- Source of Wealth: Books
- Age: 72
- Birth Place: Mumbai, India
- Height: 1.7 m (5′ 7″)
- Weight: 187 lbs (85 kg)
- Marital Status: Divorced (Padma Lakshmi)
- Full Name: Ahmad Salman Rushdie
- Nationality: Indian
- Date of Birth: June 19, 1947
- Ethnicity: Indian
- Occupation: Author
- Education: King’s College, University of Cambridge, Rugby School, Cathedral and John Connon School
- Children: 2 (Zafar and Milan)
Salman Rushdie is a British-Indian essayist and novelist with an estimated net worth of $15 million. He is a highly celebrated but one of the most controversial writers of the last few decades. His wealth comes from the many publications, from his performances in a few movies, and also from appearances on television shows.
Rushdie has published nine novels till now. They are Grimus, Midnight’s Children, Shame, The Satanic Verses, The Moor’s Last Sigh, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Fury, Shalimar the Clown, and The Enchantress of Florence. The last novel was published in 2008. Most of his novels have been critically acclaimed. Probably the most controversial of his works is The Satanic Verses. Following its publication, the religious leader of Iran at that time Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini announced a fatwā on Radio Tehran. The novel continues to be banned in many countries with a significant Muslim population. Attempts have been made on his life as well. But Rushdie continues to live and write.
Rushdie has written essays and non-fiction works and books for children too. Over the years, he has received several awards and recognitions for his work. Some of them are, Author of the Year (British Book Awards), Booker Prize for Fiction, Golden PEN Award, James Joyce Award – University College Dublin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Honorary Professorship, Premio Grinzane Cavour (Italy), and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award for Children’s Fiction, among many others.
He received the knighted for services to literature in 2007. It was given to him on the birthday of the Queen. Al-Qaeda condemned the honor bestowed upon Salman Rushdie. Al-Qaeda said that it was “an insult to Islam”.