Pico Iyer

Pico Iyer Biography

Pico Iyer is a renowned author of international acclaim. He is of Indian origin with roots from Gujarat, but born and brought up in England. He writes books on crossing cultures in English language, and some of his major works include - Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk and The Global Soul. He also publishes columns regularly in different forms of international publications.  He is a fourth generation member of famous Gujarati educationalist, writer and social reformer - Mahipatram Rupram Nilkanth. Many of his family writers are well-known writers and social workers, and Pico Iyer represents the present generation.

His full name is Siddharth Pico Raghavan Iyer. He was born in Oxford, England on 11 February 1957. The author of essays and novels, his father was Raghavan N. Iyer, an Oxford philosopher and political theorist, while his mother is the religious scholar Nandini Nanak Mehta. Both his parents grew up in India, but later settled in England where Pico was born. At the age of 7, the family moved to California, where they got permanently settled. He is married to Hiroko Takeuchi.

He is the great-great-great grandson of Mahipatram Rupram Nilkanth, a social worker, reformer and author. His great-great-great grandmother Rupkunwarba was also a social reformer, who supported her husband for his social activities. Ramanbhai Neelkanth, best known for his humour works and a mayor of Ahmedabad, his wife Vidyagauri Nilkanth, a social reformer and author, their daughter - Vinodini Nilkanth, a well-known writer are some of the famous members of his family, best known for their contributions towards Gujarati literature, education and social work.

His professional career began with Harvard University before joining Time in 1982 as a writer on world affairs. As a part of his writings, he extensively travelled in many countries after that. He authored Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, The Global Soul and The Man Within My Head. He is a frequent speaker at literary festivals and universities around the world

Published: January 10, 2019

Updated: January 10, 2019