Name Margaret Bhatty | ||
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Full Name Margaret Ruth Grundy Born 5 October 1930 Berinag, currently in Uttarakhand, India Died 20 July 2012 (aged 81)
Pune, Maharashtra, India Nationality British, Indian and Sinhalese Alma mater Isabella Thoburn College Hislop College Notable work All is Maya, All is Illusion My Enemy, My Friend Style Narrative nonfiction and fantasy Children Mr Arvind Bhatty Ms Pritam Bhatty | ||
Margaret Ruth Bhatty née Grundy (5 October 1930 – 20 July 2012) was a schoolteacher, freelance journalist and writer of children's books and short stories for adults.
Contents
- Early life
- Family and marriage
- Career
- Awards
- Plays
- Childrens books
- Novels
- Short stories for adults
- Narrative nonfiction
- References
Early life
Margaret Ruth Bhatty was born on 5 October 1930 to Mark Vernon Grundy and Pansy Gunasekra in Berinag, which is currently part of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. She spent her childhood in Berinag, fishing, hunting and trekking in the Kumaon region. A deep love for nature was instilled in her during her growing years in Berinag. She attended Wellesley Girls School, Nainital. She later went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow and then a postgraduate degree in Journalism from Nagpur.
Family and marriage
On 17 December 1954, she wed Feroze Bhatty. They have two children together: a son, Arvind (born 25 December 1955) and a daughter Pritam (born 13 September 1960).
Bhatty died on 20 July 2012 in Jehangir Hospital, Pune.
Career
Margaret Bhatty worked as a teacher in Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow after she completed her college education. She also worked as a journalist in Nagpur, contributing articles to The Hitavada newspaper. Bhatty worked as a school teacher at Kimmins High School, Panchgani in 1963 and at All Saints Girls School, Nainital.
She was a regular contributor to the popular children's magazine Target and English-language newspapers in India, and was also published in magazines of humanist and secular organizations in India, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and on the internet.
Awards
Margaret Bhatty won the first prize in the 1982 BBC World Service International Story Contest among 800 entries worldwide for her story, "All is Maya, All is Illusion". This story was published in the BBC's collection of stories, Short Stories from Around the World.
In 1995, she won the BBC World Service International Drama Contest for her radio play on communal violence, My Enemy, My Friend.