“Why do writers, say, give up a job in economics and decide to write poetry? Or, why do they give up a job in a bank and decide to paint, like Krishan Khanna? They want to convey something.”

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.