The British writer Salman Rushdie, who has been hunted by Iran for 33 years, has been stabbed and wounded in New York

Salman Rushdie, the Indian-born British author sentenced to death in Iran for 33 years for writing and publishing his novel “The Satanic Verses,” was on stage in New York State Friday (August 12) to give a lecture when he was attacked by an assailant who rushed onto the stage, sustaining multiple injuries. But after being taken to the hospital for surgery, his life is not in danger.

Rushdie, 75, gave a lecture Friday at the Chautauqua Institution in southwestern New York state before an audience of about 2,500 people. As Mr. Rushdie took the stage and was being introduced by the host, a man dressed in black rushed onto the stage, Shouting at Mr. Rushdie, wielding a knife and attacking him. Mr. Rushdie quickly fell to the ground in a pool of blood. Rushdie was airlifted to hospital and underwent surgery.

The suspect was overpowered and arrested at the scene. New York State Police named the suspect as Hadi Matar, 24, of New Jersey. Matar was born a decade after the publication of The Satanic Verses, so his motive for the attack is unclear.

Mr. Rushdie was born in Mumbai, India, and moved to Britain with his parents. His 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses” angered the Iranian authorities, who sentenced him to death in absentia and offered a bounty of more than $3 million to anyone who killed him. The Iranian government has never revoked the fatwa.

An Associated Press reporter was at the Chautauqua College lecture when the attack occurred. According to the reporter’s on-site observations, the assailant rushed onto the stage as the host was introducing Mr. Rushdie. The assailant immediately struck or stabbed Mr. Rushdie 10 to 15 times, pushing or falling to the ground. The entire attack lasted about 20 seconds. The suspect was arrested at the scene by police protecting Rushdie.

Dr. Martin Haskell, a doctor at the scene who helped save Mr. Rushdie, described his injuries as “serious but curable,” according to the Associated Press.

The host of the lecture, Henry Reese, co-founder of an organization that provides housing to persecuted writers, was also attacked on the stage and suffered face injuries. He was treated at a hospital for minor injuries and released. Mr. Rees, 73, was prepared to discuss the United States as a place of refuge for exiled writers and other artists with Mr. Rushdie.

Under the threat of an Iranian fatwa, Mr. Rushdie kept a relatively low profile for decades. New York police sent a state trooper and a local sheriff to maintain order. And after the attack, it was the state trooper on the scene who took the suspect into custody. But many also questioned why the police failed to send more officers to protect Mr. Rushdie.

The Associated Press quoted Rabbi Savenor, a spectator at the scene, as saying there was confusion as the attack unfolded. “What’s the matter? Everyone is asking. But within seconds it became clear that Mr. Rushdie had been attacked.