Ranchi, April 18: Celebrated author and tribal rights activist Rose Kerketta passed away in Ranchi on Thursday at the age of 85, her family confirmed.
Kerketta, who had been suffering from multiple health complications following a COVID-19 infection during the pandemic, had been bedridden since 2023. Her daughter, Vandana Tete, said she had stopped eating in the past ten days.
“My mother passed away around 10.30 am. She was bed-ridden since 2023 and had almost stopped eating for the last 10 days,” Tete said.
A prominent voice in India’s tribal literary and social landscape, Kerketta was widely respected for her writings and activism. She authored several works, with her short story collection Pagha Jori-Jori Re Ghato regarded as one of her most notable contributions.
Fluent in both Hindi and Kharia, Kerketta played a key role in enriching both languages through her work. She also translated stories by acclaimed writer Premchand into Kharia, helping preserve and promote tribal literature.
Born in Simdega district of Jharkhand, Kerketta began her professional life as a Hindi teacher before moving to Ranchi, where she became deeply involved in tribal rights advocacy.
She is survived by her son Sonal Prabhanjan and daughter Vandana Tete.
