Anita Desai Age, Height, Family, Career, Net Worth, Lifestyle & Facts

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Birth name: Anita Mazumdar (before marriage)

Profession: Novelist

Date of Birth: 24 June 1937 (Thursday)

Age (as of 2023): 86 Years

Birthplace: Mussoorie, British India (now in Uttarakhand, India)

Zodiac sign: Cancer

Nationality: Indian

Hometown: Mussoorie

Age: 86 Years

Check Out Other Celebrities Biography

EDUCATION

School: Queen Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Delhi

College/University: Miranda House (University of Delhi), Delhi

Educational Qualification: Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (1957)

FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS

Marital Status: Widow

Husband/Spouse: Ashvin Desai (businessman and an author)

Children: Sons – 2 • Rahul Desai • Arjun Desai Daughters – 2 • Kiran Desai (Author) • Tani Desai

Parents: Father – D. N. Mazumdar (Bengali businessman) Mother – Toni Nime (German immigrant)

Siblings: She has a brother and 2 sisters.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Awards, Honours, Achievements: • 1978 – Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize for ‘Fire on the Mountain’ • 1978 – National Academy of Letters Award for ‘Fire on the Mountain’ • 1980 – Booker Prize for Fiction (shortlist) for ‘Clear Light of Day’ • 1983 – Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for ‘The Village by the Sea: an Indian family story’ • 1984 – Booker Prize for Fiction (shortlist) for ‘In Custody’ • 1993 – Neil Gunn Prize • 1999 – Booker Prize for Fiction (shortlist) for ‘Fasting, Feasting’ • 2000 – Alberto Moravia Prize for Literature (Italy) • 2007 – Sahitya Akademi Fellowship • 2003 – Benson Medal of Royal Society of Literature • 2014 – Padma Bhushan

OTHER INFORMATION

First Novel: ‘Cry, the Peacock’ (1963)

Poet(s): Rainer Maria Rilke, C. P. Cavafy, Osip Mandelstam, Brodsky

INTERESTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Anita Desai, a prominent Indian novelist, has etched her name in the literary world with an impressive repertoire that includes acclaimed works such as ‘Cry, The Peacock’ (1963), ‘Where Shall We Go This Summer?’ (1975), ‘Games at Twilight and Other Stories’ (1978), and ‘The Artist of Disappearance’ (2011). Her storytelling prowess transcends the boundaries of culture and language, inviting readers into the intricate tapestry of human emotions and societal dilemmas. Desai’s journey as a writer began early; she was captivated by books from a young age, beginning to read and write in English at just seven years old and publishing her first novel by the age of nine. This early foundation laid the groundwork for her remarkable literary career, which has inspired many.

In 1958, Anita Desai joined forces with the esteemed Indian poet P. Lal and other notable writers to establish Writers Workshop in Kolkata’s Lake Gardens. This initiative aimed to foster a vibrant literary environment, and it served as a crucible for many writers during a pivotal time in Indian literature. Desai’s literary contributions continued to flourish throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, during which she published a string of novels including ‘Fire on the Mountain’ and ‘The Peacock Garden.’ In 1984, she released ‘In Custody,’ a poignant exploration set in Delhi that later became a celebrated film adapted by Merchant Ivory Productions, featuring renowned actors like Shashi Kapoor and Shabana Azmi.

Anita Desai’s academic journey began in earnest in 1993 when she assumed the role of a creative writing professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Over the years, she has held various esteemed positions, including the Elizabeth Drew Visiting Professor at Smith College and the Gildersleeve Professor at Barnard College. With a wealth of linguistic knowledge that includes German, Bengali, Hindi, and English, she has influenced countless students and aspiring writers across multiple institutions, including Mount Holyoke College and Baruch College. Her commitment to education was further exemplified during her tenure as the Emeritus John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at MIT, a role she continues to embrace while living in the United States.

Desai’s personal life is as enriching as her professional one; her husband, Ashvin Desai, who published his own novel in 2008, shared a life steeped in literary passion until his passing in 2020. Together, they raised a family that includes her daughter, Kiran Desai, a celebrated author and 2006 Man Booker Prize winner. Anita’s literary influences range from Virginia Woolf to D.H. Lawrence, shaping her narrative style and thematic choices. Throughout her illustrious career, she has remained a vocal advocate for literary rights, notably supporting fellow authors in their protests against the Sahitya Akademi in 2015. In her works and activism, Desai exemplifies the profound impact of literature on society, making her a cherished figure in both the literary and academic realms.

—

Note: All biographical information compiled from publicly available sources.