Amitav Ghosh wrote at a period when the terms of literature itself were being argued over.
The record lists Amitav Ghosh as Indian writer.
Amitav Ghosh was born at Kolkata in 1956. His recorded nationality is India. He was educated at The Doon School and St. Stephen's College.
Twentieth-century writing was shaped by war, exile and translation; many of its major careers were conducted across more than one language and country.
He worked as writer, novelist and journalist.
The writing is recorded in English.
Among his best-known works are The Glass Palace, Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke. Books outlive their reviews, and the ones that last are seldom the ones that sold best.
The honours record reads: Dan David Prize (2010) and Erasmus Prize (2024).
That the work was written from India matters: language, censorship and the reach of a publishing industry decide which books travel and which stay local.
Amitav Ghosh is still writing, and the shape of the body of work is not yet settled.
Achievements
- Dan David Prize — 2010
- Erasmus Prize — 2024
- Notable work: The Glass Palace
- Notable work: Sea of Poppies
- Notable work: River of Smoke
- Notable work: The Calcutta Chromosome
