Jhumpa Lahiri
The Pulitzer winner novelist writes about the lives of Bengali immigrants in America. London-born Jhumpa’s parents hailed from West Bengal, India. Her writings gave you a glimpse of both worlds.
The Namesake – She describes the struggle of a boy, Gogol, with his name/identity in the western community. Bengalis give cute nicknames to kids, that is their culture. Jhumpa, born as Nilanjana Sudeshna, faced this problem.
The Lowland – It depicts the communist era of Bengal and how it had ruined many youths and families connected. The story revolves around one’s cultural identity, the silent rebellion, breaking up with tradition, and personal happiness versus obligation towards families. Unaccustomed Earth – It’s a collection of short stories. She let us peek into the lives of Indian-Americans. She shows that they are guilty of moving away from their traditions. But, the new generation finds solace in the American way of life.
The Lowland, The Namesake, Unaccustomed Earth, Interpreter of Maladies
Calcutta born, Amitav Ghosh, is the recipient of the prestigious Jnanpith Award and Sahitya Akademi Award. The government of India conferred him the civilian honor of Padma Shri in 2007. His novel depicts the ill-treatment and sufferings of South-Asian people in the colonial era.
His book, The Shadow Lines, set in the backdrop of pre-Independence, talks about the different perspectives that human beings possess on the same idea.
In The Glasspalace, the protagonist, Rajkumar, goes from rags to riches and creates an empire in the timber Industry. He describes the pain families suffer from war.
His popular Ibis trilogy deals with the trade of opium between India and China run by the East India Company.
You must read his books if you are going to appear for the CAT exam as it will improve your vocabulary. The Glasspalace, The Shadow Lines, Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke, and Flood of Fire
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Born in Kolkata, India, she went to the United States for higher studies. She currently lives in Houston, Texas, and teaches at the University of Houston. She is best known for writing mythological stories from a women’s perspective.
The Forest of Enchantments – It takes us back to the time of the Indian epic The Ramayan. She recites from the point of the main female character, Sita.
The Palace of Illusions – It is based on another Indian epic, The Mahabharata. But this time, the narrator is Draupadi, who had five husbands.
Divakaruni gives us a rare feminist representation of the epic stories. Her women are desperate, complicated, lyrical, memorable, even magical.
The Mistress of Spices, Sister of My Heart, The Palace of Illusions, The Forest of Enchantments, Before We Visit The GoddessDurjoy Datta
The new age author, pens romantic stories for youngsters. His first book was released while he was still in college. After his initial success, he gave up his management job and cofounded Grapevine India. He wants to support forthcoming talent through his publishing house.
All his thirteen novels are best-sellers. Of Course, I Love You, When Only Love Remains, Ohh Yes, I am Single
Sanjeev Sanyal
Sanjeev Sanyal is an internationally acclaimed economist and currently works as the principal economic advisor to the Government of India.
In his book, The Ocean of Churn, he narrates the grappling events in the Indian Ocean Region. He describes the interaction between the various nations of this region. He further explains how that converted into a wave of freedom movements.
In Land Of Seven Rivers, he has analyzed Indian history from the point of its geography. With his funny and glorious tales, he never lets you get bored for even a moment.
Sanjeev Sanyal is quite active on Twitter. Follow him to get more updates on his books. The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History, Land of the Seven Rivers and The Indian Renaissance
The Streetsmart writer’s specialty lies in exotic thrillers. He was born in Silchar, Assam. His first book won the national best-seller tag in just a few months of its release. He always portrays bold female characters.
His thrillers are full of twists and turns and keep you hooked till the end. Apart from writing novels, he also works as a scriptwriter for Hindi films.
Forever is a Lie, Marry Me, Stranger, All Yours, Stranger
Sudeep Chakravarti
Sudeep Chakravarti is an analyst of socio-political and security issues in South Asia. He is a writer of narrative non-fiction and fiction.
His book, The Bengalis, is a definitive book on the Bengali community. He has carried out extensive research for this masterpiece. The writer has touched every string of the subject, its demography, culture, history, cinema theatre, literature, tribes, music, and cuisine. The Bengalis: A Portrait of a Community, Plassey: The Battle that Changed the Course of Indian History