kamala surayya, also known by her one-time pen name madhavikutty and married name kamala das, was an indian poet and author who wrote in english and malayalam. she was born on march 31, 1934, in thrissur, malabar coast (now in kerala), india, and died on may 31, 2009, in pune, india. das is known for her provocative and honest explorations of the self, female sexuality, urban life, women's roles in traditional indian society, postcolonial identity, and other issues. her notable works include 'my story' and various poems. she was recognized as one of india's foremost poets and began writing po…