Salman Rushdie honoured after first in-person appearance after stabbing

It was his first in-person appearance at a public event since he was attacked last August while on stage at a literary festival in Western New York

Salman Rushdie in New York (AP)

Salman Rushdie has made an emotional and unexpected return to public life, attending the annual gala of PEN America and giving the literary event’s final speech as he accepted a special prize, the PEN Centenary Courage Award.

The event comes just nine months being after he was stabbed repeatedly during an appearance in New York state.