agriculturalists, (late) Balaji Naik and Ganga Bai.
Naik married Champla Naik in the late 60s and was married to him until his death in 1996. She has three sons from the marriage.
Lalitha Naik is the grand-niece of the renowned Bharatanatyam danseuse K. Venkatalakshamma.
After her marriage, Naik, started writing radio plays about the trials and tribulations of middle class life for the local Akashavani station. Encouraged by the popularity she started writing and contributing poems, short stories and articles for prominent Kannada periodicals such as Sudha, Prajavani and Taranga. When her novella, Nele Bele, won an award in the annual novella competition conducted by Sudha magazine, she was invited by the writer P. Lankesh to contribute to his newly started tabloid Lankesh Patrike. Naik started writing regularly for the tabloid and was soon recognized for her sensitivity, social commitment and progressive views. Her popularity as a writer and journalist led her to being nominated as Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) by the then Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde. Naik continued to write and produce memorable books like the short story collection Habba mattu Bali ("Festival and the Sacrifice"), the novel Gati ("Fate") and the poetry collections, Ide Koogu Matte Matte ("The Same Cry Again and Again") and Bidiru Mele Kantiyali ("In the Bamboo Thicket"). Author of sixteen books, she is also known for her plays, children's fiction and essays. She won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1991. Her novel Gati has been translated into English, and her stories and poems have been translated into English, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu languages. Her works are part of the syllabus in several universities in Karnataka.
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