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India's best book blog
121 Best Indian Books Written in English: A List of Must-Read Novels by Indian Authors (2020)
By Ravi on June 18, 2020 in Blogs
Are you confused about which book to read next? Are you searching for the best Indian books and novels by Indian authors to read? Do you have a particular genre in mind?
Don’t Worry!
Indian English Literature has come a long way – from just a few English books releasing a year previously to thousands of new titles launching every year now.
In 2020, India’s book market is valued at an with an estimated Rs 739 billion . India ranks second, after the US, in English language publishing with over 9000 publishers.
From a humble start in the 20th century, after Independence, India published 21,600 new English titles in 2010.
With so many books releasing and Indian literature developing by leaps and bounds, it can be a daunting task to find the best Indian novels amongst the lot.
To make this easier, we have compiled this list of “Best Indian Books” of all the different categories and genres.
Also Read : 75 Best Indian Authors in English: The Most Definitive List
NOTE : We have not included books by many award-winning authors of Indian-origin like Salman Rushdie (The Satanic Verses, Midnight’s Children), Jhumpa Lahiri (The Namesake), V.S. Naipaul (A Bend in the River), Rohinton Mistry (A Fine Balance) etc.
Table of Contents
(Click on an genre to navigate to the particular section)
- Literary Fiction
- Religion and Mythology
- Historical Fiction
- Mythological Fiction
- Thriller and Mystery
- Sci-Fi and Fantasy
- Biography and Memoir
- Travel and Places
Best Indian Classics
The guide by r.k. narayan.
The Guide is a 1958 novel written in English by the Indian author R. K. Narayan. Like most of his works, the novel is based on Malgudi, the fictional town in South India.
The novel describes the transformation of the protagonist, Raju, from a tour guide to a spiritual guide and then one of the greatest holy men of India.
The novel brought its author the 1960 Sahitya Akademi Award for English.
MALGUDI DAYS BY R.K. NARAYAN
Malgudi Days is a collection of short stories by R.K. Narayan published in 1943.
The book includes 32 stories, all set in the fictional town of Malgudi, located in South India. Each of the stories portrays a facet of life in Malgudi.
THE PRIVATE LIFE OF AN INDIAN PRINCE BY MULK RAJ ANAND
The Private Life of an Indian Prince is a novel by Mulk Raj Anand first published in 1953. This book deals with the abolition of the princely states system in India.
UNTOUCHABLE BY MULK RAJ ANAND
Untouchable was inspired by Anand’s aunt’s experience when she had a meal with a Muslim woman and was treated as an outcast by his family.
The plot of this book revolves around the argument for eradicating the caste system.
TRAIN TO PAKISTAN BY KHUSHWANT SINGH
Train to Pakistan recounts the Partition of India in August 1947.
Instead of depicting the Partition in terms of only the political events surrounding it, Singh digs into a deep local focus, providing a human dimension which brings to the event a sense of reality, horror, and believability.
GODAN BY MUNSHI PREMCHAND, TRANSLATED BY JAI RATAN
Godan is a Hindi novel by Munshi Premchand, translated into English as The Gift of a Cow .
It is themed around the socio-economic deprivation as well as the exploitation of the village poor. It was translated into English in 1957 by Jai Ratan.
THE ROOM ON THE ROOF BY RUSKIN BOND
The Room on the Roof is the story of an orphaned Anglo-Indian boy, Rusty, living in a European colony in Dehradun with his guardian Mr. Harrison, who wants him to stay away from Indians and groom him as a pure Englishman.
Related: A list of Ruskin Bond’s Best Books
THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF FELUDA BY SATYAJIT RAY
Between 1965 and 1992, Satyajit Ray wrote a total of 35 Feluda stories, featuring the master sleuth Pradosh C. Mitter, AKA Feluda.
These stories are now available in 2 volumes of The Complete Adventures of Feluda . They were translated into English by Gopa Majumdar.
COMBAT OF SHADOWS BY MANOHAR MALGONKAR
Manohar Malgonkar’s Combat of Shadows is the tale of an Anglo-Indian woman, Ruby Miranda, who dreams of becoming a pucca memsahib to an Englishman but has to face the reality of racial discrimination prevalent in pre-independence India.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN UNKNOWN INDIAN BY NIRAD C. CHAUDHURI
The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian is an astonishing work of self-discovery. In this book he mingles the growth and changes of India’s politics, societies, national feelings with those of his own personality. It is a serious and introspective narrative and historical testimony.
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Best Indian Literary Fiction Novels
The god of small things by arundhati roy.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is a story about the childhood experiences of fraternal twins Esthappen and Rahel, whose lives are destroyed by the “Love Laws” that are laid down by the society.
The book explores how the small things affect people’s behaviour and their lives. It won the Booker Prize in 1997.
THE WHITE TIGER BY ARAVIND ADIGA
The White Tiger provides a darkly humorous perspective of India’s class struggle in a globalized world. The novel has been well-received, making the New York Times bestseller list in addition to winning the Man Booker Prize.
It is a first-person narrative of Balram Halwai, an impoverished young man from a small village who moves to Delhi to work as a chauffeur for the rich.
THE INHERITANCE OF LOSS BY KIRAN DESAI
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai follows the journey of Biju, an illegal immigrant in the US who is trying to make a new life; and Sai, an Anglicised Indian girl living with her grandfather in India.
The major theme is colonialism and the effects of post-colonialism.
A SUITABLE BOY BY VIKRAM SETH
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth is set in a newly post-independence, post-partition India.
The novel follows the story of four families over a period of 18 months, and centres on Mrs Rupa Mehra’s efforts to arrange the marriage of her younger daughter, Lata, to a “suitable boy”.
It is one of the longest novels published in a single volume in the English language.
SEA OF POPPIES BY AMITAV GHOSH
At the heart of the story of Sea of Poppies is a vast ship, the Ibis.
Her destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean shortly before the outbreak of the Opium Wars in China and onboard are a diverse cast of characters.
Another famous novel by Amitav Ghosh is “The Hungry Tide”.
NARCOPOLIS BY JEET THAYIL
Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil is about the lives of a few people, bound together by a common passion – Opium, and about Bombay, in a way we have never heard of before.
Bombay is stripped off its glamour, riches, beaches, skylines and we are taken to Shuklaji Street, to Rashid’s opium den, and are impelled to see the other side of Bombay.
THE GREAT INDIAN NOVEL BY SHASHI THAROOR
The Great Indian Novel is a satirical novel by Shashi Tharoor which takes the story of the Mahabharata and recasts and resets it in the context of the Indian Independence Movement and the first three decades post-independence.
FASTING, FEASTING BY ANITA DESAI
Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai is the story of a family living in a small town in India, where provincial customs and attitudes dictate the future of all children: girls are to be married off and boys are to become as educated as possible.
THE HOUSE OF BLUE MANGOES BY DAVID DAVIDAR
A gripping family chronicle, David Davidar’s The House of Blue Mangoes spans nearly half a century and three generations of the Dorai family as they search for their place in a rapidly changing society.
The novel brings vividly to life a small corner of India while offering a stark indictment of colonialism.
VANITY BAGH BY ANEES SALIM
Vanity Bagh is about the life of a boy from the minority community. The book is not about hope. It is about hopelessness.
More than anything else, it is about distress and religious intolerance that can divide humanity and win elections.
Best Books on Indian History
Related: 53 Best Books on Indian History (The Complete Guide)
EARLY INDIA FROM THE ORIGINS TO AD 1300 BY ROMILA THAPAR
Romila Thapar’s Early India explores India’s past quite vividly, helping readers to visualize the formation of a nation and how it grew and flourished over generations.
It explores all varieties of hue that India represented from then to now and documents India like it has never been documented before.
HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL INDIA BY SATISH CHANDRA
History of Medieval India provides a comprehensive overview of the history of medieval India.
It covers the thousand-year period between the eighth and the eighteenth century.
It deals with the histories of many known and lesser-known kingdoms. Kingdoms included are the Cholas, Rajputs, Turks, Vijayanagara, Bahmanis, Mughals, Marathas etc.
FROM PLASSEY TO PARTITION: A HISTORY OF MODERN INDIA BY SEKHAR BANDYOPADHYAY
From Plassey to Partition is an eminently readable account of the emergence of India as a nation.
It covers about two hundred years of political and socio-economic turbulence – 1757 to 1947 – and maps a wide and often complicated terrain of historical happenings.
It presents the entire history of the rise of various Indian freedom fighters. It also talks of the Partition that led to the creation of India and Pakistan.
INDIA’S STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE BY BIPAN CHANDRA
Bipin Chandra’s book, India’s Struggle for Independence , is a well-documented history of India’s freedom struggle against the British rule.
It is one of the most accurate books which has been painstakingly written after thorough research based on legal and valid verbal and written sources.
The book also explains in detail Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation and the civil disobedience movements.
INDIA’S WAR: WORLD WAR II AND THE MAKING OF MODERN SOUTH ASIA BY SRINATH RAGHAVAN
In India’s War , historian Srinath Raghavan paints a compelling picture of battles abroad and of life on the home front, arguing that the war is crucial to explaining how and why colonial rule ended in South Asia.
LAND OF THE SEVEN RIVERS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF INDIA’S GEOGRAPHY BY SANJEEV SANYAL
In Land of the Seven Rivers , Sanjeev Sanyal sets off to explore India and look at how the country’s history was shaped by, among other things, its rivers, mountains and cities.
HIMALAYAN BLUNDER: THE ANGRY TRUTH ABOUT INDIA’S MOST CRUSHING MILITARY DISASTER BY BRIGADIER JOHN DALVI
Himalayan Blunder dealt with the causes, consequences and aftermath of the Sino-Indian War of 1962, that ended in Chinese People’s Liberation Army inflicting a defeat on India.
Brigadier Dalvi served in the Indian Army and gives a first-person account of the war.
The book was banned by the Indian Government after its publication.
WHAT HAPPENED TO NETAJI? BY ANUJ DHAR
What Happened to Netaji talks about the controversy surrounding the death of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and lights the factual position with regard to the air crash theory.
It provides three prominent theories of Bose’s death zeroing in on what has come to be known as the Faizabad angle of the Bose mystery.
AN ERA OF DARKNESS: THE BRITISH EMPIRE IN INDIA BY SHASHI THAROOR
In this explosive book, An Era of Darkness , bestselling author Shashi Tharoor reveals with acuity, impeccable research, and trademark wit, just how disastrous British rule was for India.
Besides examining the many ways in which the colonizers exploited India, he demolishes the arguments of Western and Indian apologists for Empire on the supposed benefits of British rule.
Best Indian Books on Religion and Mythology
The complete works of swami vivekananda.
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda is an 8-volume set and contains all the books, lecture, discussions, prose, poetry, and letters written by Swami Vivekananda, a spiritual teacher who introduced Hindu philosophies such as Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.
MAHABHARATA BY C. RAJAGOPALACHARI (Translator)
Originally published in the year 1951, this book is an abridged English retelling of Vyasa’s Mahabharata .
The Mahabharata is not a mere epic; it is a romance, telling the tale of heroic men and women, and of some who were divine; it is a whole literature in itself, containing a code of life, a philosophy of social and ethical relations, and speculative thought on human problems.
YAJNASENI: THE STORY OF DRAUPADI BY PRATIBHA RAY
Yajnaseni makes a determined effort for a balanced portrayal of the epic character of Draupadi and brings to the surface the broader and deeper aspects of her mind that lay submerged in the majestic sweep of the grand Mahabharata.
It was translated into English by Pradip Bhattacharya.
RAMAYANA (Series) BY ASHOK K. BANKER
Ashok K. Banker’s Ramayana Series is a retelling of Valmiki Ramayanam .
It is a set of 8 books – Prince of Ayodhya, Siege of Mithila, Demons of Chitrakut, Armies of Hanuman, Bridge of Rama, King of Ayodhya, Vengeance of Ravana and Sons of Sita.
MYTH = MITHYA: A HANDBOOK OF HINDU MYTHOLOGY BY DEVDUTT PATTANAIK
In Myth = Mithya , Devdutt retells sacred Hindu stories and decodes Hindu symbols and rituals, using a unique style of commentary, illustrations and diagrams.
The aim is not to outgrow myth, but to be enriched and empowered by its ancient, potent and still relevant language.
my HANUMAN CHALISA BY DEVDUTT PATTANAIK
In my Hanuman Chalisa , acclaimed mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik demystifies Hinduism’s most popular prayer for the contemporary reader.
His unique approach makes the ancient hymn accessible, combined as it is with his trademark illustrations.
Best Indian Historical Fiction Novels
The devil’s wind by manohar malgonkar.
The Devil’s Wind by Manohar Malgonkar tells the story of Nana Saheb, who played a leading role in the 1857 War of Independence.
It provides a sympathetic portrait of a man whom the British portrayed as a great villain.
The book is written as an autobiography in which Nana Saheb describes his life in his own words.
CHANAKYA’S CHANT BY ASHWIN SANGHI
In Chanakya’s Chant , Ashwin Sanghi takes the greatest strategist of Indian History, Chanakya and makes us question –
“What if Chanakya were alive today?”; “What if he were a player in today’s politics?”; “Would his brilliance and principles be relevant even in today’s murky politics?”
TAJ MAHAL TRILOGY BY INDU SUNDARESAN
The Taj Mahal Trilogy is a woman-centric tale of power, passion and love.
The first part, The Twentieth Wife , narrates the story of Mehrunnisa, the powerful wife of Jahangir.
The second part, The Feast of Roses , narrates the story of Mumtaz Mahal.
The third part, Shadow Princess , is the story of Jahanara, the daughter of Shah Jahan and the sister of Aurangzeb.
HARAPPA: CURSE OF THE BLOOD RIVER BY VINEET BAJPAI
Harappa: Curse of the Blood River knits 3,700 years of powerful ancient and modern-day characters and a nail-biting conspiracy – all in one literary thriller.
It is the first among a series of four books. A saga of violence and deceit, gods and demons, love and ambition.
EMPIRE BY DEVI YESODHARAN
Devi Yesodharan’s Empire is the tale of an archer and warrior in the empire of Rajendra Chola, who ruled a vast empire from 1014-44.
This warrior is not from South India but rather a Greek woman, who has been surrendered in defeat by a raiding party bested by the Cholas.
ZELALDINUS: A MASQUE BY IRWIN ALLAN SEALY
Zelaldinus is a fictional story which involves the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, and a current-generation tourist Irv. Together they rediscover the gloomy city of Fatehpur Sikri; a city which was abandoned soon after its completion.
Best Mythological Fiction Books by Indian Authors
Shiva trilogy by amish tripathi.
The Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi is on a radical idea that all Gods were once human beings; it was their deeds in the human life that made them famous as Gods.
The three books of the trilogy are – The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras.
ASURA: TALE OF THE VANQUISHED BY ANAND NEELAKANTAN
Anand Neelakantan’s Asura: Tale of the Vanquished depicts the tale of Ramayana from the viewpoint of Ravana and a common Asura, Bhadra.
The book attempts to highlight the voice of the vanquished as opposed to the victor’s version of Ramayana that is commonly known.
THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS BY CHITRA BANERJEE DIVAKARUNI
The Palace of Illusions is a rendition of the Hindu epic Mahabharata as told from Draupadi’s viewpoint, namely, that of a woman living in a patriarchal world.
The novel traces the princess Panchaali’s life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom.
THE ARYAVARTA CHRONICLES BY KRISHNA UDAYASANKAR
The Aryavarta Chronicles (Trilogy) isn’t the usual tale of Mahabharata.
Rather, it is a completely new myriad of characters woven into the familiar story of the Kauravas and the Pandavas seen through the eyes of Govinda Shauri.
THUNDERGOD: THE ASCENDANCE OF INDRA BY RAJIV G. MENON
Thundergod by Rajv G Menon is the story of Indra, born of a prophetic union between the Earth Goddess Gaia and Daeyus, chief of the Devas.
It is a compelling saga, blended by history, spiced by legend and mutated by myth.
KARNA’S WIFE: THE OUTCAST’S QUEEN BY KAVITA KANE
Karna’s Wife: The Outcast’s Queen tells the extraordinary story of Karna, the unsung hero of the Mahabharata, through the eyes of his wife Uruvi, bringing his story to the reader from a unique perspective.
SARASWATI’S INTELLIGENCE BY VAMSEE JULURI
The Kishkindha Chronicles re-imagines the ancient prehistory of India from a startlingly new perspective that will make us rethink what it means to be human and animal.
Saraswati’s Intelligence is the first book in the trilogy.
Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta by Amish
Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta is worth every minute that you spend reading it.
With the classic combination of action and adventure doused in a generous dose of mythology and fantasy, the book appeals to almost every kind of reader.
That Amish decides to pour in a generous amount of information and detailing is like the icing on top.
Keepers of the Kalachakra by Ashwin Sanghi
Keepers of the Kalachakra is a historical cum mythological cum science-fiction thriller which revolves around an ancient concept in Vajrayana Buddhism – the Kalachakra .
The writing makes use of many mystical concepts, scientific theorems & researches, historical incidents and, conspiracy theories which Ashwin blends in beautifully with the story.
Best Romance Novels by Indian Writers
Related: Best Indian Romance Novels | A List of 20 Romantic Books
THE ONE YOU CANNOT HAVE BY PREETI SHENOY
Preeti Shenoy’s The One You Cannot Have handles the delicate subject of love failure and depression and puts a different spin to things.
It gives us a message that if the situations are handled in a more matured way all these lives can be saved.
I TOO HAD A LOVE STORY BY RAVINDER SINGH
Not all love stories are meant to have a perfect ending. I Too Had a Love Story by Ravinder Singh is one such saga.
It is a tender and heartfelt tale of Ravin and Khushi — two people who find each other on a matrimonial site and fall in love until life puts their love to the ultimate test.
THIS IS NOT YOUR STORY BY SAVI SHARMA
This is Not Your Story follows the story of 4 youngsters – Shaurya, Miraya, Anubhav and Kasturi, and how they tackle their problems and conquer life.
The book explores what it takes to dream fearlessly and giving love a second chance.
Another good book by Savi Sharma is Everyone Has A Story .
THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS BY DURJOY DATTA
The Girl of My Dreams by Durjoy Datta is the story of Daman who suffers a memory lapse after he wakes up from a coma following a car accident.
All he remembers now is a name — Shreyasi, a girl who was in the same car and whose hazy face now haunts his dreams.
IT’S ALL IN THE PLANETS BY PREETI SHENOY
It’s All in the Planets is the story of how four people’s lives and their two love stories coincide to bring a permanent change in all their lives.
It is a very fresh and unique love story which transcends age and geographical boundaries and makes you go all gooey in the heart.
SORRY YOU’RE NOT MY TYPE BY SUDEEP NAGARKAR
Sorry, You’re Not My Type is the story of one of the reputed Delhi based college music band, VAYU – Vikrant, Anamika and Yuvi, and they will make you believe ‘When your passion and purpose is greater than your fears, you find a way to overcome them’.
THOSE PRICEY THAKUR GIRLS BY ANUJA CHAUHAN
Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan , set in 1988, revolves around the Thakur family of Hailey Road, which includes Justice Laxminarayan, his wife and their five daughters who are named alphabetically – Anjini, Binodini, Chandrakanta, Debjani and Eshwari.
2 STATES: THE STORY OF MY MARRIAGE BY CHETAN BHAGAT
2 States: The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat is about a couple coming from two different states in India, who face hardships in convincing their parents to approve of their marriage. The book is partly autobiographical.
A HALF-BAKED LOVE STORY BY ANURAG GARG
A Half-Baked Love Story unfolds a candid narration by a love-struck, dumbstruck and spellbound guy, Aarav, who confesses every last detail of his love story to his drunkard friends on a new year night. The tale of his first love Anamika.
JUST MARRIED, PLEASE EXCUSE BY YASHODHARA LAL
Just Married, Please Excuse by Yashodhara Lal is the story of a young couple, a quick-tempered big-city girl and a laidback desi boy, who must learn to adjust to married life and to each other with a little help from their idiosyncratic staff, Zarreena and Vinod, their nutty friend Vivi and, of course, their respective families.
Best Indian Thriller and Mystery Novels
Spy in the amber by manohar malgonkar.
Spy in Amber , first published in 1971, is set during the time when tensions between India and China were at its peak.
Hidden away from the world, in the deep belly of the Himalayas lies the Ragyabas monastery which has a treasure worth millions in its possession.
Fearing Chinese invasion, the head monk decides to hand over the treasure to India for safe-keeping. But, the Chinese have different plans.
SACRED GAMES BY VIKRAM CHANDRA
Sacred Games draws the reader deep into the life of Inspector Sartaj Singh, and into the criminal underworld of Ganesh Gaitonde, the most wanted gangster in India.
It is is a story of friendship and betrayal, of terrible violence, of an astonishing modern city and its dark side.
BYOMKESH BAKSHI (SERIES) BY SHARADINDU BANDYOPADHYAY
In the early thirties, a detective by the name of Byomkesh Bakshi made an unobtrusive entry into the world of Bengali fiction.
Within days he was a household name, courtesy his cerebral skills and the exciting situations he found himself in. The English version is translated by Monimala Dhar.
IF GOD WAS A BANKER BY RAVI SUBRAMANIAN
If God Was A Banker by Ravi Subramanian revolves around two management graduates who are in the rat race for success.
Sundeep is ambitious and selfish, which leads him to achieve his goals through unscrupulous means. Swami is the exact opposite as he sticks to his morals and ethics to ensure success in his career.
MURDER IN A MINUTE BY SHOUVIK BHATTACHARYA
In Murder in a Minute , when a young woman is found lifeless in a pool of her own blood, everyone is convinced that it is her college sweetheart who murdered her.
The victim’s step-brothers, Rishabh and Arya aren’t so convinced. They embark on a journey to unearth the truth, a journey riddled with fallacies and conspiracies, planted intentionally to trap them.
MARRY ME, STRANGER BY NOVONEEL CHAKRABORTY
Marry Me, Stranger is the story of Rivanah Bannerjee, a young and independent girl living alone in Mumbai.
Her life is in danger. Someone has been following her around, watching her every move, trying to get control over her life.
PATANG BY BHASKAR CHATTOPADHYAY
In Patang , a man is found brutally murdered, his body posed like a kite on the tallest cell tower in the city.
As one corpse after another turns up in the unlikeliest of places, maverick investigator Chandrakant Rathod has to pit his sharp instincts against the machinations of the sadistic, ruthless killer.
THE MURDER OF SONIA RAIKKONEN BY SALIL DESAI
In The Murder of Sonia Raikkonen , late one November night, the mutilated corpse of a young Finnish tourist is found in a public garden in Pune.
It looks like a case of brutal rape and murder, but Senior Inspector Saralkar and PSI Motkar find themselves probing further….delving deeper.
DEAD IN A MUMBAI MINUTE BY MADHUMITA BHATTACHARYA
In Dead in a Mumbai Minute , detective Reema Ray is given the case of the year – the murder of Ashutosh Dhingre, former assistant to fading Bollywood superstar Kimaaya Kapoor.
The location of the crime is Kimaaya’s private island. The suspects – her house guests, and Kimaaya herself!
A CUT LIKE WOUND BY ANITA NAIR
A Cut Like Wound begins on the first night of Ramadan when a young male prostitute is killed and burnt alive.
As bodies begin to pile up one after the other, and it becomes clear that a serial killer is on the prowl, Inspector Borei Gowda recognizes a pattern in the killings which no one else does.
Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books by Indian Writers
Professor shonku by satyajit ray.
Professor Shonku is a fictional scientist created by Satyajit Ray in a series of Bengali science-fiction books published from 1965.
His full name is Trilokeshwar Shonku, and by occupation, he is an inventor. Professor Shonku was translated into English by Sukanya Jhaveri in 1981.
GAMEWORLD TRILOGY BY SAMIT BASU
Three books, The Simoqin Prophecies, The Manticore’s Secret and The Unwaba Revelations, form the three parts of The GameWorld Trilogy .
The trilogy narrates the reawakening of the terrible rakshas, Danh-Gem, and the arrival of a hero to face him.
THE RISE OF SIVAGAMI BY ANAND NEELAKANTAN
Anand Neelakantan’s The Rise of Sivagami is a prequel to the epic Indian movie Bahubali: The Beginning.
The story revolves around Sivagami, a character of Baahubali. It also tells the readers more about Kattappa, another important character of the story.
THE DEVOURERS BY INDRA DAS
The Devourers is set during the reign of the Mughal Empire in the seventeenth century and extends to modern India.
It features Shape-shifters, more specifically werewolves, and explores the concepts of love, cannibalism, and what it means to be human.
It is told in a multi-layered manner, alternating between different time periods and perspectives.
DARK THINGS BY SUKANYA VENKATRAGHAVAN
Combining fantasy with the rich tapestry of folklore, Dark Things is a strange fairytale wrought of intrigue and enchantment, of shadows and secrets, of evil and those who battle it.
CULT OF CHAOS BY SHWETA TANEJA
Cult of Chaos is the story of Tantriks, who are now overground. They have their own council, police and justice systems.
It narrates the story of Anantya Tantrik who struggles to stop the madness of White and Red Tantriks who are facing off, and of a Black tantric who is brewing some dangerous shakti.
SAVAGE BLUE BY VIKRAM BALAGOPAL
Savage Blue by Vikram Balagopal is the story of two people – Akila Raina, who disappeared when she was only ten, and Shyam, who was with her that fateful night.
Now twenty years later, Akila has mysteriously reappeared, grown-up and gorgeous. She tells him of surreal worlds, her travels between them and her encounters with strange creatures.
NINE TRILOGY BY SHOBHA NIHALANI
For thousands of years, the wisdom of the NINE has protected mankind from destroying itself.
But a vengeful ancient spirit has returned to shatter the peace. With the help of magical powers, he has possessed a young man and mobilised black yogis to destroy the NINE .
SKYFIRE BY AROON RAMAN
Skyfire is set in May 2012 when India is hit by a series of freak weather disturbances and startling epidemics that threaten to bring the country to its knees.
At the same time, children are vanishing from the slums of the capital and nobody seems to care.
Now it is upon journalist Chandrasekhar, historian Meenakshi Pirzada and intelligence operative Syed Ali Hassan to follow the leads and solve the mystery.
ALICE IN DEADLAND (TRILOGY) BY MAINAK DHAR
Civilization as we know it ended more than fifteen years ago, leaving as it’s legacy barren wastelands called the Deadland and a new terror for the humans who survived- hordes of undead Biters.
Alice in Deadland is the story of Fifteen-year-old Alice who has spent her entire life in the Deadland learning how best to use guns and knives in the ongoing war for survival against the Biters.
Best Indian Humour Books
Serious men by manu joseph.
Serious Men tells the story of Ayyan Mani, a middle-aged Dalit, who works as an assistant to a brilliant Brahmin astronomer at a scientific institute in Mumbai.
Furious at his humble situation in life, Ayyan develops an outrageous story that his 10-year-old son is a mathematical genius – a lie which becomes increasingly elaborate and out of control.
DORK TRILOGY BY SIDIN VADUKUT
The three books of Dork Trilogy are – Dork: The Incredible Adventures of Robin ‘Einstein’ Varghese , God Save the Dork and Who Let The Dork Out?
It narrates the adventures and misadventures of Robin ‘Einstein’ Varghese; a stupendously naïve but academically gifted young man (he was ranked 41st in his class).
This trilogy is for all of those who’ve ever sat depressed in cubicles…and wanted to kill themselves with office stationery.
MRS FUNNYBONES BY TWINKLE KHANNA
Full of wit and delicious observations, Mrs Funnybones captures the life of the modern Indian woman — a woman who organizes dinner each evening, even as she goes to work all day, who runs her own life but has to listen to her Mummyji, who worries about her weight and the state of the country.
GONE WITH THE VINDALOO BY VIKRAM NAIR
Gone with the Vindaloo is 2 stories running parallel – One is in the Mahadev household, where the cook Pakwaan is trying to learn cooking from his father and yearns to one day make the Vindaloo that his grandfather was most known for.
The parallel story is indeed about Pakwaan’s grandfather, Kalaam.
THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY BY SHOVON CHOWDHURY
The Competent Authority is a satire on almost all the power circles of our country – the government, the bureaucracy, the police, the army, social workers, spiritual gurus and others.
In the 2030s, India has been nuked by the Chinese and is in a pitiable state. Pakistan ceases to exist after being bombed by the Americans.
With this backdrop, Shovon contrives a humorous story defacing the power mongers.
Best Chick-lit Novels by India Writers
Trust me by rajashree.
Set against the backdrop of the Hindi film industry, Trust Me is a comic story about love, heartbreak and friendship.
The protagonist, Parvati, decides to go off men when she is dumped by her boyfriend.
PIECE OF CAKE BY SWATI KAUSHAL
Piece of Cake is the story of Minal who wants it all – a successful career, a lifestyle to match, and a totally cool guy who’ll buy her diamonds, bring her flowers, and laugh at her jokes.
But given the unending record of her life’s embarrassments, it’s not going to be that simple.
THE ZOYA FACTOR BY ANUJA CHAUHAN
The Zoya Factor , written in the first person, is the story of a cricket-hating ad-executive, Zoya, who is forced to become a part of the Indian cricket team, not as a player nor a cheerleader nor a physiotherapist nor a psychiatrist but as a lucky charm.
ALMOST SINGLE BY ADVAITA KALA
Almost Single , a heartfelt and wickedly funny cross-cultural debut novel, introduces a smart, irreverent young woman, Aisha Bhatia, searching for independence and matrimony in a culture-bound by tradition.
CONFESSIONS OF A LISTMANIAC BY MEENAKSHI REDDY MADHAVAN
Confessions of a Listmaniac is the story of seventeen-year-old Layla who knows that journal writing is way retro but thinks, why not recreate the whole blog thing in a notebook?
Layla’s journal entries often morph into quirky lists that record her observations on her life and times.
I QUIT! NOW WHAT? BY ZARREEN KHAN
I Quit! Now What? is the story of a marketing professional Nimisha, who after having worked 7 years with her current company, is still not treated the way she deserves to be treated and that makes her upset.
ENCOUNTERS OF A FAT BRIDE BY SAMAH VISARIA
Encounters of a Fat Bride is the story of Madhurima Pandey, a twenty-five-year-old single girl who is gradually coming to terms with the annoying ‘you’re next’ nudges from family and friends.
But soon they realize that chances of finding a groom for her are slim – mainly because she’s not.
At 93 kilos, she knows she isn’t the ideal weight for marriage, even if her family believes she’s the ideal age.
Best Biographies and Memoirs by Indians
The story of my experiments with truth by mahatma gandhi.
The Story Of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas K. Gandhi, covering his life from early childhood through to 1921.
It was written in weekly instalments and published in his journal Navjivan from 1925 to 1929. The English translation was done by Mahadev Desai.
PLAYING IT MY WAY BY SACHIN TENDULKAR
Playing It My Way is the autobiography of the God of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar.
The book summarises Tendulkar’s early days, his 24 years of international career and aspects of his life that have not been shared publicly.
MY DAYS: A MEMOIR BY RK NARAYAN
In My Days: A Memoir , R.K. Narayan in his usual winning, humorous style, shares his life story, beginning in his grandmother’s garden in Madras with his ferocious pet peacock.
LONE FOX DANCING: MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY BY RUSKIN BOND
In this brilliantly readable autobiography, Lone Fox Dancing , one of India’s greatest writers shows us the roots of everything he has written.
He begins with a dream and a gentle haunting, before taking us to an idyllic childhood in Jamnagar by the Arabian Sea, where he composed his first poem, and New Delhi in the early 1940s, where he found material for his first short story.
WINGS OF FIRE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY BY A. P. J. ABDUL KALAM
In Wings of Fire: An Autobiography , A. P. J. Abdul Kalam examines his early life, effort, hardship, fortitude, luck and chance that eventually led him to lead Indian space research, nuclear and missile programs.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI BY PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA
Autobiography of a Yogi presents a fascinating portrait of one of the great spiritual figures of our time.
With engaging candour, eloquence, and wit, Paramahansa Yogananda narrates the inspiring chronicle of his life.
Recorded here are his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Luther Burbank, the Catholic stigmatist Therese Neumann, and other celebrated spiritual personalities of East and West.
THE ACCIDENTAL PRIME MINISTER BY SANJAYA BARU
The Accidental Prime Minister is a 2014 memoir by Sanjaya Baru, who was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s media advisor from May 2004 to August 2008.
The book alleges that Manmohan was not entirely in control of his cabinet, or even the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Instead, significant power was wielded by the Congress party’s president Sonia Gandhi.
OUR MOON HAS BLOOD CLOTS: THE EXODUS OF THE KASHMIRI PANDITS BY RAHUL PANDITA
The heartbreaking story of Kashmir has so far been told through the prism of the brutality of the Indian state, and the pro-independence demands of separatists.
But there is another part of the story that has remained unrecorded and buried.
Our Moon Has Blood Clots is the unspoken chapter in the story of Kashmir, in which it was purged of the Kashmiri Pandit community in a violent ethnic cleansing backed by Islamist militants.
RAJINIKANTH: THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY BY NAMAN RAMACHANDRAN
Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography recounts Rajini’s career in meticulous detail, tracing his incredible cinematic journey from his very first film, Apoorva Raagangal, in 1975 to memorable forays into Bollywood to the mega-hits.
Along the way, the book provides rare insights into Rajini’s personal life.
VEERAPPAN: CHASING THE BRIGAND BY K. VIJAY KUMAR
No other bandit in recent times has captured the public’s imagination as much as Koose Muniswamy Veerappan.
Be it his trademark moustache, stories of his daring escapades or his ruthless massacre of officers, Veerappan continues to fascinate, even thirteen years after his death.
Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand is a lucid and incisive account of the rise and fall of India’s most dreaded forest brigand.
Best Indian Self-Help Books
The monk who sold his ferrari by robin sharma.
A wonderfully crafted fable, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari tells the extraordinary story of Julian Mantle, a lawyer forced to confront the spiritual crisis of his out-of-balance life.
On a life-changing odyssey to an ancient culture, he discovers powerful, wise, and practical lessons that give us the wisdom to create a life of passion, purpose, and peace.
WHO WILL CRY WHEN YOU DIE? BY ROBIN SHARMA
In Who Will Cry When You Die? , Robin Sharma offers 101 simple solutions to life’s most complex problems, ranging from a little-known method for beating stress and worry, to a powerful way to enjoy the journey while you create a legacy that lasts.
YOU CAN WIN BY SHIV KHERA
In You Can Win , Shiv Khera reveals that all success is deliberate and there is nothing magical about winning.
Using common sense and varying lessons taken from ancient wisdom to modern philosophy, he shows how we can deal with issues of our daily lives, and how we can turn otherwise bad situations into good ones.
INNER ENGINEERING: A YOGI’S GUIDE TO JOY BY SADHGURU
In Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy , Sadhguru presents readers with a path to achieving absolute well-being through the classical science of yoga.
It is a means to create inner situations exactly the way you want them, turning you into the architect of your own joy.
CHANAKYA’S 7 SECRETS OF LEADERSHIP BY RADHAKRISHNAN PILLAI
Chanakya’s 7 Secrets of Leadership puts forth a model for leadership drawn from the teachings of Chanakya who lived in the 4th Century BC, was prime minister and guru to one of India’s most powerful and successful emperors.
13 STEPS TO BLOODY GOOD LUCK BY ASHWIN SANGHI
In 13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck , Ashwin Sanghi explores that critical, much-longed-for element called luck.
Through entertaining and informative anecdotes, narrations of personal experiences and vignettes of homespun wisdom, Ashwin gives us a whole new insight into how people can work towards being lucky.
THE HABIT OF WINNING BY PRAKASH IYER
In The Habit of Winning , you’ll find stories that can change the way you think, work, live.
Stories about leadership and teamwork, self-belief and perseverance. Life lessons from cola wars and cricket, Olympic heroes and ordinary folks.
THE WELLNESS SENSE BY OM SWAMI
Expounding on the esoteric aspects of ancient wisdom, in simple terms, The Wellness Sense shows you how to take care of yourself better and how to lead a healthier life in our present world — a world where we have all the comforts yet we are restless.
We have organic breakfast on the table but no time to eat it, we have the comfiest mattress but little sleep.
Best Indian Books on Travel and Places
Around india in 80 trains by monisha rajesh.
Taking a page out of Jules Verne’s classic tale, Around the World in 80 Days , Monisha Rajesh embarked on a 40,000km adventure Around India in 80 trains .
Travelling a distance equivalent to the circumference of the Earth, she lifted the veil on a country that had become a stranger to her.
WHEN THE ROAD BECKONS BY RAVI MANORAM
When the Road Beckons is an inspiring odyssey that promises to transform a generation.
Caught in the inescapable hurricane of life, the protagonist decides to snap out of the everyday mendacity and go on a 4000 km motorbike journey across Ladakh.
FOLLOWING FISH: TRAVELS AROUND THE INDIAN COAST BY SAMANTH SUBRAMANIAN
In a coastline as long and diverse as India’s, fish inhabit the heart of many worlds — food of course, but also culture, commerce, sport, history and society.
In Following Fish , journeying along the edge of the peninsula, Samanth Subramanian reports upon a kaleidoscope of extraordinary stories.
HOT TEA ACROSS INDIA BY RISHAD SAAM MEHTA
There’s not a highway, road or dirt track in India where you can’t find a cup of chai whenever you want it.
And with those cuppas come encounters and incidents that make travelling in India a fascinating adventure.
In Hot Tea Across India , Rishad takes you across the length and breadth of India, from Manali to Munnar, from the Rann of Kutch to Khajuraho, with a wonderful combination of wit, sensitivity and insight.
BATTLEFIELDS & PARADISE BY SABIR HUSSAIN
Battlefields and Paradise is a travelogue in which the author writes about his trip from Delhi to Turtuk which is India’s northernmost point on the LoC.
On his journey, he rides a very ordinary bike, travels solo, engages in passionate talks with ordinary Kashmiris while learning about their daily lives and a bit or two about the politics of the state.
BUTTER CHICKEN IN LUDHIANA: TRAVELS IN SMALL TOWN INDIA BY PANKAJ MISHRA
In Butter Chicken in Ludhiana , Pankaj Mishra captures an India which has shrugged off its sleepy, socialist air and has become instead kitschy, clamorous and ostentatious.
Pankaj paints a vivid picture of a people rushing headlong to their tryst with modernity.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO GANGA BY RUSKIN BOND
The Ganges is a river which has held India’s heart captive and drawn uncounted millions to her banks since the dawn of history.
In All Roads Lead to Ganga , Ruskin Bond captures the breathtaking beauty and splendour of Ganga, describing with nostalgia and affection the places and people he has lived with and encountered for over forty years.
THE HEAT AND DUST PROJECT BY DEVAPRIYA ROY
Saurav and Devapriya junk the swivel chairs, gain a couple of backpacks and set out on a transformational journey across India.
On a very, very tight budget: five hundred rupees a day for bed and board. And The Heat and Dust Project begins.
IF IT’S MONDAY IT MUST BE MADURAI BY SRINATH PERUR
This entertaining travelogue around ten conducted tours contains myriad riches: of hanging on to a camel in the Thar; rediscovering music on the trail of Kabir; joining an ancient pilgrimage, and hunting for sex in Tashkent.
THE LAND OF FLYING LAMAS BY GAURAV PUNJ
Beyond the hill stations, the mall roads and the ‘points’ is the ‘other Himalaya’ – a Himalaya where flowers bloom in the green rolling meadows, the streams are bubbly, no-pedal boats ply in the lakes, the glaciers can be felt and the passes crossed to more magical lands – The Land of Flying Lamas .
We hope that you liked this list of the best English Novels by Indian Authors.
Other lists in this series:
75 of the Most Famous Indian Writers
11 Apps and Websites to Read Free Books Online
A Short Quiz on Books by Indian Authors
Rajmohan’s Wife by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay in 1864
The Travels of Dean Mahomet by Sake Dean Mahomed in 1794. It was not a novel but an autobiographical
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
1. The Guide by R.K. Narayan; 2. Malgudi Days by R.K. Narayan; 3. The Private Life of an Indian Prince by Mulk Raj Anand; 4. Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand; 5. Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh; 6. Godan by Munshi Premchand; 7. The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond; 8. The Complete Adventures of Feluda by Satyajit Ray; 9. Combat of Shadows by Manohar Malgonkar; 10. The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian by Nirad C. Chaudhuri
The Pulitzer Prize is only given to Americans. The Indian-Americans who have won the Pulitzer for writing are: 1. Jhumpa Lahiri for her short story collection Interpreter of Maladies in the year 2000; 2. Siddhartha Mukherjee for his book, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer in the year 2011; 3. Vijay Seshadri for his collection of poems 3 Sections in the year 2014
1. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy in 1997; 2. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai in 2006; 3. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga in 2008
Well, it’s not the US. The answer is INDIA. According to the NOP World Culture Score Index, India is the country that reads the most. An average Indian reads for 10 hours 42 minutes per week.
Father to Ahaana. Husband to Mayuri. Co-founder at bookGeeks. Engineer at BMM.
Reader Interactions
February 19, 2018 at 6:25 am
Than you so much for this list! As a south Asian raised outside India, it has always been a regret that I have never really been exposed to Indian literature. A lot of this books will be added to my reading list this year. Thank you for that!
July 30, 2018 at 10:12 am
This is something which i was looking for , this is really amazing blog on this niche people should visit this article this is so informative
July 30, 2018 at 8:10 pm
Thank you so much Vidit. Such comments really make my day. Glad that you liked the post. Any suggestions or ideas that you have for similar lists would be appreciated.
PS: Do share the post with your social media friends.
October 15, 2018 at 1:38 pm
Thank you so much for this list. it will be great helpful for my library.
October 22, 2018 at 11:26 pm
Thanks a lot. Please share it with your friends as well 🙂
November 19, 2018 at 7:27 pm
Thanks for the list .
November 20, 2018 at 8:12 pm
You’re welcome Uttam 🙂
January 19, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Absolutely Awesome Post ….Keep it up Guys
January 20, 2019 at 8:21 pm
Thank you so much 🙂
February 22, 2019 at 12:33 pm
A huge Variety of books and genre to choose from for reading. A single book can be the best books for years for many people, but not for everyone. I really appreciate your list of the books to read in 2019, as you selected the best ranked and awarded books. I also, want to recommend some, which everyone should read. “I too had a Love Story” by Ravinder Singh “Two States” by Chetan Bhagat “If It’s Not Forever, It’s Not Love” by Durjot Dutta “seductive affair” By Rishabh Puri The last is a beautiful fiction romantic story that I wrote last year.
March 20, 2019 at 10:05 am
WOW. This is a great List. It’s very helpful for readers. This is something which I was looking for. Thanks for the list.
March 21, 2019 at 12:00 am
WOW, Its A Awesome Post. Thank you so much for this list. It will be very helpful for all. I just Love This Post.
March 22, 2019 at 9:07 pm
Please share it with your friends 🙂
March 21, 2019 at 9:49 am
This is an awesome post. Another book you thought of is…. bloodbath by Ray Rao. BLOODBATH Is a great book. I just Love the book. You can try it.
Thank you. Sure, I will definitely give it a try.
May 4, 2019 at 7:25 am
You post is awesome it’s gonna help me a lot in my project and THANK YOY SO MUCH FOR THIS POST And I hope u would post such useful articles ???? ??
May 4, 2019 at 3:16 pm
Thank you for the appreciation 🙂 please share it with your friends.
November 5, 2019 at 9:43 am
Really it is a great job for one to collect the Indian writers and their compositions. It helps us in many ways in different exams.
November 5, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Happy to help 🙂
January 20, 2020 at 7:35 pm
May 13, 2020 at 3:02 pm
Well written… But author Priya Kumar could also be included in the list. A big fan of her inspirational books. One should try reading Priya Kumar’s book ‘Turn The Tables’ and experience a very different writing style and get valuable lessons to keep for life 🙂
July 24, 2020 at 2:52 pm
Hi Ravi, interesting article. Do you feature new authors too?
August 7, 2020 at 2:02 pm
Yes, we do review books by new authors. You can mail us at [email protected] for more details.
August 22, 2020 at 3:57 pm
thank you so much for this article it helped me a lot in my project.
September 10, 2020 at 4:29 pm
Hi Ravi, Thanks a lot for your sharing the post pertaining to English novels by Indian authors. I found it very informative! Thanks again. Tikayt Ray N.B
October 25, 2020 at 2:53 pm
Thank you for sharing such wonderful information related to this topic. Your writing style is good and the way you present facts is impressive.
November 1, 2020 at 6:00 pm
Wonderful coalition… U have covered several genre… Totally loved it…
May 4, 2021 at 10:32 pm
A good list for all the book enthusiastics.
May 30, 2021 at 9:49 pm
Hi Ravi! Thank you for sharing such a spectacular article. I’m now working on exploring each and every piece of Indian literature recommended by you. Keep doing the great work.
June 26, 2021 at 12:26 pm
Thank you, Snehil. I am glad you found it helpful. Happy reading!
December 4, 2021 at 3:32 pm
Thank You for creating this wonderful list of Books. I appreciate your time & effort sharing the details of every book. On an humble note, may I request you to publish list of books for kids according to age.
February 7, 2022 at 10:30 pm
Hey, Nice Content your suggestions are really good and the way you describe every book. I had a nice time reading. Waiting for more good suggestions.
March 6, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Really amazing books very Nice and Love this website efforts for Us . Thanks
May 3, 2022 at 9:44 am
Wow! What a list have everything. Saved much time … Well done bookgeeks team..
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7 Best Indian Authors Of All Time
Indians are known for a deep commitment to tradition and a vibrant culture. Discover the best Indian authors to add to your reading list from this article.
Indian writers have created and continue to create enticing works of literature that envelop readers in exciting novels, short stories, and poems.
People from India have a long history of storytelling, dating back to 1500 BCE. The oldest Indian literature was developed in Sanskrit. Over time, Indian literature was passed down and recorded in many languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Telegu, Odia, Bengali, Maithili, Assamese, Urdu, and more.
As Indian literature evolved, stylistic changes occurred. The Old Era of Indian literature gave way to couplets and ushered in the country’s renaissance movement. The New Era welcomed the Romantic and Progressive movements, further changing fiction and prose in India. The country’s religious diversity—including many people of the Hindu, Islamic, and Christian faiths—provides an exciting landscape for literature.
India has 22 official languages, and literature was recorded in varied forms. Some Indian literature, however, was recorded in languages not deemed official Indian languages by the government. Some Indian literature was recorded in Persian, while other works were recorded in English (mainly works from North East India).
Popular Indian Authors
1. arundhati roy, 2. khushwant singh, 3. vikram seth, 4. amitav ghosh, 5. anita desai, 6. jhumpa lahiri, 7. aravind adiga, the final word on the best indian authors, faqs about the 7 best indian authors, further reading.
Here, we’ll explore the best Indian authors—be sure to add the writers below to your must-read list.
Arundhati Roy is best known for her 1997 debut novel The God of Small Things, which won the Man Booker Prize for fiction. Roy is also active in India’s environmental and human rights causes.
Roy was born in Shillong, Assam, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi. Before writing novels, Roy worked as a screenwriter for big and small screens. Her 1989 screenplay, In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, described her experiences as an architecture student. The film won the 1988 National Film Award for Best Screenplay.
The God of Small Things is semi-autobiographical and describes many of Roy’s childhood experiences. Listed by The New York Times as one of the notable books of the year in 1997, the novel was also an NYT bestseller. The book was met with acclaim from critics and readers alike and was called a “lush, magical novel” by the Toronto Star and “a novel of poignancy and considerable sweep” by the Los Angeles Times.
- Audible Audiobook
- Arundhati Roy (Author) - Sneha Mathan (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 06/06/2017 (Publication Date) - Blackstone Audio, Inc. (Publisher)
In addition to being an author, Pakistan-born Khushwant Singh was a diplomat, lawyer, and politician. Singh was born in Punjab and studied at the British King’s College London. After many years working as a lawyer and in the radio industry, he felt inspired to pursue a literary career. Singh was also a respected member of the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
Singh was known for his sarcasm and humor and his comparisons of Indian and Western behavior. Singh is well-known for his 1956 novel, Train to Pakistan, made into a movie in 1998. Train to Pakistan was based on the writer’s personal experience with the Partition of India in 1947. While the novel and film are technically classified as fiction, Singh kept the book as realistic as possible. Described as an infallible believer in human goodness, Singh’s stories are known for taking a realistic yet optimistic view of human nature, helping readers to see the lighter and brighter sides to complex parts of the human experience.
Singh was known for his outspoken agnosticism, evidenced by his 2011 book entitled Agnostic Khushwant: There is no God. Singh heavily criticized organized religion. The author’s final book, The Good, The Bad, and The Ridiculous, published in 2013, continued his critique of clergy members and priesthood in India.
- Singh, Khushwant (Author)
- 547 Pages - 02/03/2005 (Publication Date) - Oxford University Press (Publisher)
Author and poet Vikram Seth is a celebrated novelist who won several awards for his work, including the Sahitya Academy Award, the WH Smith Literary Award, and the Padma Shri. Born in Calcutta, Seth went to The Doon School, an all-boys school where he served as editor of The Doon School Weekly. After completing his studies at Doon, he moved to Tonbridge School in England. Later, he began working on his Ph.D. at Stanford but never completed the degree.
Seth has published many books of poetry, as well as three novels. Seth’s first novel, A Suitable Boy, pushed him into the forefront of the Indian literary scene. The story was made into a BBC TV miniseries in 2020. Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) and Mappings (1980) are two of Seth’s other well-known works of poetry.
Seth has won several awards, including the Thomas Cook Book Award for From Haven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983), the Commonwealth Writers Prize for A Suitable Boy (1994), the Crossword Book Award for An Equal Music (1999), and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2005).
- Vikram Seth (Author) - Ayesha Dharker, Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, full cast (Narrators)
- 05/15/2007 (Publication Date) - BBC Worldwide Ltd (Publisher)
Amitav Ghosh is a Kolkata-born writer known for writing English-language historical fiction that delves into people’s lives in Southeast Asia. In addition to his historical fiction works, Ghosh is also known for his writing on climate change, colonialism, and other social and environmental issues.
Like many other renowned Indian writers, Ghosh got his start studying at The Doon School and eventually went on to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Oxford. He worked for periodical publications and different higher education institutions before focusing solely on writing. His debut novel was entitled The Circle of Reason (1986), followed by his fiction books, including the Ibis trilogy, The Shadow Lines, and The Glass Palace.
- Amitav Ghosh (Author) - Firdous Bamji (Narrator)
- 07/01/2005 (Publication Date) - Recorded Books (Publisher)
Anita Desai is a highly-awarded writer and professor. Her 1978 novel, Fire on the Mountain, received a Sahitya Akademi Award, and her 1983 children’s fiction book, The Village by the Sea, won the Guardian Prize.
In addition to her writing work, Desai is also a highly respected educator. She has taught at many higher learning institutions, including Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Baruch College. The author is also the Emerita John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at MIT.
- Desai, Anita (Author)
- 192 Pages - 09/12/2000 (Publication Date) - Harper Perennial (Publisher)
Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri was born in London and currently serves as a creative writing professor at Princeton University. The author has a tough start in the literature business, facing countless rejections from publishing companies. In 1999, the author released Interpreter of Maladies, a short story collection that discussed the many challenges faced by Indian citizens and Indian immigrants.
Interpreter of Maladies received rave reviews in the United States, but many citizens of India had different thoughts. Some Indian people felt that Lahiri portrayed the people of India in a less-than-positive light. Regardless, the book won the Pulitzer Prize For Fiction in 2000.
Lahiri’s first novel, The Namesake, was published in 2003 and was based on the story of a family who emigrated to the United States. In 2008, Lahiri released another collection of short stories, Unaccustomed Earth. Lahiri has also published several works in The New Yorker, including Cooking Lessons and The Long Way Home.
Lahiri has won several awards for her work in addition to the Pulitzer, including the TransAtlantic Award from the Henfield Foundation (1993), the Addison Metcalf Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2000), the Guggenheim Fellowship (2002), and the National Humanities Medal (2014).
- Jhumpa Lahiri (Author) - Sarita Choudhury (Narrator)
- 09/26/2003 (Publication Date) - Random House Audio (Publisher)
Awarded the 2008 Man Booker Prize for his novel The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga is a Columbia University and Oxford-educated author who grew up in India, Australia, and Britain. Adiga has powerful family ties as his grandfather was the former chairman of Karnataka Bank and his great-grandfather was a Madras politician.
Adiga started as a finance writer and eventually began working as a correspondent for Time magazine before he began freelance writing full time. Adiga has also published Between the Assassinations (released in India in 2008, released in the US and the UK in 2009), Last Man in Tower (2011), Selection Day (2016), and Amnesty (2020).
- Aravind Adiga (Author) - Vikas Adam (Narrator)
- 02/18/2020 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster Audio (Publisher)
Indian authors are known for telling moving, descriptive stories that captivate readers and share the beauty and truth of life in India. Award-winning Indian authors have continued to produce some of the best books globally, offering readers a little bit of everything they crave, from love story novels to historical fiction.
You might also be interested in our round-up of the best Indonesian authors of all time .
What Are The Novels To Watch For From Indian Authors In 2022?
In 2022, update your Amazon wishlist with Everything the Light Touches by Janice Pariat, The Living Mountain: A Fable for Our Times by Amitav Ghosh, and Hymns for Blood by Nanak Singh (translated from Punjabi by Navdeep Suri).
What Are The Best Universities For Studying Literature In India?
India offers several options for people who want to study literature, including St. Xavier’s College (at the University of Calcutta), Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce (at the University of Pune), and St. Joseph’s College, Calicut (at the University of Calicut).
If you liked this guide on the best Indian authors, you might be interested in our round-up on the best Japanese authors .
You may also enjoy our explainer on the best American authors .
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Books by indian authors you must read at least once in your lifetime.
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31 Outstanding Fiction Books by Indian Authors
- Monday, September 14, 2020
Mark Twain has said, "India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most artistic materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only!"
Apart from travel,the next best way to learn about a country and its people is through its books. india has several accomplished and award winning authors who have weaved magical works of fiction. these books spin stories with universal themes and take you on a ride from life in villages to the hustle and bustle of big cities, from the dazzling splendor of historical monuments to the glitz and glamour of bollywood, from tales of immigrating to foreign lands to stories of political upheaval and unrest in the motherland, from arranged marriages to falling in love; every book in this list is eye opening, well written and worth reading., do browse this book list of indian authors old and new; a mix of classics and contemporary fiction. you can learn more about a title by clicking on the link which will take you to its full display in our catalog. from here, you can also place holds on the books you wish to read..
Destination Wedding
English, August
The House of Blue Mangoes
Fasting, Feasting
The Inheritance of Loss
The Bollywood Bride
One Amazing Thing
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
Train to Pakistan
The Namesake
Nectar in a Sieve
When Dimple Met Rishi
A Fine Balance
A Rising Man
Miss New India
The Lives of Others
A House for Mr. Biswas
A Tiger for Malgudi
You Bring the Distant Near
Girl Gone Viral
The God of Small Things
Midnight's Children
The Year of the Runaways
A Suitable Boy
The Space Between Us
The Far Field
Research and Readers Advisory Professional
Loves learning about other cultures and broadening her reading horizons through a vast selection of multicultural fiction.
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12 best Indian novels that everyone needs to read
If you can’t travel there, the next best thing is to delve into one of these of works of fiction, article bookmarked.
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From the cultural splendour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur to the glamour of Bollywood, India is a fascinating place.
It’s the second most populous country in the world and there’s no better way to learn about its diverse culture and complex history than to read about it.
India has a long and distinguished literary record. The country’s first written works date as far back as 1500BC and its oral tradition is even older than that.
Centuries on, India’s literary culture is flourishing – as shown by the impressive number of Indian novelists who have won the Booker Prize over the past 50 years.
These include Arundhati Roy, the author of The God of Small Things , Aravind Adiga, who wrote The White Tiger, and Kiran Desai, the author of The Inheritance of Loss . Salman Rushdie, who was born in India but is a British citizen, won the 1981 Booker Prize for Midnight’s Children .
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We’ve chosen a mix of classics from years gone by and contemporary novels that portray modern-day life in India. Our main criteria was that the novels should be original, compelling and superbly written – the kind of books that convey the country’s distinctive culture in literary form.
Some of our choices, such as Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance , shine a light on times of political upheaval, while books like The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota, relay the struggles of migrant workers who leave India and cross the world to look for work. In other words, there’s something to suit all literary tastes.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
‘A Fine Balance’ by Rohinton Mistry, published by Faber & Faber: £9.99, Waterstones
Set in 1975, when prime minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency due to civil unrest, this fine novel is the story of four strangers – a widow, a young student who has been uprooted from his idyllic hill station home and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village. The quartet are thrust together, sharing a cramped apartment and facing an uncertain future in the middle of India’s political turmoil. Shortlisted for the 1996 Booker Prize, Mistry’s beautifully written novel is a literary tour de force.
‘A Suitable Boy’ by Vikram Seth, published by Orion: £9.22, Amazon
Published in 1993, this huge tome – one of the longest novels published in a single volume in the English language – is a much-loved classic. Set in newly independent, post-partition India, it follows the stories of four families, focusing on Rupa Mehra’s efforts to arrange the marriage of her spirited student daughter Lata to “a suitable boy”. The first screen version of this epic story is currently being filmed in India and will be shown on BBC1 in late 2020. “It’s a charming, almost Austenesque story, with a delightfully relatable heroine, set against the turbulent background of India in the years following partition,” says TV screenwriter Andrew Davies.
‘The God of Small Things’ by Arundhati Roy, published by Harper Perennial: £8.99, Foyles
This ambitious debut novel took the literary world by storm when it was published in 1997. Roy had previously been working as a screenwriter, actor and aerobics instructor but within months her book had sold all round the world and scooped the Booker Prize. Set in the southern state of Kerala, it relates the childhood experiences of twins Estha and Rahel, who see their world shaken irrevocably by the accidental death by drowning of their visiting English cousin. Lyrical, magical and beautifully written, it’s the compelling story of intertwining family lives, birth and death and love and loss.
‘Midnight’s Children’ by Salman Rushdie, published by Vintage: £9.99, Waterstones
Salman Rushdie’s classic novel has been feted by Booker judges an astonishing three times. It won the Booker in 1981, was judged to be the Booker of Bookers for the award’s 25th anniversary in 1993 and in 2008 was voted the greatest Booker Prize winner of all time. Born at the stroke of midnight, at the precise moment of India’s independence, Saleem Sinai, the novel’s protagonist, is one of 1,001 “midnight’s children” – all of whom have special gifts and are telepathically linked. Rushdie says in the introduction to the novel that in the west people tend to read the novel “as a fantasy” while in India readers think of it as “pretty realistic, almost a history book”.
‘The Inheritance of Loss’ by Kiran Desai, published by Penguin: £7.19 Amazon
When Kiran Desai’s second novel won the Booker Prize in 2006 head judge Hermione Lee described it as “a magnificent novel of humane breadth and wisdom, comic tenderness and powerful political acuteness”. Set in 1986, it’s the powerful and very accessible story of a bitter old judge who lives in a dilapidated mansion high in the Himalayas, his orphaned granddaughter Sai, who has fallen in love with her tutor, and his cook, whose son Biju is working in New York and trying to stay one step ahead of the US immigration services.
‘Shantaram’ by Gregory David Roberts, published by Abacus: £10.99, Foyles
Gregory David Roberts’s rollercoaster life reads like a thriller. An ex-armed robber and reformed heroin addict, he escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Mumbai slum, launched a free health clinic, joined the mafia and worked in the Bollywood movie industry. This page-turning debut novel is based on his own experiences in the Mumbai underworld and runs to a hefty 900 pages.
‘The White Tiger’ by Aravind Adiga, published by Atlantic: £8.99, Waterstones
The enthralling story of Balram Halwai’s journey from “sweet, innocent village fool” to ruthless entrepreneur scooped the Booker Prize in 2008. This brilliant debut novel tells the searing tale of two Indias – one of them Balram’s home village, where sewage seeps down the road and children are “too lean and short for their age,” the other the city of Delhi, with its noisy shopping malls, traffic jams and slums. Look out for the film too – a Netflix adaptation is underway, with Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles.
‘The Year of the Runaways’ by Sunjeev Sahota, published by Picador: £8.95, Amazon
Sunjeev Sahota’s second novel follows the lives of three migrant workers, Tochi, Avtar and Randeep, who flee India to look for work in England. The first half of the book features sections about their lives in India, relating their disparate reasons for moving to the other side of the world. Randeep marries to secure a visa, Avtar poses as a student and Tochi arrives in the UK on a fake passport in the back of a lorry. The book was shortlisted for the 2015 Booker Prize.
‘The Lives of Others’ by Neel Mukherjee, published by Vintage: £8.95, Amazon
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Costa Novel Award in 2014, Neel Mukherjee’s second novel is set in 1960s Kolkata and opens with the shocking account of a desperate man, who is unable to feed his starving wife and children and murders them before killing himself. This shocking scene is juxtaposed with the story of the wealthy Ghosh family, one of whom has become involved in extremist political activism. A powerful generational story of the chasm between the haves and have-nots.
‘The Great Indian Novel’ by Shashi Tharoor, published by Penguin: £5.99, Abe Books
First published in 1989, this book has a big title but Shashi Tharoor makes it clear from the start that it’s in deference to “its primary source of inspiration” – The Mahabharata , one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. In Sanskrit Maha means great and Bharata means India. Tharoor uses The Mahabharata as a framework for this satirical novel about the major Indian political events of the 20th century, from British colonial rule through to “the struggle for freedom and the triumphs and disappointments of Independence”.
‘Witness the Night’ by Kishwar Desai, published by Simon & Schuster: £7.71, Amazon
When a traumatised young girl is found barely alive in a house where 13 people have been murdered, the local police assume she is the killer. But a feisty gin-swilling social worker brought in to review the case is convinced the girl has been framed and sets out to prove her innocence. Kishwar Desai wrote her stunning debut novel in just four weeks, driven by anger at the hidden scandal of killing baby girls that still exists in parts of India. It went on to win the Costa first novel award in 2010.
‘Polite Society’ by Mahesh Rao, published by Tinder Press: £14.99, Foyles
If you’re looking for a lighter read, try Mahesh Rao’s beautifully observed and witty second novel, a contemporary version of Jane Austen’s Emma . Ania Khurana is a spoilt, rich 25-year-old living in a luxurious Delhi mansion. She knows everyone who is anyone in the city but she’s bored and in need of entertainment. Following in Emma Woodhouse’s matchmaking steps, Ania first finds a husband for her spinster aunt, then sets her sights on doing the same for her friend Dimple, only to find that the path of true love doesn’t always run smooth.
The verdict: Indian novels
Choosing a favourite out of these 12 extraordinary novels is a tough task but for beautiful writing and characters you really care about Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance is in a league of its own. If books with present-day themes are more to your taste don’t miss Sunjeev Sahota’s The Year of the Runaways . Set in both India and Sheffield, the city where three Indian migrants travel to seek work, it’s an insightful, timely read.
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