(born 1932), Trinidadian writer, resident in Britain from 1950; full name Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul. He is best known for his satirical novels, such as A House for Mr. Biswas (1961) and In a Free State (1971). Other notable works: A Way in the World (1994) and Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions among the Converted People (1998). Nobel Prize for Literature (2001).