Ruth Prawer Jhabvala was a British-American novelist and screenwriter celebrated for her literary works and film collaborations. Born on May 7, 1927, she gained prominence through her partnership with Merchant Ivory Productions, working alongside director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant. Her screenplays earned widespread acclaim, and she remains the only person to have won both a Booker Prize, for her novel "Heat and Dust," and an Oscar for her screenplay adaptations. Her prolific career included twelve novels, twenty-three screenplays, and eight short story collections, showcasing her versatility across genres.
After marrying Indian architect Cyrus Jhabvala in 1951, she relocated to New Delhi, where her experiences in India deeply influenced her writing. Many of her novels and short stories explored Indian themes, blending cultural observation with nuanced storytelling. Her contributions to literature and film were recognized with numerous honors, including a CBE in the 1998 New Year Honours and a joint BAFTA fellowship with Merchant and Ivory in 2002. Jhabvala passed away on April 3, 2013, leaving behind a legacy as a masterful storyteller and a bridge between Eastern and Western narratives.