News out today: Controversial writer Taslima Nasrin wins France's Simon de Beauvoir award

by Suzan Abrams in Dublin

Controversial novelist Taslima Nasreen has won the prestigious Simon de Beauvoir award in recognition of her controvertible feminist writing. 2008 also spells Beauvoir's 100th birth anniversary. Unable to attend the function on January 9th, Nasreen who is in hiding, had bravely risked a personal message of thanks.

Baring the wiles of a steely strength and docile femininity in that order, the daring and defiant writer who once had to escape Bangladesh for a Swedish exile where she then moved to France before returning to India, was recently booted out of Kolkata for what was claimed to be her anti-Islamic writings.

Already, a winner of several international awards, she had in earlier years escaped Bangladesh for Sweden after receiving terrifying death threats. Because of continuing pressure, Nasreen has had to put another novel on hold. She is now believed to be at a secret location in Delhi.

In spite of the ongoing harassment, the torment of hostile receptions in her country and for reasons that may never fully justify the author's intended premises, Nasreen continues to stay remarkably true to herself with the real prospect of having moved ahead of her time.

Photography Credit: IndiaDaily