Quick Info
| Profession | Writer |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Trinidadian |
| Date of Birth | 17/08/1932 |
| Age | 85 years (died on 11, Aug, 2018) |
| Birthplace | Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies |
| Date of Death | 11/08/2018 |
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Bio/Wiki
| Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul was a Trinidadian-British writer of Indian descent known for his novels and travel writing exploring themes of colonialism, post-colonial identity, and alienation in developing countries. | |
| Descended from Hindu Indians who immigrated to Trinidad as indentured servants, he left Trinidad at age 18 to study at the University of Oxford and later settled in England. | |
| His breakthrough novel A House for Mr. Biswas (1961) brought international recognition, and he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001 for his revelations of suppressed histories. |
Physical Stats & More
| Eye Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Hair Color | White |
Educational Qualification(s)
| School | Queen's Royal College, Trinidad and Tobago |
|---|---|
| College/University | University College, Oxford, England |
| Educational Qualification | A Bachelor's Degree in English |
Personal Life
| Place of Death | London, England |
|---|
Relationships & More
| Marital Status (at the time of death) | Married |
|---|---|
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Margaret Murray Gooding |
Family
| Father | Seepersad Naipaul |
|---|---|
| Mother | Droapatie |
| Siblings | Shiva Naipaul, Kamla Naipaul (deceased), Mira Naipaul, Nalini Naipaul, Savi Naipaul (former teacher) |
| Spouse |
|
| Children | Nadira, Maleeha |
Career
| Debut | Novel: The Mystic Masseur (1957) |
|---|---|
| Awards | - Somerset Maugham Award for his novel Miguel Street (1961) - Booker Prize for his novel In a Free State (1971) - Jerusalem Prize (1983) - The Trinity Cross for his service to Trinidad and Tobago (1990) - David Cohen British Literature Prize by the Arts Council of England (1993) - Nobel Prize in Literature (2001) - Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II (1990) |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He was born in a sugar plantation town of Chaguanas on the island of Trinidad. | |
| 2. When he was 7 years old, his family moved to Trinidad’s capital Port of Spain, then later moved permanently when he was nine. | |
| 3. At 17, he won a Trinidad government scholarship to study abroad, choosing to study English at Oxford. | |
| 4. Over fifty years, he published more than thirty books. | |
| 5. He failed an examination in 1953, preventing him from attaining his degree. | |
| 6. In 1954, he moved to London due to unemployment and financial issues, staying at his cousin’s flat. | |
| 7. In 1954, he was offered a job as a presenter for a BBC weekly program, conducting interviews, writing articles and reviews, and presenting weekly shows until 1958. | |
| 8. In 1955, he wrote a story based on childhood memories, which encouraged him to write and publish more. | |
| 9. In 1955, he moved to a flat in Kilburn, London with his first wife. | |
| 10. He worked as an editorial assistant at the Cement and Concrete Association in 1957, publishing in Concrete Quarterly. | |
| 11. He reviewed books for New Statesman from 1957 to 1961. | |
| 12. In 1961, he was invited by the premier of Trinidad and Tobago to visit various countries to write a book on the Caribbean, resulting in The Middle Passage (1962). | |
| 13. His notable novels include A House for Mr Biswas (1961), A Flag on the Island (1967), In a Free State (1971), The Enigma of Arrival (1987), and Magic Seeds (2004). |