Vikram Seth, a renowned Indian novelist and poet, is best known for his acclaimed novel, “A Suitable Boy.” This comprehensive biography delves into his life, career, and accomplishments.

Wiki/Biography

Vikram Seth was born on Friday, June 20, 1952 (age 71 as of 2023), in Calcutta (now Kolkata). His zodiac sign is Gemini. He received his early education at St. Michael’s High School, Patna; St. Xavier’s High School, Patna; Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun; and the Doon School, Dehradun. A scholarship from the Doon School took him to Tonbridge School in England. At 17, he moved to England to attend Tonbridge with his great-uncle, Shanti Behari Seth, a dentist. Another scholarship led him to Oxford University. He earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 1975. He later pursued post-graduate studies at Stanford University, California, in 1979. He began a PhD in Economics at Stanford but left to pursue writing full-time.

Physical Appearance

• Height: 5’3″
• Eye Colour: Black
• Hair Colour: Black (semi-bald)

Family, Caste & Wife

Vikram Seth’s father, Prem Nath Seth, was a Bata Shoes executive nicknamed “Mr. Shoe” in Delhi. His mother, Leila Seth, was India’s first female judge of the Delhi High Court and the first woman Chief Justice of a state High Court. He has a brother, Shantum (a Buddhist teacher), and a sister, Aradhana (a filmmaker and scenographer).

In interviews, Seth has identified as bisexual. He has discussed past relationships with a woman named Gabrielle and the French violinist Philippe Honoré. He has also mentioned a long-term monogamous relationship and the sadness of its ending.

Career

Seth’s literary career began in 1980 with his first poetry collection, “Mappings.” He has since authored eight books of poetry, including “The Humble Administrator’s Garden” (1985), “All You Who Sleep Tonight” (1990), and “Three Chinese Poets” (1992). His children’s book, “Beastly Tales from Here and There” (1992), comprises ten stories in verse. His three novels are “The Golden Gate” (1986), “A Suitable Boy” (1993), and “An Equal Music” (1999). He’s also written the travelogue “From Heaven Lake: Travels through Sinkiang and Tibet” (1983) and the memoir “Two Lives” (2005).

He also wrote a libretto for the English National Opera, based on the Greek legend “Arion and the Dolphin,” first performed in June 1994. A sequel to “A Suitable Boy,” titled “A Suitable Girl,” was announced in 2009 but remains unpublished.

Awards & Honours

• Padma Shri (2007)
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2005)
• Order of the British Empire, Officer (2001)
• Crossword Book Award for “An Equal Music” (1999)
• WH Smith Literary Award for “A Suitable Boy” (1994)
• Commonwealth Writers Prize for “A Suitable Boy” (1994)
• Sahitya Akademi Award for “The Golden Gate” (1988)
• Commonwealth Poetry Prize (Asia) for “The Humble Administrator’s Garden” (1985)
• Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for “From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet” (1983)

Controversies

In 2006, Seth actively campaigned against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (concerning unnatural sex), which had been recriminalized by the Supreme Court. He criticized the section at a Rashtrapati Bhawan event. In 2015, he faced criticism for accepting the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from Jagdish Tytler in 2005, given Tytler’s alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Favourite Things

• Food: Awadhi Biryani, Konkani Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Chapli Kabab, Shamli Kabab
• Wine: Villa Maria
• Poet(s): Timothy Steele, Donald Davie
• Novelist(s): Jane Austen, George Eliot, R. K. Narayan
• Book: “Eugene Onegin” by Alexander Pushkin
• Musician(s): Franz Schubert, Johann Sebastian Bach

Properties/Assets

Seth maintains residences in both London and Delhi. He also owns Bemerton Rectory in Salisbury, England, the former home of poet George Herbert.

Signature

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Facts/Trivia

Sent to boarding school at age six, Seth became introverted, preferring reading to group activities. While at Doon School, he edited “The Doon School Weekly.” He began writing poetry at Oxford, initially considering his early work unskilled. His interest in Chinese poetry, particularly Wang Wei, led him to learn Mandarin. He received mentorship from Timothy Steele at Stanford. He took a year off from his studies for a Wallace Stegner Fellowship (1977-78).

His first poetry collection, “Mappings,” faced publishing challenges due to its use of rhyme and meter, leading him to self-publish initially. His fluency extends to German, French, Urdu, Bengali, and Welsh. A chance encounter in China, where he charmed a policeman by singing “Awara Hoon,” led to a permit to travel to Lhasa. His book “From Heaven Lake” details this journey. His reading of Pushkin’s “Eugene Onegin” inspired his first novel, “The Golden Gate.” He abandoned his PhD to focus on writing. He’s also skilled in calligraphy and has created paintings.

He was born into a Hindu family but holds liberal views on religion and politics. His novels “A Suitable Boy” and “Two Lives” reportedly earned him significant sums.

Languages