Mahadevi Varma
Poet & Writer
Hindi poet and prose writer of the Chhayavad movement, one of the foremost figures in modern Hindi literature, and recipient of the Jnanpith Award in 1982, India's highest literary honor. Born in Farrukhabad in 1907, she combined a deeply lyrical spiritual sensibility with feminist social activism, and served as the Principal of Prayag Mahila Vidyapith for decades. Her poetry is characterized by its mystical depth and its championing of women's dignity.