List of Indian women writers

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This is a list of women writers who were born in India or whose writings are closely associated with that country.

A

• Varsha Adalja (born 1940), Gujarati novelist, playwright
• Smita Agarwal (born 1958), poet, educator
• Meena Alexander (born 1951), poet, memoirist, essayist, novelist, critic, educator
• Samina Ali, contemporary Indian-American novelist, feminist, author of Madras on Rainy Days
• Balamani Amma (1909–2004), poet, published many collections of poetry in Malayalam
• K. Saraswathi Amma (1919–1975), short story writer, novelist, feminist
• Lalithambika Antharjanam (1909–1987), Malayalam short story writer, poet, children's writer, novelist, author of Agnisakshi
• Temsula Ao (born 1945), short story writer, poet, educator
• Ashitha, since c.1986: Malayalam short story writer, poet

B

• Jasodhara Bagchi (1937–2015), leading feminist critic, essayist, activist
• Sushmita Banerjee (c.1963–2013), memoirist
• Bani Basu (born 1939), Bengali novelist, essayist, critic, poet
• Malati Bedekar (1905–2001), Marathi feminist writer, short story writer, screenwriter
• Sheila Bhatia (1916–2008), poet, playwright, theatre director
• Sujata Bhatt (born 1956), Gujarati poet, also writing in English
• Rajlukshmee Debee Bhattacharya, since the 1990s: poet in Bengali and English
• Suchitra Bhattacharya (born 1950), Bengali novelist, short story writer
• Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi (1933–2003), Assamese poet, lyricist, children's writer
• Urvashi Butalia (born 1952), feminist, publisher, non-fiction writer

C

• Neelam Saxena Chandra (born 1969), poet, children's writer, novelist
• Chandramathi (born 1954), novelist writing in Malayalam and English
• Rimi B. Chatterjee (born 1969), novelist, short story writer, non-fiction writer, translator
• Jayasri Chattopadhyay (born 1945), Sanskrit poet, educator
• Anuja Chauhan (born 1970), advertiser, novelist, author of The Zoya Factor
• Subhadra Kumari Chauhan (1904–1948), Hindi poet
• Prem Chowdhry (born 1944), social scientist, feminist, non-fiction writer, essayist
• Rita Chowdhury (born 1960), poet, novelist, educator
• Raghavan Chudamani (1931–2010), novelist, short story writer, writing in Tamil and English
• Ismat Chughtai (1915–1991), Urdu novelist, screenwriter
• Ajit Cour (born 1934), Punjabi novelist, short story writer

D

• Esha Dadawala (born 1985), Gujarati poet, journalist
• Abha Dawesar (born 1974), novelist, short story writer, author of Babyji
• Shobha De (born 1947), journalist, novelist
• Eunice de Souza (born 1940), English-language poet, critic, novelist
• Anita Desai (born 1937), novelist, author of In Custody
• Kamal Desai (1928–c.2011), novelist, writing in Marathi
• Kiran Desai (born 1971), novelist, author of The Inheritance of Loss
• Gauri Deshpande (1942–2003), novelist, short story writer, poet, wrote in Marathi and English
• Shashi Deshpande (born 1938), novelist, short story writer, children's writer
• Sunita Deshpande (1926–2009), Marathi memoirist, letter writer
• Nabaneeta Dev Sen (born 1938), poet, novelist, educator
• Ashapoorna Devi (1909–1995), Bengali novelist, poet
• Leela Devi (1932–1998), novelist, non-fiction writer, playwright, translator, writing in Malayalam and English
• Mahasweta Devi (born 1926), Bengali-Indian journalist, novelist
• Maitreyi Devi (1914–1989), Bengali poet, novelist
• M. K. Binodini Devi (1922–2011), Manipuri memoirist, essayist, short story writer, novelist
• Nalini Bala Devi (1898–1977), Assamese poet
• Nirupama Devi (1883–1951), novelist
• Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (born 1956), Indian-American poet, novelist, short story writer, author of The Mistress of Spices
• Nirupama Dutt (born 1955), Punjabi poet, journalist, translator
• Toru Dutt (1856–1877), poet, novelist, writing in English and French

G

• Gangadevi (14th century), Telugu princess, poet, author of Madura Vijayam
• Mridula Garg (born 1938), novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, writing in Hindi and English
• Sagarika Ghose (born 1964), journalist, TV presenter, novelist
• Namita Gokhale (born 1956), English-language novelist, short story writer
• Padma Gole (1913–1998), Marathi poet
• Mamoni Raisom Goswami (1942–2011), Assamese poet, novelist, short story writer, editor, educator
• Santhini Govindan (born 1959), children's writer
• Kodagina Gowramma, pen name of B. T. Gopal Krishna (1912–1939), short story writer, feminist
• Teji Grover (born 1955), poet, novelist, translator, painter

H

• Baby Halder (born 1973), domestic servant, autobiographer
• Githa Hariharan (born 1954), novelist
• Chandrakala A. Hate (1903–1990), feminist writer, educator
• Nistula Hebbar (born 1975), journalist, columnist, novelist
• Vera Hingorani (born 1924), gynaecologist, medical writer
• Saliha Abid Hussain, 20th-century Urdu-language novelist, children's writer
• Krishna Hutheesing (1907–1967), biographer, non-fiction writer

I

• M. K. Indira (1917–1994), Kannada novelist

J

• Manorama Jafa (born 1932), prolific children's writer
• Rashid Jahan (1905–1952), Urdi short story writer, playwright
• Jana Begum (17th century), early female writer of a commentary on the Qur'an
• Pupul Jayakar (1915–1997), biographer, non-fiction writer on handicrafts
• Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (1927–2013), acclaimed German-born British novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, grew up in India
• Sarah Joseph (born 1946), Malayalam novelist, short story writer, author of Aalahayude Penmakkal
• Isha Basant Joshi (born 1908), poet, short story writer
• Anees Jung (born 1944), journalist, columnist, non-fiction writer

K

• Meena Kandasamy (born 1984), poet, biographer, novelist, feminist
• Amita Kanekar (born 1965), novelist, educator
• Kanhopatra (15th century), Marathi saint-poet
• Bhanu Kapil (born 1968), British-Indian novelist
• Manju Kapur, since 1998: novelist
• Swati Kaushal, since 2005: young adult novelist
• Girijabai Kelkar (1886–1890), Marathi-language playwright, feminist writer
• Sumana Kittur (active since 2007), journalist, film director, lyricist
• Habba Khatoon (1554–1609), Kashmiri mystic poet
• Mridula Koshy (born 1969), short story writer, novelist
• Sumati Kshetramade (born 1915), novelist
• Rajam Krishnan (1925–2014), Tamil novelist, playwright, short story writer, feminist

L

• Jhumpa Lahiri (born 1967), British-born American-Indian short story writer, novelist, author of The Lowland
• Lalleshwari (1320–1392), Kashmiri mystic poet
• Bem Le Hunte (born 1964), British-Indian novelist, now in Australia
• Lalitha Lenin (born 1946), acclaimed Malayalam poet, educator
• Ritu Lalit (born 1964), Indian novelist

M

• Akka Mahadevi (12th century), poet writing in Old Kannada
• Tilottama Majumdar (born 1966), Bengali novelist, short story writer, poet, essayist
• Anju Makhija, since 1990: poet, playwright, translator
• Amita Malik (1921–2009), film and television critic, radio journalist
• Kamala Markandaya, pen name of Kamala Purnaiya Taylor (1924–2004), best selling novelist, journalist
• Anna Sujatha Mathai (born 1934), English-language poet, littérateur, educator
• C K Meena (born 1957), novelist, journalist, educator
• Meera (15th century), Hindu mystic poet
• K. R. Meera (born 1970), journalist, novelist, short story writer, children's writer
• Rama Mehta (1923–1978), sociologist, novelist, non-fiction writer
• Indu Menon (born 1980), Malayalam novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, sociologist
• Jaishree Misra (born 1961), best selling novelist
• Molla (1440–1530), poet, translated the Ramayana into Telugu
• Muddupalani (18th century), Telugu poet
• Chitra Mudgal (born 1944), Hindi novelist
• Bharati Mukherjee (born 1940), Indian-American novelist, short story writer, non-fiction writer, author of Jasmine
• Khadija Mumtaz (born 1955), medical doctor, novelist, author of Barsa (novel)
• Sudha Murthy (born 1950), Kannada novelist, short story writer, children's writer, sociologist, businesswomen
• Seema Mustafa: since 1990s: journalist, biographer, newspaper editor

N

• Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949), child prodigy, Indian independence activist, poet
• Anita Nair (born 1966), English-language poet, novelist, author of Ladies Coupé
• Suniti Namjoshi (born 1941), poet, short story writer, children's writer
• Meera Nanda (born 1954), Indian-American historian, religious writer
• Anupama Niranjana (1934–1991), medical doctor, Kannada novelist, short story writer

P

• Manjula Padmanabhan (born 1953), playwright, journalist, comic strip artist, children's writer
• Mrinal Pande (born 1946), television presenter, journalist, novelist, non-fiction writer, newspaper editor
• Dhiruben Patel (born 1926), Gujarati novelist, short story writer, playwright, translator
• Savitribai Phule (1831–1987), poet, social reformer
• Gita Piramal (born c.1954), magazine editor, businesswoman, non-fiction writer
• Gudibande Poornima (born 1951), poet, novelist, non-fiction writer
• Manjiri Prabhu (born 1964), novelist, filmmaker
• Manasi Pradhan (born 1962), novelist, women's rights activist
• Amrita Pritam (1919–2005), poet, novelist, essayist, first prominent Punjabi woman poet
• Neelkamal Puri (born 1956), Punjabi novelist, short story writer, columnist, educator
• Deanne Pandey (born 1968) Fitness & Lifestyle writer

R

• Rajalakshmi (1930–1965), Malayalam poet, novelist
• Rajashree, author of the chick lit best seller Trust Me (2006)
• Anuradha Ramanan (1947–2010), prolific novelist, short story writer
• Ramanichandran, contemporary best selling Tamil novelist
• Ravinder Randhawa (born 1952), British-Indian novelist, short story writer
• Bhargavi Rao (1944–2008), specialist in Telugu literature, translator, anthologist
• Malathi Rao (born 1930), novelist, short story writer
• Santha Rama Rau (1923–2009), Indian-American novelist, playwright
• Nuchhungi Renthlei (1914–2002), poet, singer, school teacher, women's rights activist
• Anusree Roy (born 1982), Indo-Canadian playwright, actress
• Arundhati Roy (born 1961), novelist, author of The God of Small Things
• Nilanjana S. Roy (born c.1971), journalist, children's writer
• Kamini Roy (1864–1933), leading Bengali poet, essayist, feminist

S

• Padma Sachdev (born 1940), Dogri poet, novelist, also writing in Hindi
• Nayantara Sahgal (born 1927), novelist, memoirist, letter writer, author of Rich Like Us
• Sarojini Sahoo (born 1956), feminist writer, novelist, short-story writer, author of Sensible Sensuality
• Nandini Sahu (born 1973), English-language poet, folklorist, academic
• Indira Sant (1914–2000), Marathi poet
• Krupabai Satthianadhan (1862–1894), early English-language Indian novelist
• Mallika Sengupta (1960–2011), Bengali poet, novelist, feminist, sociologist
• Poile Sengupta (born 1948), English-language playwright, children's writer, poet
• Teesta Setalvad (born 1962), journalist, civil rights activist
• Madhuri R. Shah (fl. 1970-80s), educationist, non-fiction writer
• Shantichitra (born 1978), novelist, short story writer, educator
• Sarjana Sharma (born 1959), journalist, broadcaster
• Shanta Shelke (1922–2002), Marathi poet, novelist, short story writer, educator
• Preeti Shenoy (born 1971), novelist, non-fiction writer
• Namita Singh (born 1944), magazine editor, poet
• Sunny Singh (born 1969), journalist, novelist, short story writer
• Sunny Singh (1931–1999), Bengali poet, novelist, feminist
• Kabita Sinha (1931–1999), Bengali poet, novelist, feminist
• Mridula Sinha (born 1942), state governor of Goa, Hindi novelist, short story writer
• Sivasankari (born 1942), Tamil novelist
• Krishna Sobti (born 1925), Hindi novelist, essayist
• Atima Srivastava (born 1961), short story writer, novelist, screenwriter, film director
• Arundhathi Subramaniam, since c.2003: poet, journalist, biographer
• Vidya Subramaniam (born 1957), prolific novelist, short story writer
• Rupa Subramanya (born 1978), economist, non-fiction writer, columnist, journalist
• Sugathakumari (born 1934), Malayalam poet, activist
• Kamala Surayya (1934–2009), English-language poet, Malayalam short story writer, columnist, autobiographer
• Sunita Jain (born 1940), English and Hindi fictionist

T

• Shweta Taneja (born 1980), novelist, comic writer, journalist
• Sooni Taraporevala (born 1957), screenwriter, photographer
• Romila Thapar (born 1930), historian, non-fiction writer
• Susie Tharu (born 1943), non-fiction writer, educator, women's rights activist
• Aarti Tikoo Singh (born 1978), journalist, editor
• Manjit Tiwana (born 1947), Punjabi poet, educator
• Madhu Trehan, since mid 1970s: journalist, magazine editor
• Ira Trivedi, since 2006: non-fiction writer, novelist, columnist

U

• O. V. Usha (born 1948), Malayalam poet, novelist, short story writer

V

• Urvashi Vaid (born 1958), Indian-American LGBT activist, non-fiction writer
• Vaidehi (born 1945), acclaimed Kannada short story writer, essayist, novelist, poet, children's writer
• P. Valsala (born 1938), novelist, short story writer, social activist
• Mahadevi Varma (1907–1987), Hindi poet, women's rights activist
• Kapila Vatsyayan (born 1928), art historian, non-fiction writer
• Reetika Vazirani (1962–2003), Indian-American poet, educator
• Kaajal Oza Vaidya (born 1966), screen writer, novelist, journalist
• Vijayalakshmi (born 1960), prolific Malayalam poet
• Vinita Agrawal (born 1965) - poet, writer, reviewer and essayist, award winning poet, author of three volumes of poetry
• Pinki Virani (born 1959), journalist, best selling novelist, non-fiction writer
• Susan Visvanathan (born 1957), sociologist, non-fiction writer, novelist, essayist

Y

• Mallika Yunis, since 1980s: novelist

Z

• Shama Zaidi (born 1938), art critic, screenwriter, filmmaker
• Zahida Zaidi (1930–2011), poet, playwright, critic, educator

See also

• List of women writers