Salman Rushdie, born on June 19, 1947, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, is a renowned British-Indian author known for his literary talents and the controversy surrounding his novel The Satanic Verses. Rushdie’s upbringing in Bombay was influenced by a diverse array of cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds, which later became prominent themes in his work. Rushdie published his debut novel, Grimus, in 1975, blending elements of mythology and fantasy. However, his breakthrough came in 1981 with Midnight’s Children, a groundbreaking work that earned him the Booker Prize and catapulted him to international literary fame. This novel, known for its use of magical realism, intertwines India’s political history with the lives of children born at the stroke of midnight on the country’s independence.

The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, marked a turning point in Rushdie’s life. The novel sparked widespread controversy and outrage among some Muslim communities for its perceived irreverence toward Islam. The book’s portrayal of religious figures led to accusations of blasphemy and triggered a fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, calling for Rushdie’s assassination. Forced into hiding for nearly a decade due to threats to his life, Rushdie became a symbol of the conflict between free speech and religious sensitivity.