Toru Dutt was the first Indian poetess to write in French and English, gaining recognition during the colonial era despite significant criticism. Much of her work was published posthumously by her father, and she is remembered for her letters and the fascination they inspired in later authors like Harihar Das, who helped immortalize her through a biography. Dutt's contributions continue to be celebrated in both Indian and international literature.

1. Dr. Maunas Thaker
Assistant Professor,
H. M. Patel Institute of English
Training and Research
Vallabh Vidyanagar

3. “Dear is the Casuarina to my soul:
Beneath it we have played; though years may roll,
O sweet companions, loved with love intense,
For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear.”
– Our Casuarina Tree
by Toru Dutt

4.  The first Indian poetess to write verses in
French and in English.
 Prior to her, Michael Madhusudan Dutta,
another Indian poet from Bengal had tried his
hand in writing prose and poetry in English.

5.  She stood still and attained much
recognition in the colonial era when it was
an almost impossible feat since Indian
writers were subject to grinding criticism
from English literary pundits. Her work went
on to being reviewed favourably enough to
get republished. Yet she would not live very
long to see any of it.

6. Image Credit: Indianetzone.comhttps://feminisminindia.com/2018/01/04/toru-
dutt-essay/

12. Later Life and Works

16. ISBN:
1444691066
ISBN13:
978144469106
1
$23.19 -

18. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

22. Most of her works were published
posthumously. Following her death her
father started going through her papers and
began the task of popularizing them.
A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields was edited
and published a second and a third times in
later years.

23.  Outside her work, much of what we know of
Toru Dutt comes from her letters to her cousin
Arun Chunder Dutt and her friend Mary Martin.
In early twentieth century author Harihar Das
came across her poem Buttoo in an examination
text-book. He was so captivated by the beauty
of its verses that he set out to search for more
information on her. Yet all he came across was
an old photograph of Dutt. Years later he found
her book A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields in his
father’s library. Das decided to write her
biography and started collecting her works. He
later got in touch with her remaining family
along with Mary Martin herself who provided
with all the correspondences sent by Toru Dutt.
He published all of it paraphrasing all the
information he had on the poetess
immortalizing her in his book Life and Letters of
Toru Dutt. She remains an exemplary persona in
Indian and international literature till date.