“Realism hasn't fallen out of favor with most people, who are interested in people's lives rather than gymnastics of style or literary trends. It's a certain kind of academic who undervalues realism, largely because it is not amenable to endless exegesis.”

Indian novelist and poet

Vikram Seth is an Indian novelist and poet. He is known for his fiction and poetry, and has received several major honors, including the Padma Shri, the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the WH Smith Literary Award, and the Crossword Book Award. He has written three novels and several poetry collections. His work includes Mappings and Beastly Tales, both of which are noted contributions to Indian English-language poetry.