See, from writing stories that connect with the general public or readers on a deeper level to inspirational and full-of-depth poetry, Indian writers have always been at it with full force. It is like literature has always been in our blood, and that really shows in the good works of the biggest, and most famous writers from the country. And if you want to know more about that, well, then keep on reading today’s post where we’ll talk about the top 10 famous Indian writers and their books. Alright, here we go now.
1. Rabindranath Tagore
First of all, do you even know that Rabindranath Tagore was the first person from outside of Europe to win the Nobel Prize for Literature? Yes, he did so in 1913, and that in itself was a big achievement, not just on an individual level, but for India too. If we were to talk about his phenomenal and best work, well, then we’d be highlighting “Gitanjali,” a masterpiece that tackles spirituality and devotion in poetry form. His work is already related to you if you’ve ever sung “Jana Gana Mana,” India’s national anthem.
2. R.K. Narayan
You can thank R.K. Narayan if you’ve ever walked around the town of Malgudi in your thoughts because that was a made-up or fictional place. But it always felt so real, right? Well, that was the magic of R.K. Narayan’s writing skills. He was born in Chennai in 1906, and his simplicity and sense of fun show what Indian life is really like and all about, you know? His most well-known work, “The Guide,” won the Sahitya Akademi Award and was a big hit.
3. Salman Rushdie
Imagine writing a book that is so important, famous, and influential that it wins the Booker Prize and then the Booker of Bookers. That’s “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie for you, which is super interesting to read, no matter your age. Talking about his personal life, well, Salman Rushdie was born in 1947, and his stories are truly one-of-a-kind because they mix fantasy and reality in a way called “magical realism.” And “Midnight’s Children” is precisely the mix of just that, you know, a complex story about people’s lives and India’s history as it became independent.
4. Vikram Seth
Have you ever read a book that was so long and interesting that you wished it never ended? Well, that happens to the best of us, especially when the author or writer of the book is Vikram Seth, you know? Vikram Seth’s epic book named “A Suitable Boy,” which came out in 1952, tells the stories of four families in India after the partition. The concept of the story revolves around simple but super important aspects of life, like love, politics, and social change, and that’s the very reason why it is a must-read for everyone.
5. Jhumpa Lahiri
What if you could clearly and deeply show what the Indian diaspora is all about and win the Pulitzer Prize for it? Well, that’s precisely what Jhumpa Lahiri did with her very first book, “The Interpreter of Maladies.” Jhumpa Lahiri, who was born in 1967, writes about identity, moving, and cultural conflict. And yes, how can we forget about her books, like “The Namesake” and “The Lowland,” which are about immigrants and show how people interact with each other in very real ways? If you really want to support Indian writers, you must check out Jhumpa Lahiri’s work.
6. Amitav Ghosh
Well, have you ever thought about how truth and fiction can fit together so well? This is done very well by Amitav Ghosh, who was born in 1956. Talking about his best work like his book “The Glass Palace” is a big story set in Burma when it was ruled by Britain. Some of Ghosh’s books, like “The Shadow Lines” and “Sea of Poppies,” have complex plots that are based in history and deal with issues like immigration and colonialism, you know?
7. Rohinton Mistry
What if you could see the good and bad times in India’s Parsi community through the eyes of a great storyteller? Well, Rohinton Mistry did just that, who was born in 1952 and came into this literature world with “A Fine Balance,” which was a big hit from the get-go. What’s it all about? Well, it takes place during the Emergency and shows how the lives of four different people are connected amidst political chaos. Not just that though, “Family Matters” and Rohinton’s other book, “Such a Long Journey,” both have in-depth character studies that look at family and social relationships.
8. Mulk Raj Anand
Have you ever read a book that made you feel like you could not breathe because it was that much captivating? Well, the “Untouchable” by Mulk Raj Anand does just that. Mulk Raj Anand, who was born in 1905, was one of the writers who is truly considered a pioneer in Indian English writing. And it is not just for the sake of English writing, nah, his story of Bakha, a young sweeper boy, brought attention to discrimination based on caste.
9. Chetan Bhagat
Every new Indian reader who has even a little bit of interest in reading and writing knows about Chetan Bhagat. Why? Well, there was a time when he used to be the number one writer in the country when he released his “Five Point Someone” book, and Bollywood made movies around that, like “3 Idiots.” Not just that though, among the young population of the country, Bhagat’s books like “2 States” and “Half Girlfriend” were total hits from the get-go and we all know that, right?
10. Ruskin Bond
Lastly, do you want to take a trip to India’s beautiful hills? Ruskin Bond, who was born in 1934, will take you there. He wrote his first book, “The Room on the Roof,” when he was seventeen years old. It won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize. Bond’s simple, warm writing style brings life in Indian hill towns to life very clearly. His phenomenal work in writing stories like “A Flight of Pigeons” and “The Blue Umbrella” shows rural India with love and longing.
Conclusion
Now, these aren’t the only famous writers from India, there are dozens more. But, these are the ones that are or have been at the top of this literature scene, not just in India, but all around the globe. We truly hope you liked this list, alright then, we’ll see you in the next one.
