A passionate feminist

A heart filled with compassion, a pen flowing with powerful prose and a nature-loving soul, yes its none other than the poet, writer Kuppili Padma—the established feminist.

Having earned applause even from the eminent critic Cheraa, Padma takes her own firm stand in the Telugu -literature. A writer well-known in a few genres of writing from more than two decades constantly, Padma has made her mark in Telugu literature. Hailing from a village Kuppili (North coastal Andhra, near Vizianagaram), Padma made a consistent contribution to modern Telugu literature as a short story writer, a poet, and a writer of columns and musings.

Her famous column ‘Maidaanam’, which ran for about a decade in the daily Vaartha brought her a lot of accolades. Her commentary on the contemporary issues and lives of people in Andhra and Telangana, rural and urban, and many more issues were penned by her eminently in this column. Her translucent style of writing wins the hearts of the readers.

She has to her credit six collections of short stories, three novels, two collections of creative prose and a book of poesy, which was recently released in the Vijayawada Book Festival. ‘Kuppili Padma Kathalu’ – collection of her short stories were recently published by the prestigious publishers Visalaandhra Publications of Andhra Pradesh.

Along with these, she has an English translation of her stories ‘Salabhanjika and other stories’ which was edited by the senior translator duo Alladi Uma and Sridhar. From her first book ‘Amruthavarshini’ (a collection of love letters) published in 1993 to her recent book ‘Kuppili Padma Kathalu’ and poetry anthology, ‘Nemaleekalu Poosina Kaalam’ Padma has never left the consistency of writing.

Her stories have been chosen to be translated into English and other languages. Some of her stories like ‘Salabhanjika’ and others have been chosen to be translated and published in the annual and periodical collected anthologies like ‘Nurella Kathaku Vandanam’, and ‘Katha’, selection of best short stories from Telugu.

Speaking recently at her book release function in Vijayawada Padma said that all her woman protagonists in her writings show the state of woman in the changing times. She religiously admits her women show the evolving modern woman in the twentieth century.

Her stories deal with women in all phases of life and places of life. The concept of ‘New Woman’ coined in the end of the nineteenth century is evident in all her writings. She deals with the subjects of the working woman in the working places and also with the materialised relations between woman and man.

The government must take the responsibility of providing equal opportunities and safety to women. And she continued saying “we as feminist writers do present in all our effervescence the problems of women for their notice. “Writers are the communication between the governing institutions and public,” she concluded.

A woman with a clear vision of hope and ambition, Padma is an ardent feminist writer who demands nothing more but ‘a woman’s genuine space in the society’. As the eminent Victorian Virginia Wolf demands “a room of one’s own” to a woman, Padma as a woman of letters of faith and hope in improving the social consciousness as a writer demands the respect for womanhood in all walks of life.

Her letters and sentences are filled with aesthetic beauty and her sophisticated narration in her stories makes the readers completely read the story. Padma is not a writer of fantasy but reality in real terms. Her way of dealing with the women-oriented subjects convince the readers and makes them think objectively.

A socially conscious writer, sailing in her paper boat of letters Padma is an asset to the modern Telugu literature. A woman with a sweet smile and gentle speech but resolute in her ideals and conviction Padma is the writer really in need of the hour. She has won many awards from many great institutions which include Tenneti Hemalatha Best Writer Award and Chaso Sphoorthi award and recently she has another feather in her cap by winning the most prestigious Vasireddi Seethadevi Award.

A writer dealing with the urban woman problems Padma stands in a commendable position in the modern Telugu literature. Nature and human cannot be dealt as two separate entities said Padma in an interview, it is the fusion of both that makes a genuine story. As an eminent feminist Kuppili Padma stands up to the mark in the modern Telugu fiction as she deals with all aspects like globalisation too, in her stories.

Her short story collections ‘Salabhanjika and other stories’, and ‘The Loss of Innocence’ prove her mettle in dealing with the agitating life of the modern woman. A writer in local lingua franca but with global themes Padma is the woman writer of the century. I sincerely wish most of her works should reach the international readers all around the globe.

Working as a creative head in media channels Padma has the calibre and execution of movie and telefilm making too. With words that befall like snow flowers as one of her creative muses have the name ‘Manchupoola vaana’ (rain of snow blooms), Padma is unique in her style and putting forth her opinions in her writings. She does not fret and fume on men but tries to show him his place and a woman how to earn her space.

She arises a hope in the women to look forward to better their conditions of life. She speaks with dignity and self-confidence about any issues and shows ardent faith and hope in the grand future of women. Telugu literary lovers look forward to much more valuable contribution from this woman of letters in the future.