Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy is an Indian author, essayist, and political activist best known for her novel The God of Small Things, which won the Booker Prize in 1997. Her literary work, characterized by its lyrical prose and intricate storytelling, brought her international acclaim, while her subsequent career as a trenchant critic of state power, neoliberalism, environmental degradation, and human rights abuses has established her as a prominent and controversial public intellectual. Roy's activism encompasses extensive writings and speeches on issues ranging from nuclear proliferation and big dam projects to Kashmir and U.S. foreign policy.

Early life and education

Roy was born in Shillong, Meghalaya, to a Syrian Christian mother from Kerala and a Bengali Hindu father, and she spent much of her childhood in Aymanam, Kerala. Her parents divorced early, and she moved with her mother and brother to Kerala, where they lived in relative poverty. She attended Corpus Christi School in Kottayam and later studied at the Lawrence School in Lovedale, Tamil Nadu. Roy initially pursued architecture at the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, but left before completing her degree, immersing herself instead in Delhi's artistic and intellectual circles, where she met her first husband, architect Gerard da Cunha.

Literary career

Roy began her career writing screenplays for films and television, most notably for In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones and Electric Moon, winning the National Film Award for Best Screenplay in 1989. Her global literary fame arrived with her first novel, The God of Small Things, a semi-autobiographical story set in Kerala that explores themes of love laws, social caste, and political violence through the lens of a fractured family. The novel's success, including the prestigious Booker Prize, made her a celebrated figure in world literature. After a long hiatus focused on activism, she published her second novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness in 2017, a sprawling narrative that weaves together the lives of diverse characters against the backdrop of contemporary India's political turmoil, from Kashmir to Delhi.

Political activism and views

Following her literary success, Roy shifted her primary focus to political activism and polemical non-fiction. She became a vocal opponent of India's nuclear tests in 1998 and a leading figure in the Narmada Bachao Andolan movement against the Sardar Sarovar Dam project. Her essays, collected in volumes like The Algebra of Infinite Justice and Capitalism: A Ghost Story, critique globalization, American imperialism, the rise of Hindutva politics in India, and the state's actions in conflict zones like Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. Roy has faced legal challenges for her views, including a conviction for contempt of court in 2002 related to the Narmada Dam issue, and has been a staunch critic of the policies of governments from the Bharatiya Janata Party to the Indian National Congress.

Awards and recognition

Roy's debut novel earned her the Booker Prize in 1997, and she has since received numerous international awards for both her literature and activism. These include the Lannan Cultural Freedom Prize, the Sydney Peace Prize, and the Norman Mailer Prize for Distinguished Writing. She has also been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award from the Indian National Academy of Letters, which she declined in 2006 in protest against government policies. Her work has been translated into dozens of languages, and she holds honorary doctorates from institutions like the University of Liège and University of St Andrews.

Personal life

Roy has been married twice, first to architect Gerard da Cunha and later to filmmaker Pradip Krishen, with whom she has collaborated on several projects. She maintains a private life, residing primarily in Delhi, and is known for her disciplined writing routine. Despite her public profile, she often describes herself as a solitary figure, balancing her commitments to writing and political engagement while navigating the controversies and legal battles her activism has provoked.

Category:Indian novelists Category:Indian political activists Category:Booker Prize winners