Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi married in 2004 and acquired divorced in 2007. (File)
New York:
Salman Rushdie is “pulling through” and is on the “road to recovery”, his former spouse and celebrated TV character Padma Lakshmi and his agent mentioned on Sunday, two days after the Mumbai-born writer was stabbed in New York in what US authorities described as a “targeted, unprovoked, preplanned” assault.
Rushdie was taken off a ventilator on Saturday and will speak after the best-selling writer was stabbed on stage at a literary occasion in New York state on Friday.
Rushdie, 75, and Chennai-born Lakshmi married in 2004 and acquired divorced in 2007. Lakshmi, 51, who’s herself an writer and the host of the hit culinary TV present TopChef, was Rushdie’s fourth spouse.
“Relieved @SalmanRushdie is pulling through after Friday’s nightmare. Worried and wordless, can finally exhale. Now hoping for swift healing,” she mentioned in a tweet.
Relieved @SalmanRushdie is pulling by means of after Friday’s nightmare. Nervous and wordless, can lastly exhale. Now hoping for swift therapeutic.
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) August 14, 2022
The New York Occasions reported that Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wylie mentioned, “The road to recovery has begun. It will be long; the injuries are severe, but his condition is headed in the right direction.” Rushdie, who confronted Islamist loss of life threats for years after writing “The Satanic Verses”, was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident recognized as Hadi Matar, the US nationwide of Lebanese origin, on stage on Friday whereas he was being launched at a literary occasion of the Chautauqua Establishment in Western New York.
“@SalmanRushdie off ventilator and talking! Continued prayers from all @chq,” Chautauqua Establishment president Michael Hill mentioned in a tweet on Saturday evening. Rushdie’s agent Wylie confirmed to the US media.
Rushdie was placed on a ventilator after he was stabbed by Matar.
Earlier on Saturday, Matar pleaded not responsible to expenses of tried homicide and assault at a quick court docket look the place he was denied bail.
Matar was charged with tried homicide and assault within the stabbing of Rushdie and he pleaded not responsible. He made his look in court docket, sporting a black-and-white striped jumpsuit and handcuffed.
Chautauqua County District Legal professional Jason Schmidt offered the small print of Rushdie’s accidents in court docket throughout Matar’s arraignment Saturday afternoon.
The writer’s accidents embody three stab wounds to the correct aspect of the entrance of his neck, 4 stab wounds to his abdomen, a puncture wound to his proper eye and chest, and a laceration on his proper thigh, in response to the county prosecutor.
“This was a targeted, unprovoked, preplanned attack on Mr Rushdie,” Schmidt alleged.
Matar faces as much as 32 years if convicted of each expenses, Schmidt mentioned.
The assault on Rushdie drew shock and condemnation from world leaders and literary stalwarts.
US President Joe Biden mentioned in an announcement on Saturday that he and First Woman Jill Biden have been “shocked and saddened” to be taught of the “vicious” assault on the writer.
“Salman Rushdie — with his insight into humanity, with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced — stands for essential, universal ideals. Truth. Courage. Resilience. The ability to share ideas without fear. These are the building blocks of any free and open society. And today, we reaffirm our commitment to those deeply American values in solidarity with Rushdie and all those who stand for freedom of expression,” Biden mentioned.
“We, together with all Americans and people around the world, are praying for his health and recovery. I am grateful to the first responders and the brave individuals who jumped into action to render aid to Rushdie and subdue the attacker,” he added.
UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres mentioned he’s “appalled” to be taught concerning the assault on Rushdie. “The Secretary-General was appalled to learn of the attack on renowned novelist Salman Rushdie,” an announcement issued on Friday by his spokesperson mentioned.
“In no case is violence a response to words spoken or written by others in their exercise of the freedoms of opinion and expression,” Guterres mentioned, conveying his needs for Rushdie’s early restoration.
European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell “strongly” condemned the assault on Saturday evening.
“International rejection of such criminal actions, which violate fundamental rights and freedoms, is the only path towards a better and more peaceful world”, Borrell tweeted.
Rushdie lived in hiding and underneath police safety for years after late Iranian chief Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini put out a fatwa in 1989 calling for his loss of life in retribution for his guide The Satanic Verses.
A report in The New York Occasions mentioned in response to prosecutors, Rushdie was stabbed roughly 10 instances within the premeditated assault.
“In court, prosecutors said that the attack on the author was premeditated and targeted,” the report mentioned, including that Matar travelled by bus to the “intellectual retreat in western New York and purchased a pass that allowed him to attend” the speak “Rushdie was to give on Friday morning”.
Rushdie, the writer of 14 novels, was knighted in 2007 for companies to literature.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
