B.T. Lalitha Naik

She is also known for leading important literary, social and language-rights movements such as Bandaya movement and Gokak agitation.

• Name — B.T. Lalita Naik • Birth Name — Balaji Tangali Lalita Naik • Born — 4 April 1945 • Birthplace — VL Nagar, Kadur, Karnataka, India • Occupation — Author, politician, social activist • Movement — Bandaya movement • Notable Works — Gati (1986) Banjara Hejjegurutugalu (2009) • Spouse — Champla Naik • Relatives — K. Venkatalakshamma (grandaunt) • Awards — Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award: 1991 Karnataka Rajyotsava Award: 1991

Lalita Naik was born in a Lambani family on 4 April 1945, in Tangali Tanda(now V.L.Nagara), a small village in Kadur, Chikmagalur, to the agriculturalists, (late) Balaji Naik and Ganga Bai. Naik married Champla Naik in the late 60s and was married to him until his death in 1996. She has three sons from the marriage. Lalitha Naik is the grand-niece of the renowned Bharatanatyam danseuse K. Venkatalakshamma.

After her marriage, Naik, started writing radio plays about the trials and tribulations of middle class life for the local Akashavani station. Encouraged by the popularity she started writing and contributing poems, short stories and articles for prominent Kannada periodicals such as Sudha, Prajavani and Taranga. When her novella, Nele Bele, won an award in the annual novella competition conducted by Sudha magazine, she was invited by the writer P. Lankesh to contribute to his newly started tabloid Lankesh Patrike. Naik started writing regularly for the tabloid and was soon recognized for her sensitivity, social commitment and progressive views. Her popularity as a writer and journalist led her to being nominated as Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) by the then Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde. Naik continued to write and produce memorable books like the short story collection Habba mattu Bali ("Festival and the Sacrifice"), the novel Gati ("Fate") and the poetry collections, Ide Koogu Matte Matte ("The Same Cry Again and Again") and Bidiru Mele Kantiyali ("In the Bamboo Thicket"). Author of sixteen books, she is also known for her plays, children's fiction and essays. She won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1991. Her novel Gati has been translated into English, and her stories and poems have been translated into English, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu languages. Her works are part of the syllabus in several universities in Karnataka.

While serving as MLC (1986–1992) Naik joined the Janata Dal, inspired by the socialist ideals of Shantaveri Gopala Gowda and Jayaprakash Narayan. In 1994 she was elected MLA from Devadurga constituency, Raichur on a Janata Dal ticket, and was made Minister for Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare in the J. H. Patel cabinet. Barely two years into her tenure as minister, her son Vishwajit was accused of defiling the statue of B.R. Ambedkar at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore. Though subsequent investigations revealed the allegations to be baseless, she was forced to step down at that time and Vimalabai Deshmukh succeeded her as Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Karnataka. She also served as the President of Women's Janata Dal. After the split of Janata Dal in 1999 into Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Dal (United), she joined Janata Dal (Secular) headed by H.D. Deve Gowda. She was a member of its National Executive. Later she quit Janata Dal (Secular) over Gowda's decision to form alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party. She later joined Janata Party, but left it in 2004. Subsequently, she joined the Welfare Party of India and served as its National Vice President. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections she contested from the Gulbarga constituency on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket and lost to Mallikarjun Kharge.