India, Feb. 23 -- Tara Bhawalkar, 86, a senior Marathi scholar in folk literature and president of the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, is a powerful voice in literary and social discourse. She has made a significant impact on Marathi literature, particularly in exploring female representation in Indian culture and the female psyche. Bhawalkar has authored 41 books and contributed key entries to more than five different Marathi encyclopaedias.

She was also the first president of the Marathi Mahila Sahitya Sammelan. Some of her books have been translated into Kannada, expanding her literary reach. In addition to writing plays, books and research papers, she has presided over nine different literary conventions and held key p...