Ranjit Hoskote

Biography

Ranjit Hoskote is a prominent Indian poet, art critic, translator, and curator, widely recognized as one of the most important contemporary voices in Indian English poetry. His works reflect a deep engagement with history, culture, spirituality, and identity, blending lyrical beauty with intellectual depth.

🌿 Early Life and Education

Ranjit Hoskote was born in 1969 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. He studied at Elphinstone College and later at the University of Bombay, where he earned a degree in English literature. From an early age, he showed a keen interest in both literature and visual art, which later shaped his multifaceted career.

✍️ Literary Career

Ranjit Hoskote published his first collection of poems, “Zones of Assault” (1991), at a young age. Since then, he has published several acclaimed poetry collections that have established him as a distinctive poetic voice.

Major Poetry Collections:

Zones of Assault (1991)

The Cartographer’s Apprentice (2000)

Vanishing Acts: New and Selected Poems 1985–2005 (2006)

Central Time (2014)

Jonahwhale (2018) — which was shortlisted for the Sahitya Akademi Award

His poetry is known for its cosmopolitan sensibility, rich imagery, and fusion of myth, memory, and modernity.

🌺 Themes and Style

Hoskote’s poetry often explores themes such as exile, belonging, faith, art, and cultural memory. His language is precise yet musical, and his imagery often draws from history, mythology, and visual art. He bridges the local and the global, connecting Indian traditions with world literature and philosophy.

🎨 Art Criticism and Curatorial Work

Apart from being a poet, Ranjit Hoskote is also a leading art critic and curator. He has written extensively on modern and contemporary Indian art, and has curated major exhibitions, including India’s first-ever national pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2011).

He has authored books on artists such as M.F. Husain and Atul Dodiya, and has been a fellow at prestigious institutions like the Salzburg Global Seminar and the International Writing Program at Iowa.

🏅 Awards and Recognition

Ranjit Hoskote has received several honors for his contributions to literature and art, including:

Sahitya Akademi Golden Jubilee Award for Poetry (2004)

Indian Poets Abroad Award (1999)

Fellowships and residencies at international literary centers

🕊️ Legacy

Ranjit Hoskote represents a bridge between poetry, art, and philosophy in contemporary Indian writing. His work is admired for its intellectual depth, cultural range, and lyrical grace. Through both his poems and his art criticism, he continues to shape the modern Indian literary and artistic landscape, inspiring readers to see the world with imagination and empathy.