Kamala Das was a multilingual poet who composed poems in English and a book, as well as a brave memoir, in Malayalam. She established herself as a powerful new voice because to her combative manner and fondness for a surprising abundance of generally forbidden facts in her vernacular works. These qualities made her popular among the educated class in India. Women writers before her had attempted similar things but none had been so successful or so controversial. Das came from a family of modest means but she was able to obtain a good education. She began writing at an early age and soon became involved in debates about Indian culture and history with her friends. In addition to composing poetry, she also wrote short stories, essays, and reviews. Kamala Das's work reflects the influence of Western ideas on her thinking. She is known for her criticism of traditional Hindu practices such as suttee (the burning of widows) and child marriage. In addition, she often uses her poems to comment on political events happening around her. For example, one of her poems called "The Lion's Roar" is written in protest against the British occupation of India. Although she never married nor had any children, Das has been described as a feminist because of her outspoken views on women's rights. She argued that women should be allowed an equal role in society by ending certain restrictions placed on them.