Now Reading: Nisha da Cunha, writer and St Xavier’s professor, dies at 92
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Nisha da Cunha, writer and St Xavier’s professor, dies at 92
Veteran writer and literature professor Nisha da Cunha died at her residence on Tuesday evening, aged 92. She taught English at Miranda House for five years before joining Mumbai’s St Xavier’s College,…
The Story in Brief
Veteran writer and literature professor Nisha da Cunha died at her residence on Tuesday evening, aged 92. She taught English at Miranda House for five years before joining Mumbai’s St Xavier’s College, where she spent 25 years and retired as head of the English Literature department in 1985. Former students, including author Shobhaa De, remembered her for making difficult books feel immediate and inspiring a love of literature.
Da Cunha began writing fiction later in life, encouraged by former diplomat A D Gorwala. Her books included Old Cypress: Stories, The Permanence of Grief, Set My Heart in Aspic and No Black, No White: Short Stories. Actor-director Bugs Bhargava Krishna and her son Rahul were developing a Hindi and English screen adaptation of Old Cypress, with filming planned for October.
The Indian Opinion
The easy story is that da Cunha was either a neglected writer or simply a famous teacher. Both versions miss the point. Her four collections earned praise for lyrical prose and controlled craft, while students recalled a lasting influence in the classroom. The planned adaptation may bring new readers, but its value will depend on whether it preserves the story’s emotional restraint. The clearest measure will be the finished film and renewed interest in her books.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
