Geeta Mehta (1943 – 2023) was an Indian American author, journalist and filmmaker. She was the author of five popular books, including Karma Kola (1979), A River Sutra (1993), and Eternal Ganesha (2006), which were translated into 21 languages. His work primarily addressed Indian issues, focusing on war and conflict, including the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, to help Western audiences better understand the country. She was the sister of Naveen Patnaik, the 14th Chief Minister of Odisha.
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Wiki/Biography
Geeta Mehta was born in 1943 (age 80 at the time of death) in Delhi, British India. He completed his schooling at a boarding school in India. After completing her schooling, she went to Girton College, Cambridge University in England to pursue further education. During a media interview, Mehta once shared that he was sent to boarding school at the age of three, while his father was detained by the British and his mother worked to secure his release. . He said,
I was sent to boarding school at the age of three because my mother was running around trying to get my father out of jail.”
Geeta Mehta’s childhood picture with her brothers
Physical Appearance
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family
Geeta Mehta belonged to an Oriya family.
parents and siblings
His father Bijayanand Patnaik was a politician, aviator and businessman.
A picture of Geeta Mehta’s father Biju Patnaik
His mother Gyan Patnaik was an Indian commercial pilot.
A picture of Geeta Mehta’s mother Gyan Patnaik
His younger brother, Naveen Patnaik, is the 14th Chief Minister of Odisha.
A picture of Geeta Mehta’s brother Naveen Patnaik
His elder brother Prem Patnaik is a popular Indian businessman.
A picture of Geeta Mehta’s brother Prem Patnaik
husband and children
Geeta Mehta was married to Ajay Singh Mehta alias Sunny Mehta in December 1965. Soon after their marriage, they moved to New York. In 1987 he went to London. Ajay Singh Mehta Alfred A. Knopf was editor-in-chief and president of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Geeta Mehta posing with Ajay Singh Mehta
Sonny Menta died in 2019. The couple has a son named Aditya Singh Mehta.
A picture of Geeta Mehta’s son and husband
relationships/affairs
Geeta met Sunny Mehta when she was studying at Cambridge University. She was in a relationship with Sonny before marrying him in 1965.
other relatives
His father-in-law, Amrik Singh Mehta, was an officer in the Royal Indian Air Force and one of the first Indian diplomats after India’s independence.
livelihood
Geeta Mehta directed and produced several documentaries for British, European and American channels. He also worked as a reporter for the American television network, NBC, from 1970 to 1971.
A young Geeta Mehta
In 1972, Geeta Mehta released a documentary film “Dateline Bangladesh”, which focused on the Bangladesh War. The film was released in theaters in India and other countries.
An excerpt from the documentary ‘Dateline Bangladesh’
literary work
His literary works, both fictional and non-fiction, primarily focused on the culture and history of India, with a particular emphasis on how Westerners view it. His first book, “Karma Kola” (1979), criticized Westerners who wanted to immediately gain spiritual enlightenment by meeting Indian gurus.
karma cola book cover
Her fictional book “Raj” (1989) tells the story of Jaya Singh, a princess who was the daughter and wife of Indian kings who ruled two independent kingdoms in India. In 1993, Geeta Mehta published her second fictional book titled “A River Sutra”, which aimed to introduce Western readers to Indian life through a collection of short stories. Indian mythology is artfully blended with stories of love in this book, which centers around a government employee who learns important life lessons by visiting six Indian pilgrimage sites located along the banks of the country’s most sacred river. Learns.
A River Sutra book cover
Four years later, Geeta Mehta released “Snakes and Ladders”, a collection of essays about life in India. He decided to publish the book on India’s 50th Independence Day to commemorate the occasion.
Cover of the book ‘Snakes and Ladders’ (1997)
controversies
Refused to accept Padmashree award
In 2019, Geeta Mehta rejected the Padma Shri award, which was presented to her by the Narendra Modi government. He shared his reasons for declining the award just before the 2019 general elections in a media interview. Geeta Mehta said,
I feel very honored that the Government of India considers us worthy of the Padma Shri, but with great regret I feel that I must decline it as the general elections are round the corner and the timing of the award may be misconstrued, causing harm to the Government and Both will have to face embarrassment. Myself, which I will regret very much.
award
Geeta Mehta was a recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards for publishing books in India, Britain and the United States.
Death
On 16 September 2023, Geeta Mehta died at her home in New Delhi due to old age related ailments.
Facts/General Knowledge
- His books have been translated into 21 languages and have reached bestseller lists in Europe, the United States, and India.
- During a media interaction, Mehta once expressed his desire to make modern India more accessible to Western readers and the new generation of Indians through his books. He said,
I wanted to make modern India accessible to Westerners and an entire generation of Indians who have no idea what happened 25 years before they were born.
Geeta Mehta during a conversation with a media house
- Geeta Mehta liked to drink alcoholic beverages sometimes.
Geeta Mehta with a glass of wine
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn