Nissim Ezekiel (1924-2004) is one of the best-known poets of Indian English, an idiom which he used cleverly, subtly and richly as a means to explore the mind and sensibility of his compatriots. When he began his writing career in the late 1940s, his intial use of formal and ‘correct' English was perceived in critical terms. After 1965, however, he turned his interest to the shades and subtleties of Indianised English. Most of his poetry was that of the urban India, tackling issues of alienation, love, marriage and sexuality.

Ezekiel was born on 14 December 1924 in Bombay (present day Mumbai). His father, Moses Ezekiel, was a professor of botany at Wilson College, and his mother was the principal of her own school. The Ezekiels belonged to the Bene Israel community, a Jewish community

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Citation: Pulugurtha, Nishi. "Nissim Ezekiel". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 11 February 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1467, accessed 19 March 2024.]

1467 Nissim Ezekiel 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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