Now, it's Sir Salman Rushdie!

New Delhi: Indian-born author Salman Rushdie was conferred with knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II at the Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Rushdie was knighted for his contribution in the field of literature. Though the announcement of the title was made almost a year back, the actual ceremony was dalayed due protests from certain Muslim groups.

Rushdie's 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses had created a firestorm of controversy, with Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini calling the book a blasphemy against Islam.

Rushdie's second novel, Midnight's Children, won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was named the best novel in 25 years in 1993.