Vikas Swarup

2021-08-10T09:41:26Z

116.193.137.78:

{{Short description|Indian diplomat and Author}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-suffix = [[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]]
| name saw = Vikas Swarup
| image = VikasSwarup (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 180px
| caption = Swarup in 2007
| pseudonym =
| birth_date = 22 June 1961
| birth_place = [[Allahabad]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| occupation = *[[Civil Servant]] ([[Indian Foreign Service|IFS]])
*Author
| nationality = {{flag|India|name=Indian}}
| spouse = Aparna Swarup
| office = Secretary (West), [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]]
| primeminister = [[Narendra Modi]]
| minister = [[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar]]
| term_start = 1 December 2019<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/vikas-swarup-appointed-secretary-west-in-foreign-ministry/articleshow/72478720.cms|title=Vikas Swarup appointed Secretary (West) in foreign ministry|newspaper=The Economic Times}}</ref>
|term_end = 30 June 2021
| predecessor = A. Gitesh Sharma
| successor = Reenat Sandhu
| office1 = [[Indian Foreign Secretary|Secretary of Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs]]<ref name=HB1>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/vikas-swarup-appointed-secretary-of-overseas-indian-affairs/article28399233.ece | title=Vikas Swarup appointed Secretary of Overseas Indian Affairs | date=12 July 2019 | newspaper=The Hindu Business Line | agency=PTI | access-date=16 August 2019 }}</ref>
| primeminister1 = [[Narendra Modi]]
| minister1 = [[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar]]
| term_start1 = 1 August 2019
| term_end1 = 1 December 2019
| predecessor1 = [[Dnyaneshwar Mulay]]
| office2 = [[High commissioner (Commonwealth)|High Commissioner of India to Canada]]
| term_start2 = 3 March 2017
| term_end2 = 1 August 2019
| predecessor2 = Vishnu Prakash<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/vikas-swarup-external-affairs-ministry-spokesperson-india-ambassador-high-commissioner-to-canada|title=MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup Named High Commissioner to Canada|date=16 February 2017|access-date=3 August 2018}}</ref>
| successor2 = [[Ajay Bisaria]] <ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ajay-bisaria-appointed-indias-next-high-commissioner-to-canada/articleshow/73804604.cms}}</ref>
| primeminister2 = [[Narendra Modi]]
| minister2 = [[Sushma Swaraj]]<br>[[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar]]
| office3 = Official Spokesperson and Joint Secretary (XP) of [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mea.gov.in/personnel.htm|title = MEA | Spokesperson's Office : Personnel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/slumdog-millionaire-author-vikas-swarup-to-take-over-syed-akbaruddin-as-mea-spokesperson-2174715.html|title = Slumdog Millionaire author Vikas Swarup to take over Syed Akbaruddin as MEA spokesperson-India News , Firstpost|date = 27 March 2015}}</ref>
| term_start3 = 18 April 2015
| term_end3 = 28 February 2017
| predecessor3 = [[Syed Akbaruddin]]
| primeminister3 = [[Narendra Modi]]
| minister3 = [[Sushma Swaraj]]
| successor3 = Gopal Baglay
| alma_mater = [[University of Allahabad]]
| signature =
| known_for = ''[[Q & A (novel)|Q & A]]'' (2005)<br>''[[Six Suspects (novel)|Six Suspects]]'' (2008)<br>''[[The Accidental Apprentice]]'' (2013)
| website = {{url|http://vikasswarup.net}}
| successor1 = [[Sanjay Bhattacharya]]
}}

'''Vikas Swarup''' (born 22 June 1961)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/interviews/0023961-interview-vikas-swarup-the-author-of-qa-the-novel-behind-the-oscar-winning-film-slumdog-millionaire.html|title=Interview: Vikas Swarup - The author of Q&A, the novel behind the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire|date=24 January 2013|publisher=The Cambridge Student}}</ref> is a former [[Indian Foreign Service]] officer and writer. He retired as the Secretary (West) at the [[Ministry of External Affairs, India]] on 30 June 2021 and has previously served as High Commissioner of India in Canada and has been the official spokesperson of the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]] of India.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vikas Swarup to be new spokesperson of External Affairs Ministry|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/vikas-swarup-to-be-new-spokesperson-of-external-affairs-ministry/article7035772.ece|access-date=14 March 2016|work=The Hindu|date=26 March 2015}}</ref> He is best known as the author of the novel ''[[Q & A (novel)|Q & A]]'', adapted in film as ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'', the winner of Best Film for the year 2009 at the [[Academy Awards]], [[Golden Globe Awards]] and [[BAFTA Awards]].

Swarup joined the [[Indian Foreign Service]] in 1986 and served in [[Turkey]], the [[United States]], [[Ethiopia]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[South Africa]] and [[Japan]] in various Indian diplomatic missions. His other novels are ''[[Six Suspects (novel)|Six Suspects]]'' and ''[[The Accidental Apprentice]]''. In April 2015, he was appointed as the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India to head its [[Public Diplomacy|Public Diplomacy divisions]] at [[New Delhi]], succeeding [[Syed Akbaruddin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/slumdog-millionnaire-author-vikas-swarup-succeed-syed-akbaruddin-mea-spokesman-2174715.html|title=Slumdog Millionaire author Vikas Swarup to take over Syed Akbaruddin as MEA spokesperson|work=Firstpost|date=27 March 2015}}</ref>

In December 2019, Swarup took charge as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, looking after relations with Europe, Central Asia as well as the United Nations system.<ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2019-12-12|title=Vikas Swarup, appointed as Secretary (West) in MEA|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/vikas-swarup-appointed-as-secretary-west-in-mea/article30281275.ece|access-date=2021-01-21|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Swarup was born in 1961 in the historic Indian city, [[Allahabad]] in a family of lawyers.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.vikasswarup.net/bio/|title=Bio|work=vikasswarup.net}}</ref> He did his schooling at [[Boys' High School & College, Allahabad]] and pursued further studies at [[Allahabad University]] in [[Psychology]], [[History]] and [[Philosophy]].

==Diplomatic career==
Swarup is a career diplomat and joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1986. He has served in different capacities in New Delhi and in India's missions abroad including his last assignment as High Commissioner of India to Canada followed by the post of the official spokesperson of the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]].<ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2017-02-16|title=Vikas Swarup appointed High Commisioner to Canada|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/SWARUP_ENVOY/article17313382.ece|access-date=2021-01-21|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Panda|first=Sushmita|date=2019-07-12|title=Author-Diplomat Vikas Swarup moved to Delhi as Indo-Canadian ties remain cold|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world-author-diplomat-vikas-swarup-moved-delhi-indo-canadian-ties-remain-cold-534573|access-date=2021-01-21|website=www.indiatvnews.com|language=en}}</ref> He also served in [[Ankara]], Washington D.C., [[Addis Ababa]], London, [[Pretoria]] and as Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, Japan.

==Writing career==

===''Q & A''===
Swarup's [[debut novel]], ''[[Q & A (novel)|Q & A]]'', tells the story of how a penniless waiter in [[Mumbai]] becomes the biggest quiz show winner in history.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kannan|first=Indira|date=2018-10-28|title=Slumdog Millionaire has opened up doors for me as a diplomat: Vikas Swarup|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/slumdog-millionaire-has-opened-up-doors-for-me-as-a-diplomat-vikas-swarup-118102700691_1.html|access-date=2021-01-21}}</ref> Critically acclaimed in India and abroad, this international best-seller has been translated into 43 different languages. It was shortlisted for the Best First Book by the [[Commonwealth Writers' Prize]] and won South Africa's [[Exclusive Books Boeke Prize]] in 2006, as well as the Prix Grand Public at the 2007 Paris Book Fair. It was voted winner of the Best Travel Read (Fiction) at the Heathrow Travel Product Award 2009.

A [[BBC]] radio series based on the book won the Gold Award for Best Drama at the 2008 [[Sony Radio Academy Awards]] and the 2008 IVCA Clarion Award. [[Harper Collins]] brought out the audio book, read by [[Kerry Shale]], which won the Audie for best fiction audio book of the year. [[Film4]] of the UK had optioned the movie rights and the movie titled ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'', directed by [[Danny Boyle]], was first released in the US to great critical acclaim.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mendes|first=Ana Cristina|date=2010|title=Showcasing India Unshining: Film Tourism in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire|journal=Third Text|language=en|volume=24|issue=4|pages=471–479|doi=10.1080/09528822.2010.491379|s2cid=145021606|issn=0952-8822}}</ref> It won the People's Choice Award at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] and three awards (Best Film, Best Director and Most Promising Newcomer) at the [[British Independent Film Awards]] 2008. The [[National Board of Review]] picked ''Slumdog Millionaire'' as the best film of 2008. The movie swept five awards out of its six nominations at the [[Critics' Choice Awards]], and all four nominations awarded at the [[Golden Globe Awards]] including best director, picture, screenplay and score, and seven [[BAFTA Awards]]. It received ten [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] nominations of which it won eight, including Best Picture and Best Director. From ''[[The NY Times]]'' report: "[T]hough it had no actors nominated for prizes, [it also] swept many awards other than those on the top line, including prizes for cinematography, sound mixing, score and film editing. ''Slumdog'''s eight Oscars was the largest total won by a single film since ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'' won 11 in 2004."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/movies/awardsseason/23oscar.html "A ‘Slumdog’ Kind of Night at the Oscar Ceremony"] by [[Michael Cieply]] and [[David Carr (journalist)|David Carr]], ''The New York Times'', 23 February 2009. Retrieved 2–23–09.</ref> The film was released in the UK on 9 January 2009 and in India on 23 January with William Losch.

===''Six Suspects''===
Swarup's second novel ''[[Six Suspects (novel)|Six Suspects]]'', published by [[Transworld Publishers|Transworld]], was released on 28 July 2008 and has been translated into more than 30 languages. The US edition was published by [[Minotaur Books]] in 2009. It was optioned for a film by the BBC and Starfield productions and [[John Hodge (screenwriter)|John Hodge]], who has been commissioned to write the screenplay.

===''The Accidental Apprentice''===
Swarup's third novel is ''[[The Accidental Apprentice]]'', published by Simon & Schuster (UK) in 2013.

===Other works===
Swarup's short story "A Great Event" was published in ''The Children's Hours: Stories of Childhood'', an anthology of stories about childhood to support [[Save the Children]] and raise awareness for its fight to end violence against children.

Swarup has participated in the Oxford Literary Festival, the [[Turin International Book Fair]], the Auckland Writers' Conference, the [[Sydney Writers' Festival]], the [[Kitab Festival]] in New Delhi, the [[St. Malo]] International Book & Film Festival in France, the 'Words on Water' Literary Festival at the [[University of the Witwatersrand]] in Johannesburg, the [[Jaipur Literature Festival]] in India, the Hay-on-Wye Festival in Wales and the Franschhoek Literary Festival in South Africa. In 2009 he participated in the 33rd [[Cairo International Film Festival]] as a jury member for the International Competition for Feature Digital Films.

He has written for ''TIME'', Newsweek, ''[[The Guardian]]'', ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' (UK), [[Outlook (Indian magazine)|''Outlook'']] magazine (India) and ''[[Libération]]'' (France).

Vikas Swarup gives many motivational talks at institutions across the world.

==Recognition==
On 21 September 2010, the [[University of South Africa]] (UNISA) conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature & Philosophy ([[honoris causa]]) on Swarup at a graduation ceremony in Pretoria.
On June 18, 2020, Montreal-based Concordia University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on Swarup for literary excellence and dedication to diplomacy.

Swarup took over as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs on 18 April 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|title='Slumdog Millionaire' writer Vikas Swarup appointed as External Affairs Ministry spokesperson|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/slumdog-millionaire-writer-vikas-swarup-appointed-as-external-affairs-ministry-spokesperson/articleshow/46705115.cms|access-date=2021-01-21}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Swarup speaks Turkish apart from English and other Indian languages. He is married to Aparna, an artist, and the couple has two sons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vikasswarup.net/bio/|title=Bio | Vikas Swarup|website=www.vikasswarup.net}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Harsh Vardhan Shringla]]
*[[Taranjit Singh Sandhu]]
*[[Vinay Mohan Kwarta]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|3139511}}
*{{Worldcat id|lccn-n2005-6078}}

===Interviews and articles===
* [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/nov/27/mumbai-terror-attacks-terrorism Vikas Swarup: Mumbai will recover from this, just as it has many times before]
* [http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/feb/02inter1.htm The Rediff Interview/Vikas Swarup]
* [http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/slumdog-success-it-all-started-in-allahabad_100141686.html How the story of Slumdog Millionaire started.]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swarup, Vikas}}
[[Category:Indian diplomats]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:University of Allahabad alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Foreign Service officers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Allahabad]]
[[Category:Novelists from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]
[[Category:High Commissioners of India to Canada]]

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Vikas Swarup