After the 2006 Singur movement lead by Mamata Banerjee, the author, over 80 years of age at the time, became an advisor to the Trinamool leader, who turned to her regularly for guidance. She was also easily the tallest figure in the group of intellectuals who stood by Mamata at the time.

The writer was the prime face on the dais during the yearly July 21 Martyr’s Day programme organised by the Trinamool Congress.

She spent years researching, writing on and campaigning for welfare activities for the tribals of Bengal, especially the Lodha and Shabar communities. Though Mahasweta Devi was a bitter critic of the Left for the past 10 years, her intellectual moorings was initially with the Left.

Arguably her most-famous book, Hajar Churashir Maa (Mother No 1084) was based on the mother of a Naxalite in the tumultuous ’70s in Kolkata and was made into a popular Bollywood movie starring Jaya Bachchan.