Moyez G. Vassanji, better known by the pen name MG Vassanji, is a Canadian novelist and editor, best known for The Book of Secrets (1994), He is recognized for his books such as “Assassin’s Song” (2007) and “Assassin’s Magic”. Seda (2012) and Delhi Obsession (2019). The constant migration in his early years inspired his writing inspiration, which gradually formed his current style.
Wiki/Biography
MG Vassanji was born on Tuesday, May 30, 1950 (age 73; as of 2023) in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa, and grew up in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). His zodiac sign is Gemini. He immigrated to the United States in 1970, studied at MIT and the University of Pennsylvania, and received his PhD in 1978 before moving to Canada. From 1980 to 1989, Vassanji worked as a researcher at the University of Toronto. MG Vassanji’s grandparents came from the western region of Gujarat and later migrated to different corners of the world, hence his interest in medieval Indian history and Indian literature. The many themes of Vassanji’s life have brought his author’s life to worldwide acclaim. MG Vassanji is based in Toronto, Canada.
family
Parents and siblings
MG Vassanji’s parents, Gulamhussein Vassanji and Daulatkhanu Nanji, were Indian immigrants who moved to Kenya in East Africa, where Vassanji was born. Vassanji’s father died when Vassanji was five years old. The clothing store owned by his mother was the only source of income to support Vassanji and his four siblings.
wife and children
MG Vassanji married Nurjehan Aziz on July 14, 1979. His wife, a laboratory researcher, founded the Toronto South Asia Review in 1981, later renamed the Toronto Review of Contemporary Foreign Writing.
MG Vassanji and his wife Nurjehan Aziz at a meeting
Vasanj and Noor Jehan have two children, Kabir and Anil.
Religion/Religious Views
MG Vassanji claimed to be a rationalist and did not believe in the study of mythology or the concept of God.
Profession
novelist
Vassanji began his literary career in 1980 by writing novels. His first novel, Sack, was published in 1989 and tells the story of the struggles of four generations of Asian immigrants in Tanzania. The novel tells the story of German colonial rule and how Asians struggled within it.
MG Vassanji’s first novel Sack (1989)
In 1994, Vassanji published another novel, The Book of Secrets (1994), which is one of Vassanji’s most detailed and detailed novel texts. The text talks about the caste system and Indians living in East Africa.
MG Vassanji’s book “The Book of Secrets” was published in 1994
“Amriika” (1999) is about the experience of Asian immigrants to the United States to further their education. The name “Amriika” is derived from what the Indians call “America”. The way Vasanj expressed the immigrant struggle made him the most popular writer in literature. One of MG Vassanji’s most talked about masterpieces is “Assassin’s Song” published in 2007. The book highlights the pain in silence, differences of opinion, the desire for life, and more. The novel was also nominated for the following prestigious awards: Readers were deeply moved by its themes. In 2012, MG Vassanji published another novel “The Magic of Saida”. This article is about horror, suspense, magic, and the complexities of life. This novel is considered one of Canada’s best novels. Vassanji published a new novel, Delhi Obsession: A Novel, in 2019, which influenced people in a big way. The text depicts contemporary India, focusing on religious perspectives, identity struggles, family, and the impact of history.
MG Vassanji Two-time Giller Prize winner for his novel Delhi Obsession
short story
MG Vassanji published a set of short stories “Uhuru Street” in 1992, which shows the life of Asians in Dar es Salaam, a city in Tanzania. Vassanji amazingly describes how people become more pragmatic as they age and lose their innocence with modernization. The comparison between the older generation and the new generation reflects that people are slowly forgetting their roots. MG Vassanji published his second set of short stories “When She Was a Queen” in 2005. The book consists of 10 short stories, ranging from the streets of Tanzania to the developed towns of Canada. Vassanji describes various unforgettable, bittersweet stories and experiences in his book in the most amazing way.
Memoirs and Biography
MG Vassanji published his first memoir, A Place Within: Rediscovering India, in 2008. The book tells the story of Vassanji’s first travel experiences in India, his roots. Vassanji also said his visit made him have a better and better relationship with his roots. The description of his experiences in the diary leaves the deepest impression on the reader. In 2008, MG Vassanji published the biography of Mordecai Richler (Canadian writer) “The Extraordinary Canadian: Mordecai Richler”. Although there are no similarities between them except for their writing, Vassanj’s biography is the best account of Mordecai Richler’s life. In 2014, MG Vassanji published another memoir, Home is Carriacou: A Memoir of East Africa. This piece is dedicated to Vassanji’s homeland and how he became who he is today because of where he was born.
MG Vassanji’s memoir ‘And Home Was Kariakoo’ dedicated to his motherland
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- MG Vassanji won the 1994 Canadian Giller Award for Best Novel for The Book of Secrets.
- MG Vassanji won the 2003 Canadian Giller Award for Best Novel for “The Middle World of Vikram Lall”.
- MG Vassanji won the 2009 Governor General’s Award for Best Non-Fiction for A Place Within: Rediscovering India.
- MG Vassanji’s The Assassin’s Song was nominated for the 2007 Governor General’s Award for English Fiction and the Indian Crossword Award.
- MG Vassanji also won the African Commonwealth First Book Award in 1990.
- MG Vassanji also received the Harbor Festival Award.
- MG Vassanji also received the Molson Council Arts Award (Career Achievement Award) in Canada in June 2015.
- MG Vassanji’s book When She Was Queen was nominated for the City of Toronto Book Award in 2006.
Favorites
- Food: MG Vassanji loves chai masala.
- Writer: MG Vassanj loves Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky and American writer Conrad Aiken.
Facts/Trivia
- MG Vassanji was made a Member of the Order of Canada for his services to writing and the arts.
- MG Vassanji’s works have been translated into many languages such as Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, etc.
- MG Vassanji worked at the Chalk River Atomic Power Station before moving to Canada.
- MG Vassanji started writing his first book in 1980 and published it nine years later.
- MG Vassanji’s writing themes have always been race, faith and alienated identity.
- Ever since MG Vassanji began writing, he has been interested in the history of Asians in East Africa.
- MG Vassanji has loved writing since his school days and enjoyed English composition classes.
- MG Vassanji doesn’t like that South Asians always label people by religion and caste.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education