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Scripting success

We take a look at some emerging writers who are reshaping the face of Indian literature

India is a land of incredible diversity and this mind-boggling mélange of language, culture, food and habits has made for a heady experience into which writers have been able to dip their pens and bring stories from the heart of India to the world.

As the country awakens to a new era of confidence and endless possibilities, many of the country’s young writers have been playing a pivotal role in shaping the psyche of a new India. Today, Indian literature is renowned throughout the world for its variety, complexity, depth and vivid portrayals of human life and triumph, with the range of fiction reflecting the incredible diversity of India itself. Authors such as Vikram Seth, Kiran Desai and Jhumpa Lahiri among others have firmly cemented India’s status as a rich tapestry of literary art.

However, there’s also a new breed of writers rising up in India. Young, tragically unpopular, and driven, their tomes tackle everything from complex conflict in the Indian hinterlands to the sad reality of India’s dying professions.

These are the up-and-coming Indian writers who are penning a runaway success story with their rich prose.

Meghna Pant

Meghna Pant, an author, journalist and speaker, is inspirational to say the least. The author’s debut novel One & a Half Wife (2012), which was a bestseller, won her the national Muse India Young Writer Award. Her book The Trouble with Women (2016) was described as the best book from Juggernaut Publishers by The Hindu Business Line. Her works come with strong feminist leanings, and showcase multi-dimensional characters, especially women. The famous Indian stand-up comedian Sorabh Pant is her brother.

Savi Sharma

The Surat-born author of books such as Everyone Has a Story, This is Not Your Story, and Everyone Has a Story 2, Savi Sharma is a novelist who has broken sales records in India and is a bestseller worldwide. The incisive author has gained a huge following and she is also the co-founder of the motivational media blog Life & People, where she writes about positivity, meditation, the law of attraction, and spirituality. Savi is just 25 years old and has a great fan following. A former Chartered Accountant, Sharma embarked on her writing profession by self-publishing her debut novel and won the hearts of millions of people.

Durjoy Datta

Durjoy Datta is an Indian author and screenwriter known for his coffee-table romance novels featuring the youth of India. He debuted his novel Of Course I Love You! At just 21, while he was still in college. Since then, he has released scores of other titles such as Now That you’re Rich!, The Boy with A Broken Heart, The Perfect Us, Pocketful Of Stories, and Wish I Could Tell You to name a few. He was bestowed with the Young Achiever award by the Times of India. Datta’s new book, A Touch of Eternity, is another romance — a love story set in a dystopian future and sees the concept of reincarnation take centre stage.

Kanishk Tharoor

This author’s second name is sure to ring a bell, and yes you guessed right, he is one of Shashi Tharoor’s sons. Taking after his famous father, the young author has established his name in the literary world with his highly original and rich content. Based in New York City, his short story Tale of the Teahouse was nominated for a National Magazine Award. He also released a collection of short fiction stories titled Swimmer Among the Stars in 2016, in which he weaves a heady blend of mythology, fantasy and fable.

Ira Trivedi

Once an aspiring beauty queen, Ira Trivedi is a writer of many best-selling novels. Hailing from Lucknow, Ira holds an MBA in economics. She passionately writes about gender and culture in her young adult novels. Her book, India in Love: Marriage in the 21st Century (2014) saw her do an in-depth analysis of India’s social and sensual revolution through interviews with 500 people. Her other renowned works include What Would You Do to Save the World? and There’s No Love on Wall Street. She internationally speaks on women rights and culture and is a columnist for the newspapers Deccan Chronicle and The Telegraph.