Vikram Seth

Hardtalk Extra caught up with Vikram Seth at the Hay festival

In a special edition of HardTalk Extra from the Hay literary festival in Wales, screened on Friday 9th June, Gavin Esler spoke to the Indian author Vikram Seth.

In the first of two special editions of Hardtalk Extra from the Hay Literary Festival in Wales, Gavin Esler talks to one of India's most acclaimed authors, Vikram Seth.

Seth's best known work is the epic novel A Suitable Boy.

But this diverse writer has also published poetry, travel writing and children's literature.

He talks to Gavin Esler about whether the 21st century will really be the "Asian century".

He also talks about his latest work Two Lives, both a memoir and investigative history of his extended family in England.

HARDtalk Extra can be seen on BBC World at 0330 GMT, 0830 GMT, 1530 GMT, 1830 GMT, 2330 GMT.

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30.