Salman Rushdie

Sir Salman Rushdie is a British-American novelist known for combining magic realism and historical fiction, often set on the Indian subcontinent. His notable works include "Midnight's Children" (1981) and "The Satanic Verses" (1988). Rushdie faced assassination attempts and threats after the publication of "The Satanic Verses," which led to debates on censorship and religiously motivated violence. He has received several awards for his literary contributions and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2023.

25-July-2023 4:57 am IST, New Delhi

The Remarkable Journey of Novelist Salman Rushdie

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Salman Rushdie is a prolific British-American novelist known for his magical realism style that blends fantasy with historical fiction. Often exploring the connections between Eastern and Western civilizations, Rushdie’s writings frequently invoke the Indian subcontinent’s culture and politics.

Born in 1947 in Bombay, India, Rushdie came from a middle-class Muslim family. He went to school in Rugby, England before attending King's College, Cambridge where he studied history. After a brief career in advertising, Rushdie devoted himself fully to writing fiction.

Midnight's Children and Booker Prize

Rushdie first made a splash with his 1981 novel Midnight’s Children, which went on to win the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction. The story follows a boy born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the moment India gained independence from British rule. The child is endowed with magical powers and links to India’s birth as a nation. Midnight’s Children would cement Rushdie’s reputation as a leading voice of postcolonial literature.

The Satanic Verses Controversy

However, Rushdie’s fourth novel The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, would ignite a firestorm of controversy that changed his life. The book contains a subplot about a prophet named Mahound, which was interpreted as blasphemous by some Muslims. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s execution, forcing the writer into hiding for nearly a decade. While protected by the British police, Rushdie became an international symbol for the defense of free speech against religious extremism.

Fatwa and Free Speech Symbol

Rushdie’s ordeal exposed the danger of fundamentalism and the need to balance religious sensitivities with freedom of expression. Though he confirmed his Muslim faith after the fatwa, Rushdie has long advocated reform in Islam. In various essays and lectures, he calls for applying higher criticism, satire, and modernization to combat rigid traditionalism. Rushdie upholds the uninhibited, open-minded questioning of beliefs as essential for social progress.

Advocating Reform in Islam

Beyond The Satanic Verses controversy, Rushdie continued to produce new fiction regularly, ranging from novels to children’s books to short stories. Works like The Moor’s Last Sigh (1995) and The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999) further develop his signature style of magical realism by hybridizing myth with modern life. Frequent themes include migration, cultural identity and the permeable boundaries between rational and mystical worlds.

Prolific Output Across Genres

Novels, Short Stories and More

Rushdie has also been an outspoken political voice on various issues. He has strongly criticized religious extremism while supporting reforms in Islam. On the political front, Rushdie endorsed Barack Obama and later spoke out against Donald Trump. He has advocated gun control in America and supported the UK Labour Party. Rushdie has lamented the divisions between India and Pakistan, including the long dispute over Kashmir. While critical of Pakistan, he has expressed preference for secular India.

Themes in Rushdie's Writing

In 2012, Rushdie withdrew from appearing at the Jaipur Literary Festival in India after protests by Muslim groups. The threats to his life have continued, with a $600,000 bounty placed on his head by an Iranian religious foundation as recently as 2016. However, Rushdie has not stopped asserting the absolute right of free speech. After the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, he forcefully condemned the use of violence as a response to satire and ridicule of religions.

Outspoken Political Views

Criticizing Religious Extremism

Rushdie’s outspokenness has come at a steep personal price, but his commitment to exercising free expression remains undeterred. He uses his global fame as an author to spotlight human rights and social justice causes. For instance, Rushdie defended writer Gita Sahgal from Amnesty International and criticized their association with the former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg. He has argued for advancement of women’s rights in the Islamic world.

Supporting Liberal Causes

In addition to political activism, Rushdie is a patron of numerous literary institutions and educational charities. He mentors emerging fiction writers as part of his efforts to nurture young talent and diversity in literature. Teaching stints at institutions like Emory University and New York University have allowed him to pass on the craft to students.

Ongoing Threats and Support for Free Speech

Withdrawing from Literary Events

Rushdie’s eventful journey as a writer made headlines again in August 2022 when he was stabbed during a literary event in New York. The attacker, motivated by objections to The Satanic Verses, left Rushdie hospitalized with serious injuries. Yet his agent reported Rushdie retained his trademark “feisty and defiant” spirit throughout the ordeal. Just months later, he published his new novel Victory City which draws inspiration from this near-death experience.

Speaking Out After Charlie Hebdo Attack

Now aged 75, Rushdie’s prolific career spans over four decades. His books have been translated into over 40 languages, cementing his reputation as one of the preeminent authors of contemporary literature. Midnight’s Children remains widely admired as one of the great English language novels of the 20th century.

Literary and Education Contributions

The fusillade of controversies around Rushdie has obscured full appreciation of his literary talents. His champions argue greater focus should fall on the artistic qualities, inventiveness, and storytelling mastery that run through his 14 novels and other writings. The blending of magical realism with digging into historical ideas broadened the horizons of fiction. Rushdie melded influences from Latin American writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez with South Asian history, mythology and his own memories.

2022 Stabbing and New Novel

Beyond the flair for language, Rushdie will be remembered for his courage. He stuck to his convictions in the face of enormous risks to his own safety and freedom. Rushdie once wrote, “What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” His central belief that no idea or belief should be shielded from questioning fueled his creative muse. It came at great personal cost, but Rushdie’s integrity and willingness to defend liberty of speech make him a maverick with a unique legacy.

Lasting Literary Legacy

Despite the controversy that dogs him, inhabiting that intersection between literature and politics, Rushdie’s literary stock has continued rising. The coveted Best of Booker prize for Midnight's Children, along with countless other awards and honors testify to his standing. He even made cameo appearances in movies and TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, showing his pop culture influence.

As he enters the twilight of his career, Rushdie remains prolific. Reports of his demise after the 2022 stabbing clearly proved exaggerated. The attack rekindled global interest in this artist who has led a fascinating, chequered and incredibly eventful life. Through all the turmoil, Rushdie’s fiction now allows him to reflect on his past and ruminate on mortality's mysteries. Having survived the ayatollah’s wrath, his devotees hope Rushdie’s potent voice continues being heard for years to come.

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