Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri is a highly acclaimed author, born in London on July 11, 1967, to Indian immigrants from West Bengal. She was raised in Rhode Island and considers herself an American, despite her birthplace. Her father, Amar Lahiri, was a librarian at the University of Rhode Island. Lahiri's upbringing was influenced by her mother's desire to maintain their Bengali heritage in a foreign land.

Lahiri is a prolific writer, with a strong academic background. She graduated from South Kingstown High School and later received her B.A. in English literature from Barnard College in 1989. She furthered her education at Boston University, obtaining multiple degrees including an M.A. in English, an M.A. in Creative Writing, an M.A. in Comparative Literature, and a Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies. Her academic prowess was recognized with a fellowship at Provincetown's Fine Arts Work Center, which she held for two years from 1997 to 1998.

Lahiri's personal life is as successful as her professional one. She is married to Alberto Vourvoulias-Bush, a journalist, and they have two children together. They currently reside in Brooklyn. Lahiri has also been an active member of the literary community, serving as a Vice President of the PEN American Center since 2005. In addition to her writing, she has taught creative writing at Boston University and the Rhode Island School of Design.

Lahiri's work often focuses on the lives of Indian-Americans, particularly Bengalis. Her debut collection, "Interpreter of Maladies," was an international bestseller and won several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Her first novel, "The Namesake," was also critically acclaimed. Her work has been translated into numerous languages and she has received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.