One of India's best known writers, Anita Desai has been among the voices that defined the post-independence literary scene in India - not just as an author, but also a chronicler of events that shaped the nascent republic, though more often at a micro level than her contemporaries.
Born to mixed parentage, her father, DN Mazumdar, was a Bengali entrepreneur and her mother, Toni Nime, hailed from German. She was educated in Delhi, ending with a degree in English literature from the University of Delhi. Fond of writing from her early childhood, her first story was published when she was just 9.
Desai has over the years written in various genres, including children's literature. She debuted with
Cry, The Peacock
in 1963. Her major novels include the
Fire on the Mountain
(1977),
In Custody
(1984) and
Fasting, Feasting
(1999), each of which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Her latest book, just released, is The Zigzag Way, set partly in Mexico and partly in Scotland.
Most of her earlier work however is deeply immersed in humdrum Indian life, exploring everyday experiences with rare sensitivity and acuity. Desai's earlier work concentrated on writing about India's upper middle and upper classes, exploring their angst and choices, their marriages and movements. However the author is on record saying her characters were no reflection on "Indian society, politics or character."