https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Anees_SalimAnees Salim - Revision history2026-07-31T12:31:08ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Anees_Salim&diff=475930&oldid=prev2405:201:F00C:40C5:2D15:23E5:B548:7E9D at 06:40, 13 August 20252025-08-13T06:40:22Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian author}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}<br />
'''Anees Salim''' is an Indian author best known for his books ''Vanity Bagh, The Blind Lady's Descendants'' and ''The Small Town Sea.'' Born in the sea-town of [[Varkala]] in south [[Kerala]], he now lives in [[Kochi]] where he works as an advertising professional. He won the [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] for ''The Blind Lady's Descendants'' in 2018, becoming only the fourth Keralite in history to win the award for an English work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/dec/07/akademi-award-raises-readers-expectations-anees-1908258.html|title=Kerala: Akademi Award raises readers' expectations, says Anees Salim|website=The New Indian Express|date=7 December 2018 |access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref> Some of his columns have appeared in ''[[The Indian Express]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/profile/columnist/anees-salim/|title=Anees Salim|date=2017-12-17|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref> Noted for his unadorned, precise prose, Salim is one of the most important figures of twenty-first century [[Indian English literature]].<br />
<br />
==Life and career==<br />
Anees Salim was born in Varkala, a small town in Kerala, in 1970. In an interview to ''[[The Hindu]]'', Salim says he inherited his love for words from his father who used to work in West Asia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/living-with-words/article4098258.ece|title=Living with words|last=Balakrishnan|first=Suneetha|date=2012-11-15|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-12-19|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Salim is the Executive Creative Director for [[FCB (advertising agency)|FCB]] Ulka, the multi-national advertising firm, and lives in Kochi. Despite his background in PR and advertising, Salim makes a point of avoiding promotional tours and speaking at literary festivals.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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In an interview to the ''Earthen Lamp Journal'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.earthenlampjournal.com/issue5/interview.php?interview_id=8|title=Earthen Lamp Journal|website=www.earthenlampjournal.com|access-date=2018-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910183931/http://www.earthenlampjournal.com/issue5/interview.php?interview_id=8|archive-date=10 September 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Salim talks about how his first two novels were rejected by publishers. It was his third book, ''Tales from a Vending Machine'', that helped his career as a writer take off. Sold to a publisher within a week, it renewed interest in his other works and, as Salim says, "fetched me four book deals."<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news|last=Balakrishnan|first=Suneetha|title=Living with Words|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/living-with-words/article4098258.ece|work=The Hindu|date=15 November 2012 |access-date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Kochi-writer-hits-the-Inglish-jackpot/articleshow/16564955.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803152058/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-27/kochi/34126182_1_kochi-publishers-amaryllis |url-status=live |archive-date=3 August 2013 |title=Kochi writer hits the Inglish jackpot |author=Preetha T S |date=27 September 2012 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref><br />
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==Awards and honours==<br />
*2013 - [[The Hindu Literary Prize|''The Hindu'' Literary Prize]] for ''Vanity Bagh''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.currentbooks.com/the-shortlist-for-the-hindu-best-fiction-prize-declared.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109165016/http://www.currentbooks.com/the-shortlist-for-the-hindu-best-fiction-prize-declared.html|archive-date=9 November 2013|title=The Shortlist for The Hindu Best Fiction Prize Declared|work=Current Books |date=9 November 2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-authors/the-hindu-prize-2013-shortlist/article5331260.ece |title=The Hindu Prize 2013 Shortlist |work=The Hindu |author=Staff writer |author-link=Staff writer |date=9 November 2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-authors/anees-salim-bags-the-hindu-prize-for-best-fiction-2013/article5574489.ece?homepage=true |title=Anees Salim bags The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction 2013 |work=The Hindu |author=Staff writer |author-link=Staff writer |date=14 January 2014 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> The prize was announced by novelist [[Jim Crace]] in the valedictory function of the Hindu [[Lit for Life]] festival held in [[Chennai]] during 12–14 January 2014.<br />
*2015 - [[Crossword Book Award]] in Indian Fiction for ''The Blind Lady’s Descendants''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kitaab.org/2015/04/29/india-raymond-crossword-book-award-2014-winners-announced/ |title=India: Raymond Crossword Book Award 2014 winners announced |work=kitaab.org |author=Zafar Anjum |date=29 April 2015 |access-date=29 April 2015}}</ref><br />
*2017 - Bangalore Atta Galatta Literature Book Festival's Best Fiction (English) for ''The Small Town Sea''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/atta-galatta-bangalore-literature-festival-book-prize-2017-announced/article19898683.ece|title=Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize 2017 announced|author=Staff Reporter|date=2017-10-21|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-11-26|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><br />
*2017 - ''The Hindu'' Prize shortlist for ''the Small Town Sea''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/hindu-prize-2017-shortlist-announced/article19941139.ece|title=The Hindu Prize 2017 shortlist is out|date=2017-10-28|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-11-26|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><br />
*2017 - Tata Literature Live! Book of the Year Award (Fiction) shortlist for ''the Small Town Sea''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tata.com/company/releasesinside/tata-literature-festival-book-awards-list|title=Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest announces shortlists for five coveted Book Awards via @tatacompanies|work=tata.com|access-date=2017-11-26|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201141227/http://www.tata.com/company/releasesinside/tata-literature-festival-book-awards-list|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />
*2018 - [[Sahitya Akademi Award|Sahitya Akademi]] Award ([[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for English|English category]]), for ''The Blind Lady's Descendants''<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/dec/07/akademi-award-raises-readers-expectations-anees-1908258.html | title=Kerala: Akademi Award raises readers' expectations, says Anees Salim | date=7 December 2018 | first=Kiran | last=Narayanan | newspaper=The New Indian Express | access-date=16 December 2018}}</ref><br />
* 2022 - JCB Longlist for The Odd Book of Baby Names<br />
* 2022 - Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Longlist for The Odd Book of Baby Names<br />
* 2022 - Valley of Words Best Book Award for The Odd Book of Baby Names<br />
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==Works==<br />
*''The Vicks Mango Tree'' (2012) HarperCollins<br />
*''Tales From A Vending Machine'' (2013) HarperCollins<br />
*''Vanity Bagh'' (2013) Picador<br />
*''The Blind Lady’s Descendants'' (2014) Penguin <br />
*''The Small-Town Sea'' (2017) Penguin Hamish Hamilton <br />
*''The Odd Book of Baby Names'' (2021) Penguin Hamish Hamilton<br />
* The Bellboy(2022) Penguin Hamish Hamilton & Holland House<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
15.https://thewire.in/books/interview-anees-salim-religious-polarisation-family-dynamics<br />
16.https://scroll.in/article/1015654/i-dont-see-death-as-the-end-but-the-beginning-writer-anees-salim<br />
<br />
17.https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/interview-anees-salim-author-of-the-odd-book-of-baby-names-humour-runs-on-a-parallel-track-101641566450475.html<br />
18. https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-can-talk-for-the-author-anees-salim/article38272851.ece<br />
19. https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2021/dec/12/i-write-to-calm-myself-down-2393968.html<br />
20. https://thepunchmagazine.com/the-byword/interviews/anees-salim-amp-lsquo-surrounded-by-people-we-mimic-normalcy-in-private-we-are-all-oddballs-amp-rsquo<br />
21. https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2022/09/17/anees-salim-returns-to-his-obsession-with-death-in-his-new-book.html<br />
22. https://www.grazia.co.in/lifestyle/culture/anees-salim-gets-candid-about-his-coming-of-age-novel-by-the-sea-9933.html<br />
23. https://openthemagazine.com/lounge/books/anees-salim-the-heirs-of-the-king/<br />
24. https://caravanmagazine.in/tag/anees-salim<br />
25. https://dailygoodmorningkashmir.com/anees-salim-a-muslim-star-on-indian-literary-firmament/<br />
26. https://www.platform-mag.com/literature/anees-salim.html<br />
27. https://bombaylitmag.com/anees-salim-interviewed-by-tblm-staff/<br />
28. https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/famous-personalities/article/the-curious-case-of-anees-salim-16233196<br />
29. https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/i-m-brimming-with-sadness-writing-alleviates-pain-novelist-anees-salim-118122900579_1.html<br />
30. https://www.forbesindia.com/article/think/labels-and-rebels-in-anees-salims-novels/40437/1<br />
31. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sunday-chronicle/shelf-life/020717/i-like-to-keep-my-world-small-and-quiet-says-anees-salim.html<br />
32. https://www.firstpost.com/living/sahitya-akademi-winner-anees-salim-on-staying-away-from-public-eye-value-of-awards-and-solitude-5790701.html<br />
33. https://www.asianage.com/age-on-sunday/030219/small-town-tales.html<br />
34. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/wknd/i-always-wanted-to-be-invisible-anees-salim<br />
35. https://www.readersdigest.in/culturescape/story-anees-salims-list-of-favourites-124631<br />
36. https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/blog/book-reviews/coming-age-story-muslim-boy-wins-indias-highest-literary-prize-leeya-mehta<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130307130222/http://harpercollins.co.in/BookDetail.asp?Book_Code=3540 Anees Salim's page on his publisher's site]<br />
*[https://archive.today/20130412224223/http://www.businessworld.in/web/guest/tagpage?tag=734100 An interview in Business World]<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180910183931/http://www.earthenlampjournal.com/issue5/interview.php?interview_id=8 Interview at Earthen Lamp Journal] <br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180910183545/http://www.earthenlampjournal.com/issue5/bookreview.php?review_id=19 Review of The Blind Lady's Descendants by Suneetha Balakrishnan]<br />
* [http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/garden-of-good-and-evil/article5204205.ece Review of Vanity Bagh by Suneetha Balakrishnan]<br />
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{{Sahitya Akademi Award for English}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
<br />
https://scroll.in/article/1015654/i-dont-see-death-as-the-end-but-the-beginning-writer-anees-salim<br />
https://thewire.in/books/interview-anees-salim-religious-polarisation-family-dynamics<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Salim, Anees}}<br />
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]<br />
[[Category:Writers from Kochi]]<br />
[[Category:Indian advertising people]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]<br />
[[Category:People from Varkala]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in English]]</div>2405:201:F00C:40C5:2D15:23E5:B548:7E9D