Indian authors as well as those of Indian origin enjoy global acclaim for having produced exemplary literary works.
Though Indian English literature has a comparatively shorter history than the country’s regional literature, several Indian English novels have accurately captured the charm of traditional as well as modern day India over the years.
Browsing through the multitudes of amazing Indian English novels can be quite a task, so here are 10 novels by Indian or Indian-origin authors that are definitely worth reading:
1) The English Teacher (RK Narayan)
This 1945 novel follows the life of English teacher Krishna in the sleepy town of Malgudi. Dealing with the monotony of his job, he navigates life as a family man, while handling the curveballs of life. There is plenty of humour, drama and even profound scenes to keep you hooked throughout.
2) Untouchable (Mulk Raj Anand)
Untouchable was inspired by an experience by Anand’s aunt, when she was treated like an outcast by a Muslim family. The short novel is a look into the cruelty of the caste system through the eyes of a sweeper called Bakha. The story gives a glimpse into the stark realities of the discrimination that prevailed in the pre-independence era.
3) White Tiger (Aravind Adiga)
Aravind’s debut novel is a dark humorous look into the class struggles of modern day India. It is narrated through the perspective of Balram Halwai, a village boy working as a chauffeur in Delhi. The novel explores caste, poverty, discrimination and other social issues of modern India. The novel won the 40th Man Booker Prize in 2008.
4) The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy)
Twins Esthappan and Rahel deal with love, loss and heartbreak as the novel explores their story through jumping between scenes from the past and the present. Roy’s debut novel won critical acclaim, and bagged the Booker Prize in 1997.
5) A Suitable Boy (Vikram Seth)
The novel, set in newly post-independence India, follows the lives of four families, focusing on Mrs Rupa Mehra’s efforts to find a suitable partner for her daughter, Lata. The novel is a satirical examination of national political issues, and is full of Seth’s trademark humour.
6) Midnight’s Children (Salman Rushdie)
This novel has the distinction of being awarded the Booker prize three times. It is about the life of Saleem Sinai, one of the 1,001 telepathically linked children born with special powers. Rushdie has remarked that the west read the novel “as a fantasy”, while Indian readers consider it “pretty realistic, almost a history book.”
7) The Great Indian Novel (Shashi Tharoor)
Tharoor cites the inspiration for this novel to be the Mahabharata. This satirical novel recasts the Mahabharata in the context of the Indian Independence Movement, and the first three decades post-independence. It is a witty re-imagining of the epic in terms of the vagaries of post-modern Indian political and social life.
8) A House for Mr Biswas (VS Naipaul)
The 1961 novel follows the perpetually unlucky Mohun Biswas, whose attempts always result in failure. From an unsatisfactory marriage to financial disasters in buying a house, Mr Biswas can’t seem to catch a break. It was included in “TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005”.
9) The Blue Umbrella (Ruskin Bond)
This charming novel follows the story of Binya’s Blue Umbrella, and the efforts of shop keeper Ram Bharosa’s attempts to covet it. Bond captures the beauty of village life in this humorous story. It later made into a film, which won the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film.
10) The Inheritance of Loss (Kiran Desai)
Published in 2006, this novel is a powerful work of conveying the struggles of relatable characters. Desai explores intimacy, sadness and the rigidity of class systems both in India and abroad. Desai’s uncanny ability to express abstract emotions in words makes this an essential read.
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