Vikram Seth is a famous Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, children’s writer, biographer and memoirist.
Vikram Seth was born on June 20, 1952 at Kolkata. His father, Prem, was an employee of the Bata India Limited shoe company who migrated to post-Partition India from West Punjab in Pakistan.
Vikram Seth’s childhood was spent in the town of Batanagar near Calcutta, Patna, and London. His mother Leila Seth was the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court as well as the first woman to become Chief Justice of a state High Court. She was the Chief Justice of High Court of H.P.
Vikram Seth did his schooling from The Doon School in Dehradun. He took his undergraduate degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University. He was enrolled in postgraduate economics courses at Stanford University and was also attached to Nanjing University for his intended doctoral dissertation on Chinese population planning.
Vikram Seth possesses the art of creating a living and breathing world that keeps the readers focused and engaged. Vikram Seth has published 6 books of poetry and 3 novels. In 1986, Vikram Seth wrote The Golden Gate, his first novel. The publication of ‘A Suitable Boy’, the 1349 page mega novel propelled Seth into the public limelight. ‘A Suitable Boy’ won the W.H. Smith prize in 1993. ‘An Equal Music’ by Seth deals with the troubled love life of a violinist. For his services to literature, Vikram Seth has received one of Britain’s top honours. The award of the commander of the order 3 of the British Empire was given to Seth in February 2001. Vikram Seth’s latest work is ‘Two Lives’ (2005), a memoir of the marriage of his great uncle and aunt.
Vikram Seth has written some very fine poems also. His poetry includes Mappings (1980), From Heaven Lake (1983), The Humble Administrator’s Garden (1985), All You Who Sleep Tonight: Poems (1990) and Three Chinese Poets (1992). His children’s book, Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) consists of ten stories about animals. Vikram Seth has also authored a travel book, From Heaven Lake: Travels through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983). It is an account of a journey through Tibet, China and Nepal. Vikram Seth was also commissioned by the English National Opera to write a libretto based on the Greek legend of Arion and the Dolphin. The opera was performed for the first time in June 1994.
