Kiran Desai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kiran Desai
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Desai at the 2024 National Book Awards finalist reading, reading on behalf of Salman Rushdie
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| Born | 3 September 1971 New Delhi, India |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Period | 1998–present |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Man Booker Prize 2006 |
| Relatives | Anita Desai (mother) |
Kiran Desai (born September 3, 1971) is a famous author from India. She is known for her amazing stories. Her book, The Inheritance of Loss, won two big awards in 2006: the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Fiction Award. In 2015, she was named one of the most important Indian women in the world by The Economic Times.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kiran Desai is the daughter of another well-known writer, Anita Desai. Kiran was born in Delhi, India. She spent her early years living in Punjab and Mumbai. In Mumbai, she went to the Cathedral and John Connon School.
When she was 14, Kiran left India. She and her mother lived in England for about a year. After that, they moved to the United States. Kiran Desai studied writing at several universities. These included Bennington College, Hollins University, and Columbia University.
Her Books and Awards
Kiran Desai has written two main novels that have received much praise.
First Novel: Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard
Desai's first book, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, came out in 1998. Many famous people, like author Salman Rushdie, really liked it. This book won the Betty Trask Award. This award is given to young authors from countries in the Commonwealth of Nations for their best new novels.
Award-Winning Novel: The Inheritance of Loss
Her second book, The Inheritance of Loss, was published in 2006. Critics from all over the world, including Asia, Europe, and the United States, praised it. The story takes place in the beautiful Himalayas. It explores important ideas like who you are, how different cultures mix, and the effects of colonialism.
This novel won the Man Booker Prize in 2006. It also won the National Book Critics Circle Fiction Award that same year. Kiran Desai was 35 years old when she won the Booker Prize. This made her the youngest woman to win it at the time. The Booker Prize is a big award for writers from Britain, Ireland, or Commonwealth countries. It comes with a prize of £50,000.
Other Achievements
In August 2008, Kiran Desai was a guest on a radio show called Private Passions on BBC Radio 3. In May 2007, she was the main author featured at the first Asia House Festival of Cold Literature.
In 2009, Columbia University gave her a special Medal for Excellence. She also received a Berlin Prize Fellowship in 2013. This fellowship allowed her to spend time at the American Academy in Berlin.
Kiran Desai currently lives in New York City. She has been working on a new book for many years. She mentioned in 2017 that it would be about "power" and a young Indian woman. As of 2024, this new book has not yet been released.
See also
In Spanish: Kiran Desai para niños
