Ved Mehta

Ved Parkash Mehta (March 21, 1930 – January 9, 2023) was a renowned Indian-American author, journalist, and staff writer for The New Yorker for over 40 years. Born in Lahore (now Pakistan) and blinded by cerebrospinal meningitis at age three, Mehta defied societal expectations by becoming one of the first blind students admitted to Oxford University. He went on to study at Harvard and became a prolific writer, publishing over 34 books including memoirs, essays, and works on Indian politics and culture. His writing was characterized by elegant prose and deeply personal yet universally resonant reflections on disability, identity, and belonging. Mehta's journalism for The New Yorker covered significant geopolitical events, including the partition of India and subsequent communal tensions. His autobiographical works, particularly his four-volume memoir series, are considered classics of disability literature and have inspired readers worldwide to reconsider assumptions about blindness and human potential.