British writer V. S. Naipaul took the Nobel in 2001 “for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories," the awards committee said in a statement. He was born to Indian parents in the town of Chaguanas, on the island of Trinidad.
He has taken up India in both his fiction and his politics, aligning himself with right-wing Hindutva ideology. The New York Times said at the time: "Like many writers, Mr. Naipaul is often a better guide to the world in his prose than in his spoken remarks, which have resulted in accusations of homophobia and racism."
He has in the past declared the novel is dead, though he continues to write them.
