Why Vikram Seth writes in English, and who is his ideal reader

Indian Express

19-06-2025

On Vikram Seth's birthday (June 20), readers across the world remember the poet and novelist whose singular voice defies easy classification. Born in Calcutta in 1952, Seth's literary journey traverses continents and genres, but at the heart of his work remains a solemn commitment to the Indian experience.
In a telling anecdote from the India International Centre Quarterly (Spring 1997), a French journalist once pressed Seth on his decision to write in English, suggesting it might create an 'unavoidable' distance between author and Indian reader. In response, Seth, whose magnum opus A Suitable Boy had just been translated into French, said: 'English is the language I know best… Hindi is my mother tongue; I learned Urdu; my father speaks Punjabi and Hindi; my mother… speaks Bengali… but I do not speak Bengali. English is the language I know best.'
A response that lays bare the layered complexities of identity in postcolonial India. Seth further clarified that his ideal reader was not the metropolitan critic but 'a sixty-year-old Indian, living in a small town in Uttar Pradesh or Bihar… He is more important to me than any critic or foreign reader.' Whether or not that remains the case today, Seth's work endures as a bridge between languages and generations.
However, Seth was clear about his desire to see A Suitable Boy, (which at around 1,500 is a rather dense tomb) is translated into Hindi. He added that it was in Hindi that the novel would 'look like its original version.'
Few writers move between forms with as much alacrity as Vikram Seth. He has composed novels in verse, travelogues in prose, and rhyming retellings of animal fables. His recent work, the English translation of The Hanuman Chalisa, he returns to his forte – rhyme. In the slim 100-page volume, Seth succeeds in recreating the incantatory quality of Tulsidas's original.
On this occasion, we revisit three of Seth's most enduring contributions:
No list of Vikram Seth's works is complete without A Suitable Boy, his magnum opus. At over 1,300 pages, this sprawling novel is set in post-independence India and weaves together the lives of four families against a backdrop of political and social change. At its heart is Lata Mehra's journey to find 'a suitable boy,' a quest that explores love, tradition, and personal freedom. With its rich characterizations and vivid storytelling, this book remains a timeless classic.
Before A Suitable Boy, Seth made a mark for himself with The Golden Gate, a novel written entirely in verse. Inspired by Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, this modern tale follows a group of young professionals in 1980s San Francisco as they navigate love, friendship, and existential dilemmas. The book proves Seth's mastery of form and language.
Seth's Beastly Tales is a collection of fables in verse. Featuring animals from India, China, Greece, Ukraine, and his own imagination, these tales are satirical, and often carry moral lessons. Perfect for both children and adults, this book is a must-read.