Nissim Ezekiel

Nissim Ezekiel (16 December 1924 – 9 January 2004) was an Indian poet, playwright, editor, broadcaster, and art critic of Jewish descent, renowned as the father of post-independence Indian English poetry for introducing modernist techniques and an ironic, humorous voice to explore themes of urban life, identity, and cultural hybridity in postcolonial India.

Born into Mumbai's Bene Israel Jewish community to a secular family—his father a botany professor at Wilson College and his mother a school principal—Ezekiel was educated in English literature at the same institution before pursuing philosophy at Birkbeck College, London, in 1948. He published his debut poetry collection, A Time to Change, in London in 1952, marking the beginning of a prolific career that blended personal introspection with social commentary. Returning to India that year, he worked as an assistant editor at The Illustrated Weekly of India, broadcast for All India Radio, and served as art critic for The Times of India, while also editing the literary journal Quest to promote progressive writing.

Nissim Ezekiel was born on December 16, 1924, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, into a Marathi-speaking Bene Israel Jewish family. The Bene Israel community, one of India's oldest Jewish groups, traced its roots to ancient migrations and had integrated deeply into Indian society while maintaining cultural and religious traditions. As the third of five children—comprising three boys and two girls—Ezekiel grew up in a household that valued intellectual pursuits amid the city's vibrant diversity.

His father, Moses Ezekiel Talkar, was a professor of botany at Wilson College in Bombay, contributing to the family's academic orientation. His mother, Diana Ezekiel, served as the principal of a high school for girls and was an amateur stage actress, fostering an environment rich in cultural exposure. The family emphasized education and secular values, despite their Jewish heritage, reflecting the broader religious tolerance in India that allowed such professional and personal freedoms. This upbringing instilled a sense of cosmopolitanism, with the household blending Jewish customs alongside Indian influences.