Anita Desai is an Indian author and novelist who spent most of her life writing novels. Her most famous works include “The Peacock Cries” (1963), “The Clear Light of the Day” (1980), and “Fast, Feast” (1999). Desai was appreciated for his writing style that delves deeply into the lives of his protagonists.
Wiki/Biography
Anita Desai was born on Thursday, June 24, 1937 in Mussoorie, British India (now part of India) into a mixed-race family (age 86; as of 2023) as “Anita Mazong” Dahl”. Her zodiac sign is cancer. She had her primary education at Queen Mary High School and later pursued her BA in English Literature from Miranda House (Delhi University). Anita Desai learned to speak and write English in school, which later became her literary language. She started writing novels at the age of 8, and the rest is history. Anita Desai lives in the United States.
family
Parents and siblings
Anita’s mother, Toni Nime, is a German immigrant, and her father, DN Mazumdar, is a Bangladeshi businessman. Her father went to Berlin to study engineering, and Anita’s parents were introduced to each other by the German sculptor George Kolbe. When Anita’s parents got married, it was not allowed to marry someone from a different cultural background. Soon after their marriage, Anita’s parents moved to Delhi. Anita has 2 sisters and a brother.
husband and children
Shortly after graduating from Miranda House, Anita married Ashwin Desai, an executive at a computer software company and author of Between Eternities: Ideas about Life and the Universe. The author of the book, this book is all about the discovery of different ideas. In 2020, Ashvin Desai passed away after a long battle with cancer. Ashwin and Anita have 4 children together, one of whom is the famous award-winning author Kiran Desai. Kieran, best known for her novel The Lost Inheritance, won the prestigious Man Booker Prize, making her the youngest recipient of the award. Kiran Desai has also been listed among the “20 Most Influential Indian Women in the World”.
Anita Desai’s daughter Kiran Desai
Profession
professor
Anita Desai began her teaching career in 1993 as Professor of Creative Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. She has taught at various colleges such as Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Baruch College. Anita Desai is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Cambridge University, Girton College and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
novelist
Anita Desai published her first novel, The Peacock Cries (1963), a novel about a little girl and her predictions of disaster. The novel focuses on existing depression, psychological dissatisfaction and sadness. The book is all about expressing one’s thoughts and how important it is to be vocal about one’s feelings in order to live an anxiety-free life. The novel’s heavy themes are beloved around the world for their relevance.
Anita Desai’s first novel Cry, Peacock
In 1980, Anita Desai published her “autobiographical” novel “Daylight”, which revolves around the complex relationship between family members. Anita’s novel is set in the same neighborhood of Old Delhi where she grew up. The novel was simply a description of India and gained more admiration from the Indian audience. The main theme of the novel is the partition of India and Pakistan, and the struggles of the characters during the independence era. The use of symbols in Clear Light of Day earned Anita a lot of praise.
Anita Desai’s autobiographical novel “Bright Day”
In 1984, Anita Desai published another of her masterpieces, Detention, a novel about the downfall of an Urdu poet. This book pushes readers to find their purpose in life. The novel’s themes show how social ills such as corruption and the gap between rich and poor are perpetuated. The book’s focus on language keeps readers stuck in their native language. The book was shortlisted for the esteemed Man Booker Prize.
Anita Desai’s novel “In Custody”
The turning point in Anita Desai’s popularity came with the publication of her 1999 book, Fast, Feast. The complexity of the plot in the novel was appreciated by literary critics. It emphasizes gender roles, freedom, tradition, unity, etc. in society. The intricacies of Anita’s fiction are clearly reflected in her novel, which is filled with diverse themes and plots. More of a comparison, the prose is full of detail.
Anita Desai’s book “Fast, Feast”
Anita Desai published another novel in her latest collection, The Zigzag Way (2004). The text revolves around social transformation and globalization as a whole. Anita Desai’s theme of finding purpose and meaning in life is a common thread in many of her literary works. The same is true for “Zig Zag Road.” The characters desire purpose in life. Although the book received mixed reviews, the prose is noted for its slightly chaotic and addressing domestic disputes and the pain of middle-class women.
Anita Desai’s book “Zig Zag Road”
Anita Desai’s latest work is her novel The Vanishing Artist (2011), a collection of three novellas. The collection is full of creative and regional themes. This detailed narrative provides a clear picture of urbanization in India. It has the perfect blend of sarcasm, sympathy and a hint of relatability to tug at the heartstrings of every reader in some way. This novel reflects Anita Desai’s excellence as a culturally diverse contemporary writer.
Anita Desai’s novel “The Vanishing Artist”
Awards and nominations
- Anita Desai has been nominated for the Booker Prize three times for “The Light of Day” in 1980, “In Detention” in 1984 and “Fast, Feast” in 1999.
- In 2014, Anita Desai was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan.
- In 1978, Anita Desai received the Sahitya Akademi Award for her book Fire on the Mountain.
- In 2003, Anita Desai received the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature.
- In 1978, Anita Desai received the Winifred Holtby Memorial Award for her book Fire on the Mountain.
- In 1983, Anita Desai won the Guardian Children’s Novel Award for her book Village by the Sea.
- In 1993, Anita Desai received the Neil Gunn Award for her contribution to literature.
- In 2000, Anita Desai won the Alberto Moravia Literary Prize.
- In 2017, Anita Desai won the Blue Metropolitan Literary Award in Montreal, Canada.
Facts/Trivia
- Anita Desai’s novel “Detention” was adapted into a film of the same name by the film company Merchant Ivory Productions, starring Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and Om Puri. The film later won the Indian President’s Gold Medal for Best Film in 1994.
Poster for the film “Detention” adapted from Anita Desai’s novel of the same name.
- Anita Desai writes for The New York Review of Books.
- Anita Desai published her first short story when she was 9 years old.
- Anita Desai is fluent in German, Hindi, English and Urdu.
- Anita Desai donated her home library to Garji College in Delhi.
- The work of Virginia Woolf had a great influence on Anita Desai’s work.
- Anita Desai always felt a sense of “aloneness” because she felt her family was different from others.
- In 1958, Anita Desai co-founded the famous Writers Studio Publishing Company with Indian poet P. Lal.
- She was only ten years old when India became independent. Therefore, her first novels alluded to the oppression faced by women. Overall, Anita Desai is praised for her poetic symbolism and is one of India’s finest writers.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education