Rajathi Samsudeen is a Tamil writer and political activist well known by her pen name Salma. Overcoming orthodoxy, marital violence, and confinement by her own society, Salma has become a spokesperson for women’s rights. Her works have received acclaims globally and she is renowned as a sensation in contemporary Tamil literature. With three volumes of poetry, two novels, two collection of short stories and a travelogue Salma has made her mark as a distinctive Indian literary voice.
Salma has been the recipient of several awards and honours globally. In 2007, the University of Chicago organised a seminar to discuss Salma’s literary works. Her novel The Hour Past Midnight was shortlisted for the Man Asian Prize and the Crossword Book Prize. In 2022, Salma’s novel Women Dreaming was longlisted for Dublin International Literary Award.
She was also the elected president of the Tamil Nadu Ponnampatti Town Panchayat for five years and served as Chairperson of Social Welfare Board, Government of Tamil Nadu. Salma’s life has been extensively documented by British documentary filmmaker Kim Longinotto in her film Salma (2013).