Toru Dutt ( the first woman English novelist of India)

TORU DUTT

Toru Dutt, the first women novelist of Indo- Anglian literature.

She was a poet, novelist, essayist, translator and a polyglot. She was an outstanding pioneer in the history of Indian literature.

Born as Torulata Datta on March 4, 1856 to the illustrious and wealthy Dutt family of Rambagan, Kolkata. She was the youngest daughter of Govin Chunder Dutt and Kshetramoni. In 1862 when Toru was 6, Dutts converted to Christianity. But three years later their only son, Abju died at the young age of 14. Deeply aggrieved, Govind Chunder, along with his wife and two daughters Aru and Toru left for Europe with an intention to settle there.They sailed to France, Italy and England where both the sisters learnt French. The young girls translated French poetry into English, also studied Music and History. In 1873, the failing health of the two daughters forced the Dutts to return to Calcutta from Cambridge. In 1874 Toru's soulmate and elder sister Aru died at the age of 23. Toru also did not live long. She had a premonition that she is also destined to die young like her beloved siblings and finally breathed her last on August 30, 1877 suffering from Tuberculosis.

Her only English Novel: "Bianca, or the young Spanish Maiden" is unfinished. It was later published serially in the Bengal Magazine from January to April 1878. This is the First novel by an Indian woman!!

Her famous poems include: " Our Casurina Tree", " My Vocation", " Sita", " Savitri", "The Lotus" etc.

Toru Dutt is also called "Keats of Indo- English literature." Like Keats and Bronte sisters her family too, had become a victim of Tuberculosis. She had produced so much literature in her 21 years of age that has a lasting worth even after 154 years after her death.

* collected

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