Paul Scott, born in Middlesex on March 25, 1920, and passing away in London on March 1, 1978, was a distinguished English novelist, playwright, and poet. Scott served in the army from 1940 to 1946, spending much of his time in India and Malaya, experiences that vividly influenced his writing.

He is most renowned for his tetralogy known as The Raj Quartet, a richly detailed series exploring the complexities of the British Raj in India. In 1977, his novel Staying On won the prestigious Booker Prize, cementing his place in the annals of English literature.