B. T. Lalitha Naik

Last updated

B.T. Lalita Naik
BornBalaji Tangali Lalita Naik
(1945-04-04) 4 April 1945 (age 78)
VL Nagar,
Kadur, Karnataka, India
OccupationAuthor, politician, social activist
NationalityIndian
Literary movement Bandaya movement
Notable worksGati (1986)
Banjara Hejjegurutugalu (2009)
Notable awards Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award: 1991
Karnataka Rajyotsava Award: 1991
SpouseChampla Naik
Relatives K. Venkatalakshamma (grandaunt)
B. T. Lalitha Naik
Minister of Kannada, Culture & Women and Child Welfare of Karnataka
In office
1996–1998
Personal details
Political party All India Mahila Empowerment Party (February 2018 - present)
Other political
affiliations
Janata Dal (United) (until February 2018)

Balaji Tangali Lalitha Naik (born 4 April 1945) is an Indian social activist, politician, writer, film actress who was the minister of Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare of Karnataka. [1] 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.

Contents

Personal life

Lalita Naik was born in a Lambani family on 4 April 1945, [2] in Tangali Tanda(now V.L.Nagara), 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. [2] [3]

Lalitha Naik is the grand-niece of the renowned Bharatanatyam danseuse K. Venkatalakshamma. [4]

Writing career

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. [5] 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. [5] 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. [3]

Political career

While serving as MLC (19861992) Naik joined the Janata Dal, inspired by the socialist ideals of Shantaveri Gopala Gowda and Jayaprakash Narayan. [6] In 1994 she was elected MLA from Devadurga constituency, Raichur on a Janata Dal ticket, and was made Minister for Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare in the J. H. Patel cabinet. Barely two years into her tenure as minister, her son Vishwajit was accused of defiling the statue of B.R. Ambedkar at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore. [7] Though subsequent investigations revealed the allegations to be baseless, she was forced to step down at that time and Vimalabai Deshmukh succeeded her as Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Karnataka. [8] She also served as the President of Women's Janata Dal. After the split of Janata Dal in 1999 into Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Dal (United), she joined Janata Dal (Secular) headed by H.D. Deve Gowda. She was a member of its National Executive. Later she quit Janata Dal (Secular) over Gowda's decision to form alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party. [9] She later joined Janata Party, but left it in 2004. [10] Subsequently, she joined the Welfare Party of India and served as its National Vice President. [11] In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections she contested from the Gulbarga constituency on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket and lost to Mallikarjun Kharge. [1] [12] [13]

In 2016, Naik was one of 7 JD(S) MLAs suspended for cross voting for candidates of different parties in the 2016 Rajya Sabha election. Naik eventually joined the Indian National Congress on 29 January 2017. [14]

Social activism and films

Lalitha Naik participated in several social-literary movements of the 1980s including Bandaya movement, a protest movement for social equality and justice, and Gokak agitation. [15] An avowed feminist Lalitha Naik has strongly appealed for the passing of Women's Reservation Bill in both central and state legislatures [16] and urged women to learn martial arts to protect themselves in the prevailing rape culture. [17] She has also lodged her strong protest against the victimization of innocent Muslim youth and social activists fighting for justice like Binayak Sen. She has protested against teaching Bhagavad Gita in schools. [18] She has also demanded for the setting up of a National Men's Commission along the lines of Mahila Ayog to prevent the rising atrocities against men and the unscrupulous use of IPC 498(A), the anti-dowry harassment law which she alleges is often used as a means to blackmail and extort men. [19] She is of the view that reservations should not be permanent. [20]

Naik acted in and wrote dialogues for the Banjara language film, Zadero Pankheru ("Forest Bird") in 1996. [3] She has also acted in films Priya-O-Priya and Ashanti, a tele-serial Mukta Mukta and one telefilm Ondu Hennina Kathe. [1] Naik was president of Karnataka State Bala Bhavana Society and has held other positions in some other community associations and societies. [2] She is a member of Karnataka Film Chambers. [3]

Awards and honours

Bibliography

Translated works

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H. D. Deve Gowda</span> Prime Minister of India from 1996 to 1997

Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda is an Indian politician who served as the 11th prime minister of India from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997. He was previously the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1994 to 1996. He presently is a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha representing Karnataka. He is the national president of the Janata Dal (Secular) party. Born in a farming family, he joined the Indian National Congress party in 1953, and remained a member until 1962. He was imprisoned during the Emergency. He became President of the state unit of Janata Dal in 1994, and was considered to be a driving force in the party's victory in Karnataka. He served as the 8th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1994 to 1996. In the 1996 general elections, no party won enough seats to form a government. When the United Front, a coalition of regional parties, formed the central government with the support of the Congress, Deve Gowda was unexpectedly chosen to head the government and was elected Prime Minister. During his tenure as prime minister, he also served as Home Minister for some time. His prime ministerial tenure lasted for less than a year. After his prime ministerial tenure, he was elected to the 12th (1998), 14th (2004), 15th, and 16th Lok Sabha, as Member of Parliament for the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency. He lost Lok Sabha elections in 2019 from Tumkuru but has been elected to Rajya Sabha since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janata Dal (Secular)</span> Political party in India

The Janata Dal (Secular) (transl. People Party (Secular); abbr.JD(S)) is an Indian regional political party recognised as a state party in the state of Karnataka, Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh. It was founded by the former prime minister of India H. D. Deve Gowda in July 1999 as a breakaway faction from the Janata Dal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siddaramaiah</span> 22nd and current Chief minister of Karnataka

Siddaramaiah, also referred to by his nickname Siddu, is an Indian politician who is serving as the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka since 2023. He also held that position previously from 2013 to 2018, being only the second person to hold that office for a full five-year term. He belongs to the Indian National Congress and is presently the leader of the Congress Legislative Party. He represented the Varuna Assembly constituency from 2023, previously from 2008 to 2018, Badami Assembly constituency from 2018 to 2023, and from Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency from 2004 to 2007, 1994 to 1999 and from 1983 to 1989 in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1996 to 1999 and from 2004 to 2005 while he was a member of the Janata Dal and Janata Dal (Secular). He also served as the Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly on two occasions from 2019 to 2023 and from 2009 to 2013. Siddaramaiah was a member of various Janata Parivar factions for several years.

Ramakrishna Mahabaleshwar Hegde was an Indian politician who served as the third Chief Minister of Karnataka for three terms between 1983 and 1988. He was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1957, 1962, 1967, 1983, 1985 and 1989, and to the Rajya Sabha for two terms, 1978–83 and 1996–2002. He also served as Minister of Commerce and Industry in the Union government (1998–1999).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. H. Patel</span> Indian politician

Jayadevappa Halappa Patel was the 9th Chief Minister of the Indian state of Karnataka from 31 May 1996 to 7 October 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H. D. Kumaraswamy</span> 12th Chief Minister of Karnataka

Haradanahalli Deve Gowda Kumaraswamy, known among followers as Kumaranna, is an Indian politician, film producer and businessman who served as the 12th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2018 to 2019 and previously from 2006 to 2007. He also the leader of the oppsition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 2013 to 2014. He is a current president of the Karnataka State Janata Dal (Secular), member of Lok Sabha and the current member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Channapatna since 2018, Ramanagara from 2004 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2018. He is the son of former prime minister of India & former Chief Minister of Karnataka H. D. Deve Gowda.

<i>Lankesh Patrike</i> Indian newspaper

Lankesh Patrike is an Indian vernacular weekly published in Kannada language from Bangalore, Karnataka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Karnataka</span> Region in Karnataka, India

North Karnataka is a geographical region in Deccan plateau from 300 to 730 metres elevation that constitutes the region of the Karnataka state in India and the region consists of 13 districts. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra. North Karnataka lies within the Deccan thorn scrub forests ecoregion, which extends north into eastern Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mukhyamantri Chandru</span> Indian politician

Honnasandra Narasimhaiah Chandrashekar, known popularly as Mukhyamantri Chandru, is an Indian actor and politician. As an actor, he is known for his work in Kannada theatre and cinema. The sobriquet Mukhyamantri stuck to his name after the play of the same name that sees him portray the title role became widely popular. Having portrayed mostly comic and negative roles throughout his career, Chandru is a character actor, and has acted in over 500 films since making his debut in 1983.

The politics of Karnataka is represented by three major political parties, the Indian National Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Janata Dal (Secular) and the Indian National Congress led coalition government was in power in the state since May, 2018, till July, 2019. H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (Secular) was the Chief Minister from 23 May, 2018, to 23 July, 2019. Now Siddaramaiah of INC is incumbent, forming the government since

Hampa Nagarajaiah, popularly known by his pen name Hampanā, is an Indian scholar in Kannada language and Jainism. He was born at Hampasandra Village located in Gowribidanur taluk, Chikkaballapura District in the Indian state of Karnataka. Hampanā is married to Kamala Hampana who also a veteran littérateur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javaregowda</span> Indian Kannada writer, folklorist, scholar

Devegowda Javaregowda, known as De Ja Gou or simply Javaregowda, was an Indian Kannada writer, folklorist, researcher, scholar and academic. He was disciple of authors T.N. Srikantaiah and Kuvempu. His literary career spans over decades in which he wrote over thirty-four biographies in Kannada language and other works including children's literature. He campaigned for the promotion of Kannada language. He had received Pampa Prashasti (1998), Padma Shri (2001) and the Karnataka Ratna (2008) awards for his contributions in literature and education. He became a centenarian in 2015 and died on 30 May 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. Venkatalakshamma</span>

K. Venkatalakshamma was a renowned Bharatanatyam dancer. A doyenne of the Mysore Style of Bharatanatyam, she was the last representative of the Mysore court tradition. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in 1992.

Daradahalli Byregowda Chandregowda was an Indian politician who was Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, three-term MLA, one-term MLC, and Member of Parliament—three-terms from Lok Sabha and one-term from Rajya Sabha.

Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award is an annual literary award given to literary works in Kannada by the Karnataka Sahitya Academy. Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award is given to individual books published in various genres like poetry, novel, short fiction, criticism, travel writing, translation, children's writing etc., as well as for the complete contribution of a writer to Kannada literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikhil Kumar (actor)</span> Indian actor and politician

Nikhil Kumaraswamy is an Indian actor and politician known for his work in Kannada films. He made his acting debut with the Kannada-Telugu bilingual film Jaguar (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramesh Jarkiholi</span> Indian politician

Ramesh Jarkiholi an Indian politician, former minister of Water Resources in the Government of Karnataka, between 2020 and 2021. As member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he represents Gokak in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He previously served as the Minister for Municipal Administration.

The J. H. Patel cabinet was the Council of Ministers in the Indian state of Karnataka headed by Chief minister J. H. Patel that was formed after the 1994 Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections.

Vimalabai Jagadevarao Deshmukh who was also known as Vimalabai Deshmukh was an Indian politician who was a former Minister for Women and Child Welfare in the Government of Karnataka. She also served as a MLA to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1994 from Muddebihal constituency in Bijapur district, Karnataka.

Valmiki Nayak was an Indian politician and a former member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Chittapur constituency.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "AAP springs a surprise in Gulbarga". The Hindu. 12 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Chandra Dutt, Kartik (1999). Who's Who of Indian Writers 1999: AM. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 665. ISBN   9788126008735.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Profile of B.T. Lalitha Naik". Welfare Party of India.
  4. ನಾಯಕ್ [Naik], ಬಿ.ಟಿ. ಲಲಿತಾ [B.T. Lalitha] (2009). ಬಂಜಾರ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಗುರುತುಗಳು [Banjara Hejjegurutugalu]. Bangalore: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಪತ್ರಾಗಾರ ಇಲಾಖೆ [Karnataka Rajya Patragara Ilakhe]. p. 142. ISBN   978-81-908438-1-2.
  5. 1 2 3 Gundurao, Y.N. "B.T. Lalitha Naik". Kanaja: Kannada Internet Encyclopaedia (in Kannada). Kanaja Project, Karnataka Knowledge Commission. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  6. "ಸಮಾಜವಾದದ ಅನುಷ್ಠಾನವೇ ವೆಲ್ಫೇರ್ ಪಾರ್ಟಿಯ ಉದ್ದೇಶ: ಲಲಿತಾ ನಾಯಕ್" [Aim of Welfare Party is implementation of socialism: Lalitha Naik]. Vijaya Karnataka (in Kannada). 24 March 2013.
  7. Rajesh, Y.P (13 December 1995). "Avenging Ambedkar". Outlook magazine.
  8. Former minister Vimalabai Deshmukh no more https://www.deccanherald.com/state/former-minister-vimalabai-682790.html
  9. "Welfare Party is the Answer for a Better India: Lalita Naik". Karnataka Muslims. 2 July 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  10. "Lalitha Naik quits JP". Times of India. 13 July 2004.
  11. "Lalitha Naik inaugurates Udupi unit of the Welfare Party of India". megamedia News. 26 March 2013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  12. Sivanandan, T. V. (17 May 2014). "Kharge repeats victory with a resounding margin". The Hindu. Gulbarga, Karnataka. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  13. "Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Loksabha Candidate, Gulbarga, Karnataka". Aam Aadmi Party. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  14. Khajane, Muralidhara (29 January 2017). "JD(S) rebels preparing ground to join Cong.?". The Hindu.
  15. Puttappa, Dr.Patila (2005). ಕನ್ನಡ ನಾಡು ನುಡಿ [The Kannada Land and Language] (in Kannada) (Chapter 9 : Gokak Movement ed.). Directorate of Publications, Kannada University. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  16. Naik, B.T. Lalitha (29 March 2014). "ಮಹಿಳಾ ರಾಜಕಾರಣದ ಸವಾಲು: ಹೊಸ ಗಾಳಿ..." [The Challenge of Women's Politics: A New Wave...]. Prajavani (in Kannada).
  17. "Panel Discussion on Gang Rape". Raj News Kannada. September 2013.
  18. "Bhagavad Gita Abhiyan in schools challenged". The Hindu. 13 July 2011.
  19. "ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಪುರುಷ ಆಯೋಗ ರಚನೆಯಾಗಬೇಕು : ಬಿ.ಟಿ.ಲಲಿತಾ ನಾಯಕ್" [Karnataka Men's Commission Should be formed: B.T. Lalitha Naik]. Bangalore Waves (in Kannada). 7 December 2012.
  20. "Reservation should not be permanent: Lalitha Naik". The Hindu. 4 July 2013.
  21. "ಹತ್ತು ಮಂದಿ ಹಿರಿಯರಿಗೆ ಆಳ್ವಾಸ್ ನುಡಿಸಿರಿ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ" [Alvas Nudisiri Award to Ten Writers]. Kannada Net (in Kannada). 20 October 2011.
  22. "ಡಾ.ಲಲಿತಾ ನಾಯಕ್‌ಗೆ 'ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಚೂಡಾಮಣಿ' ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಪ್ರದಾನ" ['Karnataka Chudamani' Awarded to Dr.B.T.Lalitha Naik]. Varta Bharati (in Kannada). 24 October 2011. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.