Gauri Ayyub was born on 13 February 1931 and was a social worker, activist, writer, and teacher based in Kolkata for most of her life.
She married the philosopher and literary critic, Abu Sayeed Ayyub. Gauri was a writer in her own right and is known for her short stories, translations, and numerous articles on social issues.
She is recognized for her role in the propagation of communal harmony in Bengal, active assistance to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, and vocal opposition to the curbing of human rights during the declaration of emergency in India in 1974.
She assisted writer and social worker Maitreyi Devi in founding Khelaghar, initially as a shelter for Bangladeshi children orphaned during the war of 1971. After Maitreyi Devi died in 1990, Ayyub took charge of Khelaghar
Gauri Ayyub studied philosophy at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, and education at the University of Calcutta. During 1963–91, she was a professor and later the head of the department of education at the Shri Shikshayatan College, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta.
