Sharada Sharma (born 1958; Nepali: शारदा शर्मा) is a Nepali writer and poet. Her debut novel, Taap, won the 2012 Padmashree Sahitya Samman award.
Sharada Sharma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | शारदा शर्मा |
| Born | 1958 (age 65–66) Syangja, Nepal |
| Occupation | Writer and poet |
| Alma mater | Tribhuvan University |
Early life and education
editSharada Sharma was born in 1958 in Syangja, Nepal.[1][2] Her father was a writer and editor who contributed to various Nepalese publications.[3] Sharma first began writing poetry at eight years old while in Pokhara, where she spent a portion of her childhood.[1][3] A natural introvert, she found solace in writing.[3]
With the support of her family, she attended Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, where she studied science and then arts, eventually graduating with a master's degree.[1][4]
Career
editSharma first gained recognition in 1982 after publishing a poem in honor of the writer B. P. Koirala.[1][2] In 1987, she published her first poetry collection, Boundless Emotions.[1] This was followed in 1991 with the short story collection Ruins of Convictions and in 1992 with the poetry collection After the War.[1] In addition to poetry and short stories, she produced a book-length study of Koirala's female characters in 1996.[1]
Overall, she has written around a dozen books, including poetry, short stories, literary criticism, and novels.[3]
Taap, her debut novel, was published in 2012 and won that year's Padmashree Sahitya Sammana, a prestigious Nepalese literary award.[5] The novel weaves together narratives of various individuals from different backgrounds, switching perspectives throughout.[5] It was followed by Kampa, a 2016 novel inspired by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.[6]
In 2020, her poetry collection Yatrama was shortlisted for the Madan Puraskar award, which was eventually won by Chandra Prakash Baniya's Maharani.[7]
Sharma's writing often deals with themes of spirituality and mysteries of the universe, incorporating a woman's perspective.[3][6][8] She conveys a feminist message in both her writing and her work as an activist, including with the Family Planning Association of Nepal.[1][9]
Personal life
editIn 1978, Sharma married the politician Narahari Acharya, with whom she has two children.[1][10]
Selected works
editPoems
edit- Seemanta Anubhooti ("Boundless Emotions," 1987)
- Yuddhoparant ("After the War," 1992)
- Swarnasutra, ("Golden Rules," 1995)
- Yatrama (2019)
Short stories
edit- Aasthako Bhagnawasesh ("Ruins of Convictions," 1991)
- Agnisparsha ("A Touch of Fire," 2013)
Novels
edit- Taap ("Burning," 2012)
- Kampa ("Tremors," 2016)
Literary criticism
edit- B.P. Koiralaka Naaripatra: Drishtikon ra Aakangshya ("B.P. Koirala’s Women Characters: Perspectives and Expectations," 1996)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Sharada Sharma". Women Writers of Nepal (Profiles and Perspectives). Retrieved 2021-09-23.
- ^ a b "Woman: Nature". The Gorkha Times. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
- ^ a b c d e Dhital, Abha (2018-03-24). "An introvert's tool". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
- ^ Contemporary Nepali Poems. Royal Nepal Academy. 2000.
- ^ a b Mishra, Indira Acharya (June 2020). "Tāpa as an Underrated Nepali Novel (Book Review)" (PDF). Molung Educational Frontier. 10.
- ^ a b Sharma, Lal Prasad (2017-02-12). "Sharma discusses Kampa in Pokhara". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
- ^ "7 books shortlisted for Madan Puraskar". Khabarhub. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
- ^ Ojha, Anup (2015-11-30). "Stay happy reading!". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
- ^ Kolehmainen-Aitken, Riitta-Liisa (July 1995). "Evaluation Report: FPMD Technical Assistance to the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN)" (PDF). USAID. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
- ^ "Narahari Acharya". Ujyaalo Online. Archived from the original on 2017-10-28.