- published: 24 Mar 2015
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Vikas Swarup (Hindi: विकास स्वरूप; Urdu: وکاس سوروپ ) is an Indian novelist and diplomat who has served in Turkey, the United States, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Japan, best known for his novels Q & A and Six Suspects.
Vikas Swarup was born in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh in a family of lawyers. He did his schooling from Boys' High School & College, Allahabad and pursued further studies at Allahabad University with subjects Psychology, History and Philosophy.
Vikas Swarup joined the elite Indian Foreign Service(IFS) in 1986.
He is currently, since August 2009, posted in Japan as India's Consul-General to Osaka-Kobe. His previous postings include stints in Ankara, Washington DC, Addis Ababa, London and Pretoria.
His debut novel, Q & A, tells the story of how a penniless waiter in Mumbai becomes the biggest quiz show winner in history. Critically acclaimed in India and abroad, this international bestseller has been translated into 43 different languages. It was shortlisted for the Best First Book by the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and won South Africa’s Exclusive Books Boeke Prize 2006, as well as the Prix Grand Public at the 2007 Paris Book Fair. It was voted winner of the Best Travel Read (Fiction) at the Heathrow Travel Product Award 2009.