Ruskin Bond is an Indian writer of British descent. His name was Owen Ruskin Bond, his father choosing the name Ruskin for him. Bond lives in Landour, Mussoorie. He is one of the most popular and highly regarded writers who writes in a wide variety of genres, but short stories and essays remain his favorites. He was a shy, reclusive literary genius.
Wiki/Biography
Ruskin Bond was born on Saturday 19 May 1934 in Kasauli, Punjab Institution, British India (age 89; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Taurus. He was affectionately known as “Rusty.” His father, Aubrey Alexander Bond, was an officer in the Royal Indian Air Force (RAF). Edith Clark, his mother was a housewife. Ruskin Bond attended a boarding school in Mussoorie and then was sent to another boarding school in Shimla Hills; Bishop Cotton School. He graduated from this school. He has experimented with different genres such as romance, novels, and poetry. He often said that his work was a reflection of his life. The well-respected and much-loved author wrote in a rather simple style, which the author said was simple and conversational, and encouraged young writers to try the same approach.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′3″
Weight (approximately): 90kg
Hair color: white
Eye color: blue
family
Ruskin Bond was born into a British family living in India. His parents separated when he was very young. He had a Hindu Punjabi stepfather.
Parents and siblings
Ruskin Bond’s parents.
Ruskin’s relationship with his sister Ellen
His father, Aubrey Alexander Bond, was an officer in the Royal Indian Air Force (RAF). Edith Clark, his mother was a housewife. His father even taught English to the princesses of Jamnagar Palace. His sister and he stayed there until they were six years old while his father taught them. His parents separated when he was four. He was raised primarily by his maternal grandmother. He lost his father at an early age and was completely heartbroken due to his close relationship with him. He often described the time he spent with his father as the best of his life. His mother was married to a Punjabi Hindu named Hari. He was later raised by his mother and stepfather. He lost his parents at an early age, when they were in their fifties.
wife and children
Ruskin Bond celebrates 87th birthday with adoptive family
Ruskin Bond never married and had no biological children, although he had an adoptive family. When Ruskin Bond was asked why he did not marry, he recalled that he was not a “feminine man.” He shared an incident where he sensed that his neighbor was interested in him, only to discover that she needed some help with grammar and composition. The author also shared that he is a hopeless romantic and if there are certain obstacles in the love story and he wants to get married, starting with the ending of the girl, he will overcome his happy life because judging from his ending , there will be no obstacles as no one can stop him.
early life
Ruskin Bond was born in a military hospital in Kasauli. He graduated from Bishop Cotton School, Shimla. He experienced a turbulent early life when his parents separated and he was forced to be raised by his maternal grandmother. He had a very close relationship with his father, who arranged for him to live with him in Delhi. Recalling that time, he said it was the best time of his life. He was completely distraught when he learned that his father had been killed in the Calcutta War. His childhood was marred by his parents’ divorce, and writing gave him peace and escape. He often described his work as a reflection of his life. He had a rather difficult childhood, often claiming it was lonely and restless. At the age of 16, he wrote his first story; The Untouchables. At the age of 21, he published his first novel “The Room on the Roof”.
Profession
The author is loved by all generations and is highly respected. The author is known for his popular children’s books and other works that often leave a mark on every child’s development. He has written many books and enjoys his work as much as his readers. Bond struggled for the first few years until foreign publishers established themselves in India. From the 1950s to the 1980s, “The Illustrated Weekly of India” and “The Statesman” were his main sources of income, with an income of about 35 to 50 rupees per article. Things took a happy turn when publishing houses started looking for ways to enter India, and Penguin India came into being in 1985, changing the landscape of publishing forever. It started publication in 1987 with only six books. HarperCollins followed in 1992. Although Rupa was founded in 1936, it gained momentum after their arrival. The same goes for many other local publishers. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, was illustrated by legendary cartoonist Mario Malinda. The book appeared in 1956, and he has produced numerous works since then. The author is happy with everything he does and is quite content. He lives a simple and peaceful life like he always wanted, but he also points out,
“Of course, I want a royalty check, but my wish is simple. My childhood was not a happy one, so I want to ensure that my grandchildren have a secure life, and so should Rakesh and Bina [his adopted family]”
Ruskin Bond authored approximately 500 books. His works have also been adapted into Bollywood films; the film “Junoon” was adapted from his famous novel “The Flight of the Dove” (an episode about the 1857 rebellion), starring Shashi Kapoor and Shyam Benegal respectively. Produced and directed. Another Bond novel “The Blue Umbrella” was written in 1980 and was adapted into a film in 2005 directed by ace director Vishal Bhardwaj. The Indian film “7 Khoon Maaf”, a dark comedy based on his novel “Susanna’s Seven Husbands”, performed poorly although it did make a profit over budget, as the producers claimed. The story written by Ruskin Bond was made into the TV show “Ek Tha Rusty”. After 15 years, the show was once again named “Ek Tha Rusty 2”. His great-granddaughter Srishti Bond, from his adoptive family, played the role of Kamla (the author’s former love) in the TV series “Ek Tha Rusty 2”. Srishti said the series pays homage to her great-grandfather’s six-decade literary career. He also wrote two volumes of autobiography; Scenes from a Writer’s Life and The Lights Are On. Bond remains a reclusive literary genius who is extremely shy. The author won the Non-Fiction Book Award at the 2017 Ata Galata Literary Festival for his autobiography.
Ruskin Bond and his great-granddaughter Srishti.
dispute
The author got himself into trouble when he wrote a mildly erotic story for Debonair magazine. He was charged with indecent assault. He recalls that time as being anything but fun, as the case lasted about two years. He said the reason for the arrest warrant against him was not the content but the author’s editing of the magazine during a state of emergency, when the media was severely restricted.The charges were eventually dropped and he jokingly shared with the judge that he loved Bond’s work
Awards, Honors, Achievements
1957 John Llewellyn Rhys Award
Sahitya Academic Award 1992
Padma Shri 1999
Padmasambhava 2014
Favorites
- Books: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll, “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë
- Authors: William Wordsworth, Henry David Thoreau, Anton Chekhov, Ernest Bates, Emily Brontë, Graham Greene
Facts/Trivia
- When he was young he wanted to be a tap dancer.
- He said he was lazy and often had a bad temper when it rained.
Life is fleeting.Therefore, one should seize the opportunity to get as much genuine enjoyment as possible from life, friendships, love relationships, things that bring you joy, be it books, movies or any form of spiritual stimulating gratification
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education