Keshada Mahanta at her Gohaintekelagaon residence on Monday. Telegraph picture

Jorhat, Dec. 20: Publishers cruelly rejected her book. Sahitya Akademi crowned it a winner.

For two years, author Keshada Mahanta went from pillar to post looking for a publisher for her book, Asomiya Ramayani Sahitya: Kathabastu Atiguri, an analysis of the influence of the Ramayan on Assamese literature, which took her over 10 years to write. She was turned away time and again.

Finally, her husband, Bap Chandra Mahanta, also a writer and a Vaishnavite scholar, spent most of his pension savings to publish it.

Though Keshada is delighted that her book has finally got national recognition, her joy was dampened by the fact that her husband is admitted to the ICU of a private hospital here for the past four days.

The septuagenarian Assamese writer had penned about 30 books on religious topics and children’s stories.

As news of Keshada winning the award spread, people from the town started flocking to her house at Gohaintekelagaon on the eastern outskirts to congratulate her.

Reacting emotionally to the announcement, the writer said the award was the outcome of her lifetime’s labour and hard work. “This award has made me feel satisfied and I consider it a divine asset as it has given recognition to hard work,” the writer said. She dedicated the award to Assamese language and literature.

Keshada said research on the award-winning book began in 1966, but managed to get it published only in September 2008 after going through an ordeal. On the 751-page book, Keshada said the topic was “serious and sensitive”. In the interim period, she had written many books that included children’s stories, religious books and a collection of her articles on Indian culture.

Asked about the difficulties she faced in publishing the book that fetched her laurels, the writer said the publishers’ snub hurt and the book could only be published because of her husband. She said a leading publishing house of the state had assured her that it would publish her book only if she digitally composed her manuscript. But the publishing house went back on its word even after she complied.

“It was then that my husband took out his hard-earned money to fulfil my dream,” Keshada said.

She said most of her books had been published by family members as publishers did not show any interest. The writer, however, added, “I don’t have any hard feelings towards anybody and now consider the chapter closed.”

Keshada said she drew inspiration from her family, as she was lucky to have been born in a one which took pride in reading and writing and studied different forms of Assamese art and culture. Asked whether Assamese literature had been able to make its mark at the national level, she said those works which had been done with sincerity, honesty and dedication had found its pride of place.