Imphal, March 8 : Haobam Satyabati Devi, the prolific author with many prestigious awards in her kitty, including the Sahitya Kala Akademi Award 2024, for her stupendous contribution to literature, has been advocating peace in Manipur and promoting the state's culture and traditions through her work.

Septuagenarian Satyabati, better known for her novels and short stories, got the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 for her remarkable book, 'Mainu Bora Nungshi Sheirol'.

Talking to IANS about her book, she said: It is based on the love story of Mainu Pemcha and Borajaoba from the Meitei community's folklore.

She said: "The couple is in love but a powerful royal administrator (Manipur was a princely ruled state till October 1949) wants to marry Mainu Pemcha, who heartily loves Borajaoba. But the story ends with a tragedy as pregnant Mainu Pemcha commits suicide and her body is found hanging from a tree. As per the traditions for death by suicide in that period, her body is not cremated but left in the mountain."

On the ethnic violence in Manipur, Satyabati said, "Like all women, especially the mothers, I was deeply upset by the horrific crimes in Manipur, which was also ravaged by militancy for many decades."

During the ethnic hostilities in the state, she was vocal against the conflicts and actively participated in the peace efforts.

Talking about the state's women, she said: "From time immemorial, Manipuri women have always been crusaders against all wrongdoings, injustice and malpractices. They led the Manipuri society in all spheres of life be it domestic arena, economic front, cultural and sports field or in political affairs."

She claimed that since British rule, women in the erstwhile princely state have played a prominent role in Manipuri society for over a century.

"From economic activities to mass agitations, domestic affairs to sports and cultural activities, societal awareness to fight against the drug menace and militancy, women have been in a dominating role. However, in a male-dominated society, they (women) have an insignificant chance to become a lawmaker or a minister or at least be in a commanding administrative position," she added.

Born on April 11, 1952, Satyabati Devi has three children.

Besides being an author, she has served as a journalist, teacher and social activist. She also worked as the editor of 'Macha Leima', a Maniupri monthly magazine on women's issues.

She has authored seven books with her first 'Mallaba Diary' (Old Diary), published in 1976. Few of her books highlight the ethnic conflict in Manipur and few describe the distress of women and children.

Other awards bagged by Satyabati are the Khaidem Pramodini Gold Medal for literature in 2007, the Dineswari Sahitya Award in 2020, the Rajkumar Shitaljit Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, and the Public Library Award in 2021.

She penned three radio dramas, all of which have been broadcast by All India Radio, Imphal, and these dramas made her more popular in the literary world.

Satyabati Devi served as the Principal of the women-run 'Macha Leima School' in the East Imphal district until 2017 when she took voluntary retirement.

Notably, the world's largest and century-old all-women-run market 'Ima Keithal' or the 'Mother's Market', located in Manipur capital Imphal and other smaller all-women markets functioning in different parts of the northeastern state boost economic activities to a large extent.

The market, which has a history of over 500 years, has around 3,615 licensed women vendors registered with the Imphal Municipal Corporation.

Imphal-based writer and political commentator Iboyaima Laithangbam said: "Since the British period, the Ima Keithel has not remained only a simple marketplace or trading hub, but developed as an apex centre for campaigns on various societal issues and against anti-social activities."

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujitchakrabortyne@gmail.com)

/IANS