Just a few days back we lost the iconic Nigerian novelist, Chinua Achebe. Now, the death of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala comes as a further shock to the world of literature. She was the only person from the literary community to win both the Oscar and the Booker awards for her excellent writing.
She was already well-established as an author when she began her screenwriting career with producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory. Her 1975 novel, Heat and Dust, received the Man Booker Prize, Britain's highest literary honour. Her screenplay for the Merchant Ivory production, Howards End and A Room With A View, earned her two Oscars.
Married to an Indian Parsi architect, Cyrus H Jhabvala, she had strong roots in India; she had lived in New Delhi for 25 years. A brilliant storyteller, she leaves behind a rich legacy that will continue to engage aficionados of good literature. Moreover, her effortless and dignified technique of writing will be missed by readers of all ages, in an era where brashness is considered ‘modern literature’.