Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay's legacy continues to be relevant: Nico Slate
How does one start with research around a historical figure? What were your sources?
Kamaladevi’s life was remarkably multifaceted. Not surprisingly, her archives are similarly diverse. I made use of her letters to friends and colleagues; her writings (both published and unpublished), and a range of government sources. But, my favourite were the police records. Kamaladevi was a radical troublemaker and the colonial police were eager to keep track of her actions.
I also interviewed many people who knew her, and could offer first-hand memories of her.
When you are writing about someone like Kamaladevi, how difficult is it to not make panegyrise her?
I have profound respect for Kamaladevi and her work. That helped me resist the urge to oversimplify her life. In addition to being an activist and social reformer, she was also a writer and thinker who criticised overly simplistic narratives.
I believe that her life and legacy remain relevant in our world today, but I also believe that we can learn more from her if we understand the struggles she faced, and the complexities of the life she lived.
Having done all the research and published this book, what kind of a person does she come across to you?
Many people I interviewed recalled her deep empathy—not just kindness for her friends and family, but even for those she never met. For example, she immediately took action to get two young shepherds, who had accidentally crossed the border into Pakistan, released. Or consider the countless artists and artisans she supported, many of whom treasure her memory even now. But as Kamaladevi was caring, she did not suffer fools, and often came across as distant or even intimidating to many.
You write about her many achievements, but most people only know her work with textiles. Why is that?
After Independence, and especially after the 1950s, Kamaladevi’s career was focused on the arts and crafts. She is remembered for that work in part simply because it dominated the last few decades of her life. Part of my hope is that this book can help us recover the vital work she did earlier in her life, including her efforts to help lead the All India Women’s Conference, the Salt Satyagraha in Mumbai, and the Congress Socialist Party; building networks of solidarity with African Americans and other oppressed peoples throughout the world; and helping to care for and empower refugees after the Partition.