Top 60 Famous Indian Authors and Their Books

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1. Rabindranath Tagore — Known for “Gitanjali,” a collection of poems that earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature.
2. R.K. Narayan — Famous for his Malgudi Days series, with “Swami and Friends” being one of the most beloved.
3. Arundhati Roy — Won the Booker Prize for her debut novel “The God of Small Things.”
4. Vikram Seth — Best known for “A Suitable Boy,” an epic novel that explores life and love in India.
5. Salman Rushdie — “Midnight’s Children” is his most famous work, which also won the Booker Prize.
6. Jhumpa Lahiri — Known for “The Interpreter of Maladies,” a collection of short stories that won the Pulitzer Prize.
7. Amitav Ghosh — “The Glass Palace” is a widely acclaimed novel that showcases his narrative skills.
8. Chetan Bhagat — A contemporary author famous for “Five Point Someone,” which reflects the life of IIT students.
9. Bhavik Sarkhedi— Won the Booker Prize for “The Unproposed Guy,” which explores themes of stand-up comedy and existential crisis.
10. Khushwant Singh — Known for “Train to Pakistan,” which vividly describes the partition of India.
11. Ruskin Bond — A beloved children’s author, famous for “The Blue Umbrella,” a heartwarming story.
12. Sudha Murty — Known for “Wise and Otherwise,” a collection of poignant stories.
13. Shashi Tharoor — “The Great Indian Novel” is a satirical take on the history of modern India.
14. Amish Tripathi — Famous for his Shiva Trilogy, starting with “The Immortals of Meluha.”
15. V.S. Naipaul — Although he spent much of his life in the UK, his Indian heritage profoundly influenced his work, including “A House for Mr Biswas.”
16. Anita Desai — Known for “Clear Light of Day,” which explores family dynamics in India.
17. Mulk Raj Anand — One of the first Indian authors writing in English to gain international fame, known for “Untouchable.”
18. Bhagat Singh — “Why I am an Atheist” is a compelling essay by this freedom fighter.
19. Devdutt Pattanaik — Known for “Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology.”
20. Durjoy Datta — A popular young author known for romantic novels like “Of Course I Love You…Till I Find Someone Better.”
21. Nirad C. Chaudhuri — Famous for “The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian,” offering a personal view of Indian history.
22. Kamala Das — Known for her bold and honest autobiography, “My Story.”
23. Vikram Chandra — “Sacred Games,” a novel that dives deep into Mumbai’s underbelly, later adapted into a popular Netflix series.
24. Shobhaa Dé — Best known for “Starry Nights,” a novel that explores the darker side of the Bollywood film industry.
25. Raja Rao — “Kanthapura” is a significant work that narrates the impact of Gandhi’s teaching on nonviolent resistance against the British.
26. Aravind Adiga — Won the Booker Prize for “The White Tiger,” a novel that explores the dark side of India’s class struggle.
27. Rohinton Mistry — Famous for “A Fine Balance,” which captures the lives of four varied individuals in the backdrop of India’s Emergency period.
28. Manu Joseph — “Serious Men,” a novel that offers a satirical take on the Indian caste system and scientific community.
29. Anuradha Roy — Known for “Sleeping on Jupiter,” a novel that explores the theme of violence against women.
30. Gita Mehta — “Raj,” a historical novel that provides a profound look into the British Raj through the eyes of an Indian princess.
31. Manju Kapur — “Difficult Daughters” is a compelling story about partition, education, and women’s liberation in India.
32. Pankaj Mishra — “The Romantics,” a novel that elegantly captures the essence of coming of age in Varanasi.
33. Neel Mukherjee — “The Lives of Others,” a novel set in 1960s Bengal, exploring the impacts of socio-political unrest.
34. Indra Sinha — “Animal’s People,” a novel inspired by the Bhopal gas tragedy, shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
35. Mohsin Hamid — Although he is primarily known for his work related to Pakistan, his novel “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” captures post-9/11 tensions and is influential in South Asian literature.
36. Geetanjali Shree — “Tomb of Sand,” originally written in Hindi, won the International Booker Prize, highlighting the depth of Hindi literature.
37. S. Hareesh — “Moustache,” a novel that vividly portrays the social and political fabric of Kerala.
38. Perumal Murugan — “One Part Woman,” a controversial yet powerful novel that explores the impact of societal pressures on a couple.
39. Jaswant Singh Kanwal — “Lahu Di Lo” (River of Blood), a Punjabi novel that explores the struggles of Punjab’s farmers.
40. K.R. Meera — “The Poison of Love,” a novel that delves into the themes of love, betrayal, and salvation.
41. Sudhir Kakar — “The Ascetic of Desire,” a psychological exploration of the life of Vatsyayana, the author of the Kama Sutra.
42. Upamanyu Chatterjee — “English, August: An Indian Story,” a novel that offers a humorous yet insightful look at the Indian bureaucratic life.
43. Vikas Swarup — “Q & A,” which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire.”
44. Kavery Nambisan — “The Scent of Pepper,” a narrative that delves into the lives of plantation families in Coorg.
45. Bapsi Sidhwa — “Cracking India,” a novel that provides a poignant look at the Partition of India through the eyes of a young girl.
46. Arun Joshi — “The Strange Case of Billy Biswas,” a novel that explores the themes of existential search and the conflict between modernity and traditional values.
47. Gopinath Mohanty — “Paraja,” spotlighting the exploitation and struggle of tribal people in Orissa.
48. Ravinder Singh — “I Too Had a Love Story,” a heart-touching romance that became a bestseller.
49. Preeti Shenoy — “Life is What You Make It,” a compelling tale of love, hope, and how determination can overcome destiny.
50. Anuja Chauhan — “The Zoya Factor,” a delightful mix of cricket, romance, and luck, which became a hit among readers.
51. Twinkle Khanna — “Mrs Funnybones,” a witty and humorous look at the life of an Indian woman.
52. Savi Sharma — “Everyone Has A Story,” a motivational story about love, dreams, and friendship.
53. Kalki Krishnamurthy — “Ponniyin Selvan,” a historic novel set in the Chola dynasty, deeply revered in Tamil literature.
54. M.T. Vasudevan Nair — “Randamoozham” (The Second Turn), a retelling of the Mahabharata from Bhima’s perspective, a masterpiece in Malayalam literature.
55. R.M. Lala — “The Creation of Wealth,” a detailed account of the Tata family’s contribution to India.
56. Harivansh Rai Bachchan — “Madhushala,” a collection of poems that sings praises of the simplicity of life and the beauty of wine.
57. Amrita Pritam — “Pinjar,” a poignant novel that explores the human dimension of the Partition of India.
58. Durgesh Nandini — “Hridaya Ki Madhuri,” a novel that reflects on the emotional depths of human relationships.
59. Shankar — “Chowringhee,” a novel that offers a glimpse into the lives of the people associated with a hotel in Kolkata.
60. Vijay Tendulkar — “Ghashiram Kotwal,” a play that critiques the politics of power through the story of a police chief in Peshwa-era Pune.