Arundhati roy daughter

1. Biography of Arundhati Roy
2. Literary Success and Activism

Biography of Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy was born in 1961 in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. Her father, Ranjit Roy, was an Indian from Bengal and the owner of a tea plantation, while her mother, Mary Roy, was a Syrian Christian and an active human rights advocate. Arundhati grew up in Kerala and moved to Delhi with her family at the age of 16. Initially, they faced financial difficulties, and Arundhati made a living by collecting and selling empty plastic bottles. However, their situation improved, and she was able to pursue a degree in architecture at the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, where she met her first husband, the architect Gerard da Cunha. Later, she met her second husband, director Pradip Krishen, who sparked her interest in cinema. Arundhati played a few roles in films but later focused on writing screenplays.

Literary Success and Activism

In 1992, Arundhati Roy began working on her first book, "The God of Small Things." She completed it in 1996, and the novel became incredibly popular. It started as an Indian bestseller and was translated into 15 languages by the end of 1997. That same year, Arundhati Roy received the prestigious Booker Prize. "The God of Small Things" is set in the late 1960s in the Indian state of Kerala and tells the story of a large Indian family, with the twins being the main characters. Remarkably, it remains her only novel, as she dedicated her subsequent life to political issues and activism.

As a staunch opponent of globalization, Roy has effectively used her popularity to advocate for her ideas. Her mother, Mary Roy, was also a prominent activist. Arundhati actively speaks out against nuclear weapons in India and Pakistan, as well as against Indian nationalism. While many literary critics believe she should focus on writing new novels, Roy increasingly writes on political and social topics. In 2002, she spent a symbolic day in jail for accusing the judges themselves. In 2006, she signed a letter published in "The Guardian" titled "2006 Lebanon War," accusing Israel of "state terrorism." She has since spoken out against Israeli policies. In the same year, she declined the Indian literary award for political reasons but accepted the Sydney Peace Prize in 2004.

One of Roy's most passionate causes is the construction of a dam on the Narmada River, which she believes deprives the most vulnerable sections of the population of their rights and land. She actively advocates for India's poor peasants. Among her numerous awards and recognition, Arundhati Roy has received both literary and other prizes.

In her literary portfolio, she has one novel, two film screenplays, as well as several essay collections and works on various social, environmental, and political issues that remain subjects of ongoing debate in India.