Childhood and Education Journey of Salman Rushdie in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Salman Rushdie, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born British and American novelist known for blending magic realism with historical fiction. His work explores the connections and disruptions between Eastern and Western civilizations, often focusing on the Indian subcontinent. His second novel, Midnight's Children, won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was later recognized as the "best novel of all winners" during the prize's 25th and 40th anniversary celebrations, solidifying his place as a significant literary figure.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

June 1947: Salman Rushdie's birth

On June 1947, Salman Rushdie was born in Bombay, British India, into a Kashmiri Muslim family.

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1964: Move to England for schooling

In 1964, Rushdie moved to England to attend Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire.

1976: Marriage to Clarissa Luard

In 1976, Salman Rushdie married Clarissa Luard, literature officer of the Arts Council of England.

1977: Roman Polanski's Charge

In 1977, Roman Polanski was charged for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl, which led to his arrest in Switzerland in 2009, prompting Salman Rushdie to sign a petition for his release.

1979: Birth of son Zafar

In 1979, Salman Rushdie and Clarissa Luard had a son named Zafar.

1987: Divorce from Clarissa Luard

In 1987, Salman Rushdie divorced his first wife, Clarissa Luard. Prior to this, he left Clarissa in the mid-1980s for Robyn Davidson.

1988: Marriage to Marianne Wiggins

In 1988, Salman Rushdie married the American novelist Marianne Wiggins.

August 1989: Book Bomb Explosion in London

On August 3, 1989, Mustafa Mahmoud Mazeh, using an alias, died in a London hotel when a book bomb he was priming with RDX explosives detonated prematurely. The Organization of the Mujahidin of Islam claimed he died preparing an attack on Salman Rushdie. He is considered the first martyr in the mission to kill Rushdie.

1989: Rushdie Discusses Muslim Faith and Secular Humanism

In 1989, following the fatwa, Salman Rushdie described himself as a lapsed Muslim shaped by Muslim culture and a student of Islam. He also stated his point of view was that of a secular human being, not believing in supernatural entities.

December 1990: Statement Reaffirming Muslim Faith

In December 1990, Salman Rushdie issued a statement reaffirming his Muslim faith, distancing himself from statements in "The Satanic Verses" that cast aspersion on Islam or Prophet Mohammad, and opposing the release of the paperback editing of the novel.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel

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1990: Release of International Gorillay

In 1990, a Pakistani film entitled International Gorillay (International Guerillas) was released. The film depicted Rushdie as a villain plotting Pakistan's downfall and ends with his death. The British Board of Film Classification initially refused it a certificate, but Rushdie later said he would not sue if it were released.

1991: Speech at Columbia University

In 1991, Salman Rushdie gave an address at Columbia University to mark the 200th anniversary of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, where he stated 'free speech is life itself'.

1991: Attack on Italian and Japanese Translators

In 1991, the Italian translator of "The Satanic Verses" was stabbed but survived. Days later, Hitoshi Igarashi, the Japanese translator, was stabbed to death.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel

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1992: Regret of Reaffirming Muslim Faith

In 1992, Salman Rushdie cited the release of his 1990 statement reaffirming his Muslim faith as perhaps his lowest point, regretting its language.

August 1993: Public Appearance at Wembley Stadium

On August 11, 1993, despite the fatwa against him, Salman Rushdie made a public appearance at London's Wembley Stadium during a U2 concert. This event occurred amidst violence sparked by the publication of his book and the fatwa, with bookstores firebombed and attacks on those associated with the book.

1993: Divorce from Marianne Wiggins

In 1993, Salman Rushdie divorced his second wife, Marianne Wiggins.

February 1997: Blood Money Increased

In February 1997, Ayatollah Hasan Sane'i, leader of the Fifteenth of Khordad Foundation, announced that the blood money offered for the assassination of Salman Rushdie would be increased from $2 million to $2.5 million. Subsequently, another religious foundation in Iran increased its reward from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.

1997: Marriage to Elizabeth West and birth of son Milan

In 1997, Salman Rushdie married British editor and author Elizabeth West and they had a son named Milan.

September 1998: Iranian Government Commitment

On September 24, 1998, as a precondition for restoring diplomatic relations with the UK, the Iranian government, led by Mohammad Khatami, publicly committed to neither support nor hinder assassination operations against Salman Rushdie.

1998: Fatwa Proclaimed Finished by Khatami

In 1998, Iran's former president Mohammad Khatami proclaimed the fatwa "finished"; however, it was never officially lifted.

1999: First meeting with Padma Lakshmi

In 1999, Salman Rushdie first met Padma Lakshmi, who was 28 years old at the time while Rushdie was 51.

1999: Operation to correct ptosis

In 1999, Salman Rushdie had an operation to correct ptosis, a problem with the levator palpebrae superioris muscle that causes drooping of the upper eyelid.

1999: Support of NATO bombing of Yugoslavia

In 1999, Salman Rushdie supported the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, leading to Tariq Ali labeling him as part of a group of "warrior writers".

2000: Move to the United States

Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States.

2001: Support of US-led campaign in Afghanistan

In 2001, Salman Rushdie supported the US-led campaign to remove the Taliban in Afghanistan.

2003: Criticism of the Iraq War

In 2003, Salman Rushdie criticized the war in Iraq, stating that while there was a case for removing Saddam Hussein, the US unilateral military intervention was unjustifiable.

2003: Statement that 'Pakistan sucks'

In 2003, Salman Rushdie stated that "Pakistan sucks" during an interview when asked why he felt more like an outsider there than in India or England.

2004: Divorce from Elizabeth West

In 2004, Salman Rushdie and Elizabeth West ended their relationship after a miscarriage.

2004: Marriage to Padma Lakshmi

In 2004, shortly after his third divorce, Salman Rushdie married Padma Lakshmi.

August 2005: Call for Reform in Islam

In mid-August 2005, Salman Rushdie called for a reform in Islam in a guest opinion piece printed in The Washington Post and The Times, advocating the application of higher criticism.

November 2005: Contribution to Free Expression Is No Offence

In November 2005, Salman Rushdie contributed to Free Expression Is No Offence, a collection of essays by several writers published by Penguin, writing about his opposition to the British government's introduction of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act.

2005: Film 'Water' Faced Violent Protests

In 2005, the film 'Water' by Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta faced violent protests.

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2005: Khomeini's Fatwa Reaffirmed

In early 2005, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, reaffirmed Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie in a message to Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. The Revolutionary Guards also declared the death sentence still valid.

March 2006: Signing of 'Together Facing the New Totalitarianism' manifesto

In March 2006, Salman Rushdie signed the manifesto "Together Facing the New Totalitarianism", a statement warning of the dangers of religious extremism, which was published in Charlie Hebdo.

2006: Hezbollah Leader's Statement

During the 2006 Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated that if a Muslim had carried out Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie, the insults against Prophet Mohammed in Denmark, Norway, and France would not have occurred.

2006: Support of Jack Straw's comments on the niqab

In 2006, Salman Rushdie supported Jack Straw's comments criticizing the wearing of the niqab, a veil covering the face except for the eyes. Rushdie stated his support for Straw's position, viewing it as part of a long battle against the limitation of women. He mentioned that his three sisters would never wear the veil.

2006: Critic of Moral and Cultural Relativism

In 2006, in an interview with Point of Inquiry, Salman Rushdie described his views as a critic of moral and cultural relativism.

2006: Lamenting the division of Kashmir

In a 2006 interview about his novel Shalimar the Clown, Salman Rushdie laments the division of Kashmir into zones of Indian and Pakistani administration as having cut his family down the middle.

Shalimar the Clown

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2006: Identified as a Hardline Atheist

In a 2006 interview with PBS, Salman Rushdie identified himself as a "hardline atheist."

January 2007: Lakshmi requests a divorce

In January 2007, Padma Lakshmi asked Salman Rushdie for a divorce, which they later filed in July of the same year.

June 2007: Knighthood Awarded

On June 16, 2007, Salman Rushdie was knighted for services to literature in the Queen's Birthday Honours. This honor was met with protests from many Muslim-majority nations and sparked controversy.

2007: Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University

In 2007, Salman Rushdie began a five-year term as Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he also deposited his archives.

August 2008: Apology Received at High Court

On August 26, 2008, Salman Rushdie received an apology at the High Court in London from his former bodyguard Ron Evans, Evans' co-author, and their publisher. This was in response to a planned book by Evans recounting Rushdie's behavior while in hiding, which Rushdie dismissed as lies and took legal action against.

2009: Signed Petition for Roman Polanski's Release

In 2009, Salman Rushdie signed a petition in support of film director Roman Polanski, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland.

2009: Pia Glenn slams Rushdie

In 2009, actress Pia Glenn slammed Salman Rushdie as "cowardly, dysfunctional, and immature" after he dumped her via email.

2010: Al-Qaeda Hit List Inclusion

In 2010, Anwar al-Awlaki published an Al-Qaeda hit list in Inspire magazine, including Salman Rushdie along with other figures claimed to have insulted Islam.

2010: U2 bassist Adam Clayton recalls Rushdie's visits

In 2010, U2 bassist Adam Clayton recalled that Bono had been calling Salman Rushdie from the stage every night on the Zoo TV tour. He also recalled how Rushdie was a regular visitor after his surprise appearance at Wembley, with a backstage pass he used often.

January 2012: Cancelled Jaipur Literature Festival Appearance

In January 2012, Salman Rushdie cancelled his appearance at the Jaipur Literature Festival in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, citing a possible threat to his life. He later suggested that state police agencies lied about paid assassins being sent to Jaipur to kill him.

March 2012: Address to Conference in New Delhi

In March 2012, Salman Rushdie returned to India to address a conference in New Delhi on March 16.

July 2012: Blaming Colorado cinema shooting on gun rights

In July 2012, Salman Rushdie blamed a shooting at a Colorado cinema on the American right to keep and bear arms.

September 2012: Release of Joseph Anton

On September 18, 2012, Salman Rushdie's memoir of his years in hiding, titled Joseph Anton, was released. Joseph Anton was Rushdie's secret alias during the height of the controversy surrounding the fatwa.

2012: Criticism of Imran Khan

In 2012, Salman Rushdie was critical of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan after Khan took personal jabs at him in an interview.

2014: Taught a seminar on British Literature

In 2014, Salman Rushdie taught a seminar on British Literature at an institution.

September 2015: Joined New York University Journalism Faculty

In September 2015, Salman Rushdie joined the New York University Journalism Faculty as a Distinguished Writer in Residence.

November 2015: Chidambaram Acknowledges Banning Was Wrong

In November 2015, former Indian minister P. Chidambaram acknowledged that banning The Satanic Verses was wrong.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel

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2015: Rushdie's views on literature, grand narratives, and feminism

In 2015, Rushdie talked about literature, grand narratives, and feminism in an interview with New York magazine's The Cut. He believes freedoms of literature to be universal, and also shows support for feminism.

2015: Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU

In 2015, Rushdie was named Distinguished Writer in Residence at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University.

February 2016: Bounty Increased

In February 2016, more money was added to the bounty for the assassination of Salman Rushdie.

2016: Acquisition of US citizenship

In 2016, Salman Rushdie acquired American citizenship and voted for Hillary Clinton in that year's election.

August 2019: Criticism of revocation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir

In August 2019, Salman Rushdie criticized the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, tweeting that what was happening there was an atrocity.

July 2020: Signing of the "Harper's Letter"

In July 2020, Salman Rushdie was one of the 153 signers of the "Harper's Letter", also known as "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate", that expressed concern that "the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted."

2021: Marriage to Rachel Eliza Griffiths

In 2021, Salman Rushdie married American poet and novelist Rachel Eliza Griffiths.

August 2022: Attack at Chautauqua Institution

On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was attacked while about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York. He was stabbed repeatedly and airlifted to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania, for surgery.

October 2022: Report of Injuries

In October 2022, it was reported that Salman Rushdie had lost sight in one eye and the use of one hand but survived the August 2022 murder attempt.

2022: Stabbing at Chautauqua Institution

In 2022, Rushdie survived a stabbing at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, that led to loss of his right eye and damage to his liver and hands.

2022: Appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour

In 2022, Salman Rushdie was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the Birthday Honours for services to literature.

2022: Attack on Salman Rushdie

In 2022, Salman Rushdie was attacked and severely injured while about to give a public lecture in New York.

October 2023: Expression of horror at Hamas' attack and Israel's retaliation

In October 2023, Salman Rushdie expressed his "horror" at both Hamas' attack on Israel and Israel's retaliation in the Gaza Strip and called for a "cessation in hostilities".

January 2024: Trial Delay Petitioned

In January 2024, the jury selection for the trial of Hadi Matar, Rushdie's attacker, was originally scheduled to begin on January 8, 2024. However, Matar's lawyer successfully petitioned to delay the trial so that they could review Rushdie's memoir and any related materials before the trial began, as the documents constitute evidence.

April 2024: Publication of Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

In April 2024, Rushdie's autobiographical book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, was published. The book details the attack Rushdie experienced and his recovery and was longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

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May 2024: Comments on potential Palestinian state and support for Hamas

In May 2024, Salman Rushdie argued that if a Palestinian state ever came into being, it would resemble a "Taliban-like state" and become a client state of Iran. He also voiced his puzzlement regarding the current support of progressive students for what he described as a "fascist terrorist group".