Womankind

The power of the pen

The literature of Indian women writing in English has been described as a “literary juggernaut” - an international publishing industry “powerhouse”. With a reputation for lyrical language and innovative storytelling, Indian women writers have become significant contributors not only to Indian feminist thought, but to a broader understanding of the more damaging legacy of a patriarchal society.

Writers Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Arundhati Roy have continued to walk a path cleared by earlier writers such as Nayantara Sahgal and Shasi Deshpande. Now women writers from India and those of Indian heritage are at the top of their game in literary fiction, non-fiction, mystery, chick-lit, and young adult fiction. “Indian women writers represent the complexity and staggering diversity of thought and story in India,” says author Sonora Jha, professor of journalism at Seattle University. Jha, who was shortlisted

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Womankind

Womankind5 min read
Our Ticking Clock
Consider a few of the things I did during the 24 hours before beginning to write this article. I watched an hour-long episode of a TV drama my friends had recommended, long after it became clear it wasn’t one for me. I spent 20 minutes replying by em
Womankind2 min read
Going Out On A Limb
Of late, artist Monica Rohan has been obsessed with a tree. It was the inspiration for an oil painting, and more recently a drawing in ink. “It’s an amazing tree that arches over and leans on itself like a snow gum,” she says, speaking from her rente
Womankind6 min read
The Bee Keepers
When Jen Powers noticed her two-year-old son stroking a bee’s back with his tiny finger, without a hint of fear, she decided she wanted to know more about the enigmatic insects busily pollinating her Los Angeles garden. Soon, she was so enamoured she

Related