Quick Info
| Profession | Poet |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian (1947-2004) |
| Date of Birth | 16/12/1924 |
| Age | 79 years (died on 09, Jan, 2004) |
| Birthplace | Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Date of Death | 09/01/2004 |
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Bio/Wiki
| Nissim Ezekiel was a foundational figure in postcolonial India's literary history, specifically recognized as the pioneer of English-language post-independence Indian poetry[1][2]. | |
| He was a Bene Israel Jew from Mumbai, a Marathi-speaking poet who wrote primarily in English[1][4]. | |
| His best-known poem is 'Night of the Scorpion', which is included in the NCERT high school curriculum in India[1][4]. | |
| Aside from poetry, he was active as an actor, playwright, editor, art critic, broadcaster, and social analyst[1][4]. | |
| He edited literary journals including Quest, Poetry India, Imprint, and the Indian P.E.N., and helped establish the journal Jumpo in 1961[1][4]. | |
| He became a professor of English at the University of Mumbai in the 1990s[4]. | |
| An authorized biography titled 'Nissim Ezekiel: The Authorized Biography' was written by R. Rao and published in 2000[4]. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Bachelor of Arts in Literature | Wilson College, Bombay University |
|---|---|
| Philosophy | Birkbeck College, London |
| Additional Studies | City Literary Institute, London (evening classes in Chinese, Western Philosophy, and Art Appreciation) |
Personal Life
| Religion | Judaism |
|---|---|
| Community | Bene Israel |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Divorced |
|---|---|
| Marriage Date | 1952 |
Family
| Father | Moses Ezekiel (a professor at Wilson College) |
|---|---|
| Mother | Diana Ezekiel (Principal at her own school) |
| Siblings |
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| Spouse | Daizy Jacob Dandekar |
| Children |
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Career
| First Published work | A Time to Change and Other Poems (1952) |
|---|---|
| Last Published work | Collected Poems 1952–88 (1989) |
| Awards |
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| Notable Collections |
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| Early Career Roles |
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Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Nissim Ezekiel is recognized as the pioneer of English-language post-independence Indian poetry. | |
| 2. His literary works are included in the NCERT high school curriculum. | |
| 3. Aside from being a poet, Nissim Ezekiel was also active as a broadcaster and social analyst. | |
| 4. He hailed from the Bene Israel community and was a Marathi-speaking Jew from Mumbai. | |
| 5. Nissim began his career as a freelance journalist and also worked for M. N. Roy’s Radical Democratic Party after graduating. | |
| 6. Studying philosophy in London, he attended evening classes in Chinese, Western Philosophy, and Art Appreciation at the City Literary Institute. | |
| 7. Upon returning from London after over three years, he worked as a deck scrubber on a ship. | |
| 8. His writing journey started in the late 1940s. | |
| 9. Nissim held roles as a general manager and advertising copywriter at a picture frame manufacturing company. | |
| 10. He played a role in establishing the literary journal Jumpo in 1961. | |
| 11. Nissim Ezekiel died in Mumbai on 9 January 2004 at the age of 79 due to Alzheimer’s disease. | |
| 12. An authorized biography on Nissim Ezekiel titled Nissim Ezekiel: The Authorized Biography was penned by R. Rao in 2000. | |
| 13. He was also an actor, playwright, editor, and art critic. | |
| 14. He edited journals including Quest, Poetry India, Imprint, and the Indian P.E.N. | |
| 15. He became a professor of English at the University of Mumbai in the 1990s. | |
| 16. His best-known poem is Night of the Scorpion. | |
| 17. He published ten poetry collections including Sixty Poems (1953), The Discovery of India (1956), The Third (1959), The Unfinished Man (1960), The Exact Name (1965), Hymns in the Darkness (1976), and Latter-Day Psalms (1982). | |
| 18. Nissim Ezekiel is recognized as a pioneer of English-language post-independence Indian poetry. | |
| 19. He was buried at the Jewish Cemetery, Worli, Mumbai[4]. |