Biography of Shobha De

(Born: 7 January 1948, Satara)

Shobha De has had a diverse career as a model, copywriter, and the first editor of 'Stardust and Society. The daughter of a top bureaucrat, who was based in Delhi for many years, De was raised in Bombay from the age of eight. After earning a college degree in psychology, she plunged into the world of glamour, becoming a top fashion model by the time she was 21. After three years of modelling and a brief stint as a copywriter at an advertising agency, De took up journalism.

She has published seven novels, all of which have been extremely successful. It was in 1988 that Shobha De's name popped up on the bestseller lists as the successful author of the novel 'Socialite Evenings. Today, four of her books - "Socialite Evenings', 'Starry Nights', 'Sisters and 'Strange Obsessions are part of the syllabi of Indian literature at the London University. The erotic content of her novels has been somewhat controversial with some reviewers while others suggest that she is countering the taboos held by many writers.