George Orwell (1903–1950) was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, born in Motihari, Bihar, India, to a British colonial family. Educated in England at Eton College, Orwell served in the Indian Imperial Police in Burma before turning to writing full-time. His early experiences with imperialism, poverty, and authoritarianism shaped his political conscience and literary voice.
Orwell is best known for two major works of political fiction: Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). A committed democratic socialist, Orwell wrote extensively on themes of social justice, totalitarianism, and the abuse of power. His works are marked by clarity of prose, fierce intellectual honesty, and an unwavering commitment to truth.
Orwell died of tuberculosis on 21 January 1950, but his works continue to be read worldwide for their political insight and literary excellence.
