Quick Info
| Profession | Writer |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 10/05/1927 |
| Age | 99 years |
| Birthplace | Allahabad, British India |
Latest News about Nayantara Sahgal
16/03/2026
Navtej Sarna, Mamta Kalia, N Prabhakaran, and Nandini Sidha Reddy were among 24 authors selected for the Sahitya Akademi Award 2025. The awards recognize literary works in 24 Indian languages, with recipients receiving a casket, shawl, and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh at a ceremony on March 31.
16/03/2026
Nayantara Sahgal, along with nine other writers, agreed to take back the Sahitya Akademi Awards they had previously returned. The Culture Ministry confirmed that Sahgal and Rajasthani writer Bhardwaj were among the two confirmed names on the list, with Sahgal citing the lack of a formal provision to return awards as her reason for reconsidering her protest.
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Bio/Wiki
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Physical Stats & More
| Eye Color | Brown |
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| Hair Color | Brown (dyed) |
Educational Qualification(s)
| School | Attended a boarding school |
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| College/University | Wellesley College, United States |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree |
Personal Life
| Age (as of 2024) | 97 Years |
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| Religion | Hinduism |
| Political Inclination | Congress |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Widow | ||||
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| Affairs/Boyfriends | Edward Nirmal Mangat Rai | ||||
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Family
| Father | Ranjit Sitaram Pandit (Indian Barrister and Politician) |
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| Mother | Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (Indian Diplomat and Politician) |
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Career
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Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Nayantara Sahgal is an Indian writer, author, journalist, and political commentator. | |
| 2. She is connected to the Nehru-Gandhi family, although she identifies with only the Nehru family. | |
| 3. Nayantara Sahgal grew up with her first cousin, Indira Gandhi, in Anand Bhawan in Allahabad. | |
| 4. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was a father figure to Nayantara after her father's passing. | |
| 5. She admires the work of the Japanese sculptor Isamu Noguchi. | |
| 6. In an interview, Nayantara shared her views on 'Hindutva,' expressing concerns about its divisive nature. | |
| 7. Nayantara fell in love with E.N. Mangat Rai while still married to Gautam Sahgal. | |
| 8. She married E.N. Mangat Rai in 1979, twelve years after her divorce from Gautam Sahgal. | |
| 9. Before their marriage, Nayantara and E.N. Mangat Rai exchanged over 6000 letters for three years. | |
| 10. Growing up in a politically active family, Nayantara explored political analysis in her writing. | |
| 11. She worked as a political columnist for the Sunday Standard for almost fourteen years. | |
| 12. Sahgal openly criticized the Emergency declared by her cousin, Indira Gandhi, which strained their relationship. | |
| 13. Nayantara has been a Fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the US. | |
| 14. She also served as the Vice President of the People's Union for Civil Liberties. | |
| 15. Ritu Menon authored 'Out of Line,' a detailed biography of Nayantara Sahgal, exploring her personal, political, and literary life. | |
| 16. In October 2015, she returned her Sahitya Akademi Award to protest increasing intolerance and in support of the right to dissent in India. | |
| 17. Her latest work is a collection of short stories titled 'Day of Reckoning'. |