Ajeet Cour

Padma Shri Ajeet Cour is a well-known Punjabi writer whose writings constantly shed light on the unfairness women face in day-to-day life. Ajeet Cour was born on November 16, 1934, in Lahore, Punjab. She did her initial years of schooling in Lahore. During the Partition of India in 1947, she moved to Delhi along with her family. She grew up in an environment where the birth of a male child is celebrated more than a female child. These incidents raised several questions in her mind. While she was doing her Bachelor of fine arts degree in English, Ajeet Cour took part in an intercollegiate competition, where she read the story she wrote.

Impressed by her writing, a publisher offered her to work with their magazine. That’s how she gained the first chance to publish her short story in 1949. Following this, she did her Masters of Arts in Economics in 1952. Ajeet Cour’s debut short story collection, Gulbano got published in 1960. For Gulbano, she received Honours from the Government of Punjab. Also, she won the Shiromani Sahitkar of the Year. In the same period, Ajeet Cour decided to venture into journalism and started editing the Rupee trade. They have also credited her for editing the first Directory of Indian Women. So far, she has written twenty-two short story collections and novels. Some of them are Gauri, KattiyanLakeeran, Dhupp Wala Shehar, and more.

About five of her stories have been made into films. As someone who has experienced domestic violence in her marriage, most of Ajeet Cour’s story deals with the inequalities the women have to undergo. After her unsuccessful marriage, Ajeet Cour had to look after her two daughters single handedly with no support. Her elder daughter, ArpanaCaur, is a leading Indian artist. She lost her younger daughter Candy in a fire accident. Ajeet Cour has written her autobiography in Punjabi in two parts under the title Khanabadosh and Koorha Kabaarha, which got translated into English with the title Weaving Water.

Among the several awards and honors she received, in 1886, Ajeet Cour won the highest literary award in India, The Sahitya  Akademi Award, and the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri, in 2006. Ajeet Cour used to run a school for slum girls in a flat and later started a vocational school near Siri Fort, New Delhi, with the help of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Ajeet Cour is the president of the Foundation of SAARC Writers, Founder President of Indian Council for Poverty Alleviation, and Literature and the Chairperson of the Academy of Fine Arts and Literature.