Lok Priya Devi (Nepali: लोकप्रियादेवी; 1898–1960) was a Nepalese poet.[1] In 2014, she was recognised as one of the women who contributed to the arena of Nepali literature, art, and politics.[2][3] She is the sister of Laxmi Prasad Devkota, the nation's most adored poet.[4]
Biography
Devi was born in 1898 in Dilli Bazar, Kathmandu, Nepal to Teel Madhav Devkota, and Amar Rajya Lakshmi Devi.[5] Devi was a sister of Laxmi Prasad Devkota, who is considered to be the greatest literary figure in Nepal.[4][6]
In 1906 at the age of eight years, Devi was married to businessman Lok Nath Joshi.[5] They had five sons and three daughters, however, Joshi was known to be a womaniser and he had many concubines.[5] Devi is never known to have criticised her husband.[5] Devi's name "Lok Priya" was given to her by Joshi which means "darling of Lok Nath".[6]
She mostly published her poems in Sharada magazine, and she also published in Udyog, Sahity Shrot, and the literary supplements to the national newspaper Gorkhapatra.[7] Devi was also an activist, she advocated and encouraged women to get an education.[8][9] In 1953, she organised a literacy event for Bhanubhakta Acharya.[5]
In 1983, her daughter Shashi Rimal, compiled and published Collected Poems of Poetess Lokpriya Devi.[5] Lok Priya Devi Puraskar is named in her honour.[10]
Awards and recognitions
In 2014, she was recognised one of the women "who contributed to the arena of Nepali literature, art, and politics. Much of their lives have been excluded [or written very little] from the narratives of official records", alongside Ambalika DeviChandrakala Devi, Mangala Devi, and Divya Koirala.[2][3]
