First-time novelists often get advice to write what they know. Two young Indian American novelists who have evoked a range of social worlds and used a variety of storytelling techniques reflect on whether their hybrid identity has fuelled their literary adventurousness. They discuss the role of personal experience, research and the imagination in depicting different sub-cultures.
Karan Mahajan is an award winning author. He was selected as one of Granta’s Best Young American Novelists. He teaches at Brown University.
More InfoSanjena Sathian has worked as a journalist in San Francisco and Mumbai. Her debut novel Gold Diggers, published in 2021, is being adapted into a television series.
More InfoSonal Shah is a writer and editor based in New Delhi. She writes on a wide range of subjects including literature, language, the arts, the city, travel and food and drink, for numerous publications.
More InfoInauguration of Tata Literature Live! 2021
followed by Amitav Ghosh in conversation with Hrishi K
Surviving men
Amy K. Blakemore, Christina Sweeney-Baird
Chair: Peter Griffin
Planting a green thought
Jonathan Drori, Pradip Krishen
Chair: Suprabha Seshan