Sophia Wadia | |
---|---|
Born | 1901 Colombia |
Died | 27 April 1986 India |
Other names | Sophia Camacho |
Occupation(s) | Theosophist, literateur |
Spouse | B. P. Wadia |
Awards | Padma Shri |
Sophia Wadia, née Sophia Camacho, was a Colombian-born naturalized Indian theosophist, littérateur, the founder of PEN All India Centre and the founder editor of its journal, The Indian PEN. [1] [2] She also cofounded The Indian Institute of World Culture, Bengaluru [3] and the Asian Book Trust, Mumbai. [2] The Government of India honoured Wadia in 1960, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for her services to the nation. [4]
Sophia Camacho was born in 1901 in Colombia and did her education in her motherland, Paris, London and New York. [5] In 1927, she met B. P. Wadia, an Indian theosophist on tour to European countries, [6] was influenced by his philosophy and married him in 1928. The next year, she went to India with her spouse and got involved in his activities. [1] The Wadias founded several branches of the United Lodge of Theosophists in various places in Europe [1] and founded the first Indian branch in Mumbai in 1929. [6]
The couple founded the All India Centre of the International P.E.N. in Mumbai in 1930 [7] and launched two journals, The India PEN and The Aryan Path. [5] Sophia was the editor of The India Pen and remained in that position till her death. [5] In 1945, she established The Indian Institute of World Culture in 1945 at Basavanagudi, near Bengaluru in the South Indian state of Karnataka. [3] During this period, she published two books, The Brotherhood of Religions [8] in 1936 and Preparation for Citizenship [9] in 1941, the latter with foreword by Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. [2] The second edition of The Brotherhood of Religions came out in 1944 with foreword written by Mahatma Gandhi. [2] She was also instrumental in the establishment of Asian Book Trust in Mumbai [2] which later published her husband's renowned work, The Gandhian Way. [10]
Sophia Wadia continued her social life after her husband's death in 1958 [6] and organized eleven All India Writers' Conferences. [2] The Government of India awarded her the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1960. [4]
She was one of the signatories of the agreement to convene a convention for drafting a world constitution. [11] [12] As a result, for the first time in human history, a World Constituent Assembly convened to draft and adopt the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. [13]
She died on 27 April 1986, at the age of 85. [2]
Sophia Wadia | |
---|---|
Born | 1901 Colombia |
Died | 27 April 1986 India |
Other names | Sophia Camacho |
Occupation(s) | Theosophist, literateur |
Spouse | B. P. Wadia |
Awards | Padma Shri |
Sophia Wadia, née Sophia Camacho, was a Colombian-born naturalized Indian theosophist, littérateur, the founder of PEN All India Centre and the founder editor of its journal, The Indian PEN. [1] [2] She also cofounded The Indian Institute of World Culture, Bengaluru [3] and the Asian Book Trust, Mumbai. [2] The Government of India honoured Wadia in 1960, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for her services to the nation. [4]
Sophia Camacho was born in 1901 in Colombia and did her education in her motherland, Paris, London and New York. [5] In 1927, she met B. P. Wadia, an Indian theosophist on tour to European countries, [6] was influenced by his philosophy and married him in 1928. The next year, she went to India with her spouse and got involved in his activities. [1] The Wadias founded several branches of the United Lodge of Theosophists in various places in Europe [1] and founded the first Indian branch in Mumbai in 1929. [6]
The couple founded the All India Centre of the International P.E.N. in Mumbai in 1930 [7] and launched two journals, The India PEN and The Aryan Path. [5] Sophia was the editor of The India Pen and remained in that position till her death. [5] In 1945, she established The Indian Institute of World Culture in 1945 at Basavanagudi, near Bengaluru in the South Indian state of Karnataka. [3] During this period, she published two books, The Brotherhood of Religions [8] in 1936 and Preparation for Citizenship [9] in 1941, the latter with foreword by Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. [2] The second edition of The Brotherhood of Religions came out in 1944 with foreword written by Mahatma Gandhi. [2] She was also instrumental in the establishment of Asian Book Trust in Mumbai [2] which later published her husband's renowned work, The Gandhian Way. [10]
Sophia Wadia continued her social life after her husband's death in 1958 [6] and organized eleven All India Writers' Conferences. [2] The Government of India awarded her the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1960. [4]
She was one of the signatories of the agreement to convene a convention for drafting a world constitution. [11] [12] As a result, for the first time in human history, a World Constituent Assembly convened to draft and adopt the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. [13]
She died on 27 April 1986, at the age of 85. [2]