Ranjana Ash (6 December 1924 – 10 August 2015)[1] was an Indian-born writer, literary critic, academic and activist, who was a leading advocate of south Asian and African writing. She moved in the 1950s to England, where she married American-born writer and broadcaster Bill Ash.
Born Ranjana Sidhanta in Birbhum, West Bengal, she spent her early years in Lucknow, attending the local women's college. Graduating from Lucknow University, where she studied political science, she won an Indian government scholarship in 1947 to Iowa University. On completing her doctorate she returned in 1949 to India, and became a lecturer at Aligarh University, before moving back to Lucknow, teaching at the university there between 1951 and 1954.[1]
She had also begun broadcasting to schools,[1] and meeting a BBC correspondent to India would change her life,[2][3] as described by Alastair Niven in The Guardian: "In 1952, while on a riding holiday in Kashmir, she met William Ash, a leftwing American broadcaster who had been a pilot and war hero, and was one of the originals for Steve McQueen's character in the 1963 film The Great Escape. He had settled in the UK and she followed him on a scholarship in May 1954, studying for an MA in sociology at the Institute of Education. In 1955 they married."[1]
Living in London, England, she wrote for the pacifist magazine Peace News,[4] was active in the Movement for Colonial Freedom, joined, with her husband, the Communist Party of Britain Marxist-Leninist, and joined with such activists as Marion Glean, David Pitt and C. L. R. James in the 1960s Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD).[5] She taught part-time in schools, and took an MA in African studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University, becoming an authority particularly on the writing of Chinua Achebe.[1] Her writings appeared in such publications as the journal of postcolonial writing Kunapipi, Wasafiri and PN Review, and she was a contributor to Susheila Nasta's Motherlands: Black Women's Writing from Africa, the Caribbean, and South Asia (The Women's Press, 1991).[6] Ash was particularly concerned with translation from South Asian languages,[7] publishing Short Stories from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in 1980. In 1982 she founded the South Asian Literary Society, continuing to promote authors from the Indian sub-continent.[1]
(With Joan Goody, Leslie Stratta, Hugh Knight, Jean Mills, Rob Jeffcote) "English in a Multicultural Society", English in Education vol. 11, No. 1, Spring 1977.
Short Stories from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Harrap, 1980, ISBN978-0245535710.
"Growing up with Tagore: Finding the Personal and Political in Rabindranath's Works", Performing Arts and South Asian Literature, Volume 5, Number 2.
"Introducing Tagore in Multicultural Education in Britain". In: Lago, M., and R. Warwick (eds), Rabindranath Tagore. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 1989. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-09133-1_10.
"Two Early-Twentieth-Century Women Writers". In Arvind Krishna Mehrotra (ed.), A History of Indian Literature in English, New York: Columbia University Press, 2003, pp. 126–34.
^Schudel, Matt (10 May 2014). "Bill Ash, WWII prisoner who attempted multiple escapes from POW camps, dies at 96". The Washington Post.
^Keleny, Anne (12 May 2014). "William Ash: Spitfire pilot widely thought to be the inspiration for Steve McQueen's character, Virgil Hilts, in 'The Great Escape'". The Independent.
^Perry, Kennetta Hammond (2016). London is the Place for Me: Black Britons, Citizenship and the Politics of Race. Oxford University Press. ISBN9780190493431.
^Shukra, Kalbir (1998). The Changing Pattern of Black Politics in Britain'. Pluto Press. p. 20. ISBN9780745314600.
^Engber, Diane (17 June 2020). "Motherlands: Black Women's Writing from Africa, the Caribbean and South Asia". Frauenkultur. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
^Ash, Ranjana Sidhanta (2001). "Translating from South Asian Languages in the Sixties and Seventies". Modern Poetry in Translation. New series (17): 284–287 – via Poetry Magazines.
January 01, 1970
ranjana, december, 1924, august, 2015, indian, born, writer, literary, critic, academic, activist, leading, advocate, south, asian, african, writing, moved, 1950s, england, where, married, american, born, writer, broadcaster, bill, bornranjana, sidhanta, 1924,. Ranjana Ash 6 December 1924 10 August 2015 1 was an Indian born writer literary critic academic and activist who was a leading advocate of south Asian and African writing She moved in the 1950s to England where she married American born writer and broadcaster Bill Ash Ranjana AshBornRanjana Sidhanta 1924 12 06 6 December 1924Birbhum West Bengal IndiaDied10 August 2015 2015 08 10 aged 90 London EnglandOther namesRanjana Sidhanta AshAlma materLucknow University Iowa UniversityOccupation s Writer literary critic academic and activistSpouseBill Ash m 1955 wbr Biography editBorn Ranjana Sidhanta in Birbhum West Bengal she spent her early years in Lucknow attending the local women s college Graduating from Lucknow University where she studied political science she won an Indian government scholarship in 1947 to Iowa University On completing her doctorate she returned in 1949 to India and became a lecturer at Aligarh University before moving back to Lucknow teaching at the university there between 1951 and 1954 1 She had also begun broadcasting to schools 1 and meeting a BBC correspondent to India would change her life 2 3 as described by Alastair Niven in The Guardian In 1952 while on a riding holiday in Kashmir she met William Ash a leftwing American broadcaster who had been a pilot and war hero and was one of the originals for Steve McQueen s character in the 1963 film The Great Escape He had settled in the UK and she followed him on a scholarship in May 1954 studying for an MA in sociology at the Institute of Education In 1955 they married 1 Living in London England she wrote for the pacifist magazine Peace News 4 was active in the Movement for Colonial Freedom joined with her husband the Communist Party of Britain Marxist Leninist and joined with such activists as Marion Glean David Pitt and C L R James in the 1960s Campaign Against Racial Discrimination CARD 5 She taught part time in schools and took an MA in African studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies London University becoming an authority particularly on the writing of Chinua Achebe 1 Her writings appeared in such publications as the journal of postcolonial writing Kunapipi Wasafiri and PN Review and she was a contributor to Susheila Nasta s Motherlands Black Women s Writing from Africa the Caribbean and South Asia The Women s Press 1991 6 Ash was particularly concerned with translation from South Asian languages 7 publishing Short Stories from India Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1980 In 1982 she founded the South Asian Literary Society continuing to promote authors from the Indian sub continent 1 Ash died in 2015 in London aged 90 1 Selected bibliography edit With Joan Goody Leslie Stratta Hugh Knight Jean Mills Rob Jeffcote English in a Multicultural Society English in Education vol 11 No 1 Spring 1977 Short Stories from India Pakistan and Bangladesh Harrap 1980 ISBN 978 0245535710 Growing up with Tagore Finding the Personal and Political in Rabindranath s Works Performing Arts and South Asian Literature Volume 5 Number 2 Introducing Tagore in Multicultural Education in Britain In Lago M and R Warwick eds Rabindranath Tagore Palgrave Macmillan London 1989 https doi org 10 1007 978 1 349 09133 1 10 Writers from India Book Trust 1990 ISBN 978 0853534372 Indian Women s Writing in English Kunapipi Vol 16 issue 1 1994 Two Early Twentieth Century Women Writers In Arvind Krishna Mehrotra ed A History of Indian Literature in English New York Columbia University Press 2003 pp 126 34 Introducing South Asian Literature into the English Curriculum English in Education 11 1 June 2008 pp 25 30 https doi org 10 1111 j 1754 8845 1977 tb00236 xReferences edit a b c d e f g Niven Alastair 19 November 2015 Ranjana Ash obituary The Guardian Schudel Matt 10 May 2014 Bill Ash WWII prisoner who attempted multiple escapes from POW camps dies at 96 The Washington Post Keleny Anne 12 May 2014 William Ash Spitfire pilot widely thought to be the inspiration for Steve McQueen s character Virgil Hilts in The Great Escape The Independent Perry Kennetta Hammond 2016 London is the Place for Me Black Britons Citizenship and the Politics of Race Oxford University Press ISBN 9780190493431 Shukra Kalbir 1998 The Changing Pattern of Black Politics in Britain Pluto Press p 20 ISBN 9780745314600 Engber Diane 17 June 2020 Motherlands Black Women s Writing from Africa the Caribbean and South Asia Frauenkultur Retrieved 26 December 2020 Ash Ranjana Sidhanta 2001 Translating from South Asian Languages in the Sixties and Seventies Modern Poetry in Translation New series 17 284 287 via Poetry Magazines Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ranjana Ash amp oldid 1214982837, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
