Background
Sarasibala Basu was born in Kolkata in 1886.
Sarasibala Basu was born in Kolkata in 1886.
In her short lifespan, she had published more than twenty novels, many short stories and poems, and made a big impact on Bengali literature. An equal quantity of her writings had remained unpublished. Sarasibala wrote passionately about the social issues of that period and the world around her.
Her childhood education began in a missionary school and thereafter she was admitted into another school, Mahakali Pathsala, in North Kolkata.
At home she learnt many things by listening to her brother"s reading aloud his lessons. Her liberal minded husband, Phanindranath Basu, engaged a private tutor for her education at home.
She also learnt English and art from him. Her writings, novels and poems, were published in the prestigious periodicals of the day, including, Bharatbarsha, Prabasi, Manashi, and Marmabani.
Social service and brotherhood of mankind were her most cherished ideals.
She became a didi, an elder sister, to many rising stars of Bengali literature, including, Probodh Sanyal, Ashapurna Devi, Narendra Deb, and Nirmal Baral. Besides, she could find time to write in the early hours of the morning when others in the house would be sleeping. In her later years, Sarasibala responded to Mahatma Gandhi"s call and worked for reform in the Hindu religion, particularly the rejection of the caste system and a society free of caste prejudice.
She lectured widely on the promotion of women"s education and other social welfare activities.
All these activities took toll on her health and she fell a victim to cancer, and died in 1929.