๐ Chapter 07 ยท Topic 05 ยท Books & Authors
Books in News
Recent books by Indian authors, Booker Prize winners, and books related to current affairs and UPSC exams.
๐ Recent Books by Indian Authors (2020โ2024)
| Book | Author | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ret Samadhi (Tomb of Sand) | Geetanjali Shree | 2021 (Hindi); 2022 (English translation) | First Hindi novel to win International Booker Prize (2022); translated by Daisy Rockwell |
| The Ministry of Utmost Happiness | Arundhati Roy | 2017 | Second novel by Booker Prize winner; set in Kashmir and Delhi |
| The Covenant of Water | Abraham Verghese | 2023 | Indian-American author; set in Kerala; Oprah’s Book Club selection |
| Exam Warriors | Narendra Modi | 2018 (updated editions) | PM Modi’s book for students on handling exam stress |
| The Anarchy | William Dalrymple | 2019 | History of the East India Company’s rise to power in India |
| India’s China Challenge | Ananth Krishnan | 2020 | India-China relations; border disputes |
| The New India | Various authors | Recent | Books on India’s economic and political transformation |
๐ Man Booker Prize Winners โ Indian Authors
| Year | Book | Author | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Midnight’s Children | Salman Rushdie | “Booker of Bookers” (1993, 2008); set around India’s independence |
| 1997 | The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy | Set in Kerala; debut novel; first Indian woman to win |
| 2006 | The Inheritance of Loss | Kiran Desai | Set in Darjeeling; daughter of Anita Desai |
| 2008 | The White Tiger | Aravind Adiga | Debut novel; class struggle; narrator is a driver from Bihar |
| 2022 | Tomb of Sand (International Booker) | Geetanjali Shree | First Hindi novel to win International Booker; translated by Daisy Rockwell |
๐ Books on Indian History & Politics (Important for UPSC)
| Book | Author | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| India After Gandhi | Ramachandra Guha | History of independent India (1947 onwards) |
| Gandhi Before India | Ramachandra Guha | Gandhi’s early life in South Africa |
| The Argumentative Indian | Amartya Sen | India’s intellectual and political traditions |
| An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions | Jean Drรจze & Amartya Sen | India’s development challenges |
| India’s Struggle for Independence | Bipan Chandra et al. | Standard text on Indian independence movement |
| The Great Indian Novel | Shashi Tharoor | Retelling of Mahabharata in modern Indian political context |
| Half Lion | Vinay Sitapati | Biography of P.V. Narasimha Rao; 1991 economic reforms |
| The Accidental Prime Minister | Sanjaya Baru | Manmohan Singh’s tenure as PM; media advisor’s account |
โญ Geetanjali Shree โ International Booker 2022: Geetanjali Shree’s novel “Ret Samadhi” (Tomb of Sand) won the International Booker Prize in 2022 โ the first Hindi-language novel to win this prestigious award. The novel is about an 80-year-old woman in North India who, after her husband’s death, embarks on a journey to Pakistan. It was translated into English by Daisy Rockwell. The win was celebrated as a landmark moment for Hindi literature globally and brought renewed attention to Indian regional language fiction.
๐ Ramachandra Guha โ India’s Leading Historian: Ramachandra Guha is one of India’s most celebrated historians and public intellectuals. His book “India After Gandhi” (2007) is considered the definitive history of independent India. He has also written biographies of Gandhi and cricket histories. He is known for his accessible writing style that brings history to a general audience. He has received the Padma Bhushan and numerous other awards.
โ Revision Checklist
โ
Ret Samadhi (Tomb of Sand) = Geetanjali Shree = International Booker 2022 = first Hindi novel
โ Translated by Daisy Rockwell
โ Midnight’s Children = Salman Rushdie = Booker 1981 = “Booker of Bookers”
โ The God of Small Things = Arundhati Roy = Booker 1997 = Kerala setting
โ The Inheritance of Loss = Kiran Desai = Booker 2006 = Darjeeling setting
โ The White Tiger = Aravind Adiga = Booker 2008 = class struggle
โ India After Gandhi = Ramachandra Guha = history of independent India
โ The Argumentative Indian = Amartya Sen = India’s intellectual traditions
โ Half Lion = Vinay Sitapati = P.V. Narasimha Rao biography
โ Translated by Daisy Rockwell
โ Midnight’s Children = Salman Rushdie = Booker 1981 = “Booker of Bookers”
โ The God of Small Things = Arundhati Roy = Booker 1997 = Kerala setting
โ The Inheritance of Loss = Kiran Desai = Booker 2006 = Darjeeling setting
โ The White Tiger = Aravind Adiga = Booker 2008 = class struggle
โ India After Gandhi = Ramachandra Guha = history of independent India
โ The Argumentative Indian = Amartya Sen = India’s intellectual traditions
โ Half Lion = Vinay Sitapati = P.V. Narasimha Rao biography