To understand India, you need to have a deeper understanding of Indian culture, which is the collaboration of the heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief systems, political systems, artefacts, and technologies. Don’t worry if you feel a bit overwhelmed, as many Indian authors can help you understand India better with their books.
Here are 20 best books by Indian authors to understand India better.
#1 A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food by K.T. Achaya
About the book
Title: A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food
Author: K.T. Achaya
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Pages: 364
Goodreads Rating:4.33/5
With its enormous variety of cuisines, food materials, and dishes, Indian food has become popular worldwide. The dominant flavour of this gastronomic Companion is historical. Drawing on various sources—literature, archaeology, epigraphic records, anthropology, philology, and botanical and genetic studies—it offers interesting facts about the origins and evolution of Indian food.
There are separate chapters on prehistoric cooking methods, regional cuisines, the theories and classification of foods, as codified by ancient Indian doctors, customs and rituals, the etymology of food words, and the shift towards vegetarianism with the advent of Buddhism and Jainism.
Why do we recommend this book?
What better way to know about Indian culture than to start reading books about Indian cuisine written by our authors? This Companion outlines the enormous variety of cuisines, food materials, and dishes that collectively fall under the term Indian food. K.T. Achaya was a pioneering food historian who chronicled almost every ingredient commonly used in Indian kitchens.
To buy A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food by K.T. Achaya now:
#2 An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India by Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor
About the book
Title: An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India
Author: Shashi Tharoor
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Pages: 360
Goodreads Rating:4.17/5
India’s share of the world economy was as large as Europe’s. By 1947, after two centuries of British rule, it had decreased six-fold. Beyond conquest and deception, the Empire blew rebels from cannons, massacred unarmed protesters, entrenched institutionalised racism, and caused millions to die from starvation. British imperialism justified itself as enlightened despotism for the benefit of the governed.
Still, Shashi Tharoor takes on and demolishes this position, demonstrating how every supposed imperial “gift”—from the railways to the rule of law—was designed in Britain’s interests alone. He goes on to show how Britain’s Industrial Revolution was founded on India’s deindustrialisation and the destruction of its textile industry.
Why do we recommend this book?
In this bold and incisive reassessment of colonialism, Tharoor exposes to devastating effect the inglorious reality of Britain’s stained Indian legacy.
To buy An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India by Shashi Tharoor now:
#3 All Roads Lead To Ganga by Ruskin Bond
About the book
Title: All Roads Lead To Ganga
Author: Ruskin Bond
Publisher: Rupa & Co
Pages: 121
Goodreads Rating:4.12/5
The story of the Ganges, from her source to the sea, from old times to new, is the story of India’s civilisation and culture, the rise and fall of empires, great and proud cities, and the adventures of man—Jawaharlal Nehru. In this travel memoir, noted writer Ruskin Bond captures this magical landscape’s breathtaking beauty and splendour, describing with nostalgia and affection the places and people he has lived with and encountered for over forty years.
In this engaging book, Bond provides a wonderfully evocative description of the mountain streams, the birds and animals, the wildflowers, the natural biosphere, the villages and dharmshalas, and the many shrines and places of pilgrimage—Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, nestled in the mighty mountains.
Why do we recommend this book?
From one of the most prominent Indian authors with bestselling books, All Roads Lead to Ganga by Ruskin Bond is a collection of facts describing cities, about in and around them, and their beauty. Bond describes his personal experiences travelling to various cities, pilgrimages, and shrines. The way he narrates the details is heart-touching.
To buy All Roads Lead To Ganga by Ruskin Bond now:
#4 Dongri To Dubai: Six Decades of The Mumbai Mafia by S. Hussain Zaid
S. Hussain Zaid
About the book
Title: Dongri To Dubai: Six Decades of The Mumbai Mafia
Author: S. Hussain Zaid
Publisher: Roli Books
Pages: 378
Goodreads Rating: 3.94/5
Dongri to Dubai is the first-ever attempt to chronicle the history of the Mumbai mafia. It is the story of notorious gangsters like Haji Mastan, Karim Lala, Varadarajan Mudaliar, Chhota Rajan, and Abu Salem. Above all, it is the story of a young man who went astray despite having a father in the police force. Dawood Ibrahim was initiated into crime as a pawn in the hands of the Mumbai police and went on to wipe out the competition and eventually became the Mumbai police’s nemesis.
The narrative encompasses several milestones in the history of crime in India, from the rise of the Pathans, the formation of the Dawood gang, the first ever supari, the mafia’s nefarious role in Bollywood, Dawood’s move to Karachi, and Pakistan’s subsequent alleged role in sheltering one of the most wanted persons in the world.
Why do we recommend this book?
This meticulously researched book provides an in-depth and comprehensive account of the mafia’s games of supremacy and internecine warfare. It gives lots of insight into understanding Indian crime history.
To buy Dongri To Dubai: Six Decades of The Mumbai Mafia by S. Hussain Zaid now:
#5 Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar
About the book
Title: Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300
Author: Romila Thapar
Publisher: Penguin India
Pages: 555
Goodreads Rating: 3.59/5
Early India represents a complete rewriting by Romila Thapar of her classic work, A History of India (the first volume in the Penguin History of India series), thirty-five years after it was first published. Thapar has incorporated the vast changes in scholarly understanding and interpretation of Indian history that have occurred during her lifetime to revise the book for a new generation of readers.
This new work brings to life thousands of years of history, tracing India’s evolution before contact with modern Europe was established: its prehistoric beginnings; the great cities of the Indus civilisation; the emergence of mighty dynasties such as the Mauryas, Guptas, and Cholas; the teachings of Buddha; the creation of heroic epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana; and the creation of regional cultures.
Why do we recommend this book?
This book provides an incomparably vivid and nuanced picture of India. Above all, she shows the rich mosaic of diverse kingdoms, landscapes, languages, and beliefs.
To buy Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar now:
#6 India: A Wounded Civilization by V.S. Naipaul
V.S. Naipaul
About the book
Title: India: A Wounded Civilization
Author: V.S. Naipaul
Publisher: Vintage Books
Pages: 176
Goodreads Rating: 3.71/5
“In 1975, at the height of Indira Gandhi’s “Emergency,” V. S. Naipaul returned to India, the country his ancestors had left one hundred years earlier. Out of that journey, he produced this concise masterpiece: a vibrant, defiantly unsentimental portrait of a society traumatised by centuries of foreign conquest and immured in a mythic vision of its past.
Drawing on novels, news reports, political memoirs, and his encounters with ordinary Indians—from a supercilious prince to an engineer constructing housing for Bombay’s homeless—Naipaul captures a vast, mysterious, and agonised continent inaccessible to foreigners and barely visible to its people.
Why do we recommend this book?
Relentless in its vision and thrilling in the keenness of its prose, India: A Wounded Civilization is a work of astonishing insight and honesty. The book is a must-read for an Indian because it forces the much-needed introspection portrayal that can influence the general perception of Indians. Overall, an absolute classic by Naipaul, who has shown his prowess as an astute observer and a gifted writer. Hence, it is one of the most important books by Indian authors about India.
To buy India: A Wounded Civilization by V.S. Naipaul now:
#7 India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha
About the book
Title: India after Gandhi
Author: Ramachandra Guha
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 912
Goodreads Rating: 4.39/5
A magisterial account of the pains, struggles, humiliations, and glories of the world’s largest and least likely democracy, Ramachandra Guha’s India After Gandhi is a breathtaking chronicle of the brutal conflicts that have rocked a giant nation and the extraordinary factors that have held it together. An intricately researched and elegantly written epic history peopled with larger-than-life characters, it is the work of a prominent scholar at the peak of his abilities.
Why do we recommend this book?
This book is a perfect foundation for anyone who wants to experience India and try to understand it.
To buy India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha now:
#8 ISRO: A Personal History by Gita Aravamudan and R. Aravamudan
R. Aravamudan
About the book
Title: ISRO: A Personal History
Author: Gita Aravamudan and R. Aravamudan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 256
Goodreads Rating: 4.28/5
ISRO pioneer R. Aravamudan narrates the gripping story of the people who built the Indian space research program and how they did it, from the rocket engineers who laid the foundation to the savvy young engineers who keep Indian spaceships flying today. It is the tale of an Indian organisation that defied international bans and embargos, worked with laughably meagre resources, evolved its technology, and grew into a significant space power.
Today, ISRO creates, builds, and launches gigantic rockets that carry the complex spacecraft that form the neural network of our own country and those of other countries. This is a made-in-India story like no other.
Why do we recommend this book?
ISRO is a crucial part of India and the history of India’s much-lauded space program. Indeed, it is an interesting read for a beginner learner of the Indian space program for reading some of the exciting stories.
To buy ISRO: A Personal History by Gita Aravamudan and R. Aravamudan now:
#9 Mrs. Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna
Twinkle Khanna
About the book
Title: Mrs. Funnybones
Author: Twinkle Khanna
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Pages: 235
Goodreads Rating: 3.51/5
Almost everyone has a similar family story in India, which is what Mrs. Funnybones or Twinkle Khanna pokes fun at. The husband, the man of the house, the crazy mothers-in-law, friends, and the constant jibes at her weight make it an intriguing read. Everything comes together to leave the reader cackling away in laughter. Dwell deeper because this book will certainly make you think.
Why do we recommend this book?
Based on Twinkle Khanna’s super-hit column, Mrs. Funnybones marks the debut of one of our funniest, most original voices and a great way to capture the life of the modern Indian woman.
To buy Mrs. Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna now:
#10 Olympics: The India Story by Boria Majumdar, Nalin Mehta
About the book
Title: Olympics: The India Story
Author: Boria Majumdar, Nalin Mehta
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 532
Goodreads Rating: 4.14/5
“The first detailed history of India’s Olympic experience … a valuable addition to contemporary knowledge”-India Today.
When and how did the Olympic movement take root in India? Who were the early players, and why did they appropriate the Olympic sport to further their political ambitions? In most accounts of Olympic history worldwide, India’s Olympic journey is a mere footnote. Olympics: The India Story sets that right. Drawing on previously unused archival sources, it demonstrates that India was an important strategic outpost in the Olympic family. It explores why the Indian elite became obsessed with the Olympic ideal at the turn of the twentieth century and how this relates to India’s quest for a meaningful role on the international stage.
Why do we recommend this book?
The spread is excellent, the information marvellous, and the interpretation satisfying. This book will be well-cited and, more importantly, will spring a lot more studies to give us even more insight than we have now.
To buy Olympics: The India Story by Boria Majumdar, Nalin Mehta now:
#11 Parliamental by Meghnad S
About the book
Title: Parliamental
Author: Meghnad S
Publisher: Harper India
Pages: 220
Goodreads Rating: 3.76/5
Raghav Marathe, cynical millennial turned reluctant policy analyst, arrives in Delhi with his boss, Prabhu Srikar of the RJM party, and a first-time MP with a tendency to throw up. As they navigate their way around Parliament, handling backroom deals, nepotistic party heads, and laws that seem tailor-made to benefit the ruling party, they learn that politics and idealism don’t always go together.
Why do we recommend this book?
Though this book is fiction, it can be assumed as real because the incidents mentioned in the book seem to be inspired by real events. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to do a light reading about the Parliament and also wants to know something substantial about the system.
To buy Parliamental by Meghnad S now:
#12 Playing It My Way: My Autobiography by Sachin Tendulkar, Boria Majumdar (Contributor)
About the book
Title: Playing It My Way: My Autobiography
Author: Sachin Tendulkar, Boria Majumdar (Contributor)
Publisher: Hachette
Pages: 486
Goodreads Rating: 3.94/5
When he was a young boy, Sachin Tendulkar’s brother introduced him to a game to change his life and the lives of millions of Indians. The young boy was a natural cricketer but practised for hours, standing strong when others would have fallen. His coach egged him on, challenging him to up his game. And he did, becoming more than just a star in the cricketing firmament. He became the youngest Indian player in international cricket, winning the hearts of millions of fans as he blazed his way to century after century, rewriting record after record.
Why do we recommend this book?
In this long-awaited autobiography, readers can see glimpses into this living legend’s life and the man behind the sport, the husband, the father, and an extraordinary human being—quiet, calm, and with rare humility. In his own words, this is the story of Sachin Tendulkar, the most celebrated cricketer of all time.
To buy Playing It My Way: My Autobiography by Sachin Tendulkar now:
#13 Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
Vikram Chandra
About the book
Title: Sacred Games
Author: Vikram Chandra
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 916
Goodreads Rating: 3.92/5
Vikram Chandra’s keenly anticipated new novel is a magnificent story of friendship and betrayal, of terrible violence, of a wonderfully modern city and its dark side. Drawing inspiration from the classics of nineteenth-century fiction, mystery novels, Bollywood movies, and Chandra’s own life and research on the streets of Mumbai, Sacred Games evokes with devastating realism the way we live now but resonates with the intelligence and emotional depth of the best of literature.
Why do we recommend this book?
The book is incredibly long and detailed, but it’s written beautifully and is fantastic. A fascinating portrait of a great city, this is a masterful novel.
To buy Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra now:
#14 Satyajit Ray on Cinema by Satyajit Ray
About the book
Title: Satyajit Ray on Cinema
Author: Satyajit Ray
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Pages: 184
Goodreads Rating: 4.30/5
Satyajit Ray’s work was admired for its humanism, versatility, attention to detail, and skilled use of music. He was also widely praised for his critical and intellectual writings, which mirror his filmmaking in their precision and wide-ranging grasp of history, culture, and aesthetics.
Spanning forty years of Ray’s career, these essays, for the first time collected in one volume, present the filmmaker’s reflections on the art and craft of the cinematic medium and include his thoughts on sentimentalism, mass culture, silent films, the influence of the French New Wave, and the experience of being a successful director. The collection also features an excerpt from Ray’s diaries. It reproduces his sketches of famous film personalities, such as Sergei Eisenstein, Charlie Chaplin, and Akira Kurosawa, in addition to film posters, photographs by and of the artist, film stills, and filmography.
Why do we recommend this book?
The volume relays the full extent of Ray’s engagement with film and offers extensive access to the thought of one of the twentieth century’s leading Indian intellectuals. It is highly recommended and a must-read.
To buy Satyajit Ray on Cinema by Satyajit Ray now:
#15 The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen
About the book
Title: The Argumentative Indian
Author: Amartya Sen
Publisher: Picador
Pages: 432
Goodreads Rating: 3.82/5
In sixteen linked essays, Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen discusses India’s intellectual and political heritage and how its argumentative tradition is vital for the success of its democracy and secular politics. The Argumentative Indian is “a bracing sweep through aspects of Indian history and culture, and a tempered analysis of the highly charged disputes surrounding these subjects—the nature of Hindu traditions, Indian identity, the country’s huge social and economic disparities, and its current place in the world.”
Why do we recommend this book?
As an Indian citizen, I will say all should read it. It has 16 essays and gives us insights into our argumentative history and, as Indians, we will understand and use this rich argumentative tradition that is critically important, Sen argues, for the success of India’s democracy, the defence of its secular politics, the removal of inequalities related to class, caste, gender and community, and the pursuit of sub-continental peace.
To buy The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen now:
#16 The Collected Short Stories by Satyajit Ray
About the book
Title: The Collected Short Stories
Author: Satyajit Ray
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 570
Goodreads Rating: 4.53/5
Best known for his immensely popular Feluda mysteries and the adventures of Professor Shonku, Satyajit Ray was also one of his generation’s most skilful short story writers. Ray’s short stories often explore the macabre and the supernatural and are marked by the sharp characterisation and trademark wit that distinguish his films.
This collection brings together Ray’s best short stories—including such timeless gems as Khagam, Indigo, Fritz, Bhutto, The Pterodactyl’s Egg, Big Bill, Patol Babu, Film Star and The Hungry Septopus—which readers of all ages will enjoy.
Why do we recommend this book?
It is highly recommended! Ray’s writing breathes life into the characters and the settings, bringing the India of the bygone era alive to the reader. The author’s masterful talent for creating long-lasting visuals is perceptively evident throughout. Ray is not only a great Indian filmmaker but also one of the country’s most significant authors, and his books prove it.
To buy The Collected Short Stories by Satyajit Ray now:
#17 The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor
About the book
Title: The Great Indian Novel
Author: Shashi Tharoor
Publisher: Arcade Publishing
Pages: 423
Goodreads Rating: 3.89/5
In this award-winning, internationally acclaimed novel, Tharoor has masterfully recast the 2,000-year-old epic, the Mahabharata, with fictional but highly recognisable events and characters from twentieth-century Indian politics. Chronicling the Indian struggle for freedom and independence from Great Britain, Tharoor directs his hilarious satire as much against Indian foibles as the bumbling of the British rulers.
Why do we recommend this book?
This book is arguably one of the finest works of fiction as far as post-modern Indian literature is concerned. Highly recommended and a must-read for every Indian.
To buy The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor now:
#18 The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
About the book
Title: The Discovery of India
Author: Jawaharlal Nehru
Publisher: Penguin Group
Pages: 642
Goodreads Rating: 4.08/5
In conjunction with the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund in New Delhi, Oxford proudly announces the reissue of Glimpses of World History and The Discovery of India, two famous works by Jawaharlal Nehru. One of the modern day’s most articulate politicians, Jawaharlal Nehru, wrote on various subjects.
Describing himself as “a dabbler in many things,” he committed his life not only to politics but also to nature and wildlife, drama, poetry, history, and science, as well as many other fields. These two volumes help to illuminate the depth of his interests and knowledge and the skill and elegance with which he treated the written word.
Why do we recommend this book?
This is still the best history book I have read and is a good attempt at presenting a picture of India. Also, it is a wonderful nationalistic treatise written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was imprisoned in Ahmednagar Fort—an impressionistic and romanticised work.
To buy The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru now:
#19 Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh
About the book
Title: Train to Pakistan
Author: Khushwant Singh
Publisher: Grove Press
Pages: 181
Goodreads Rating: 3.93/5
In the summer of 1947, when the creation of the state of Pakistan was formally announced, ten million people—Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs—were in flight. By the time the monsoon broke, almost a million of them were dead, and all of northern India was in arms, terror, or hiding. The only remaining oases of peace were a scatter of little villages lost in the remote reaches of the frontier. One of these villages was Mano Majra.
Why do we recommend this book?
Train to Pakistan is the story of this isolated village plunged into the abyss of religious hate. It is also the story of a Sikh boy and a Muslim girl whose love endured and transcended the ravages of war.
To buy Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh now:
#20 Wings of Fire: An Autobiography by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
About the book
Title: Wings of Fire: An Autobiography
Author: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Publisher: Universities Press
Pages: 180
Goodreads Rating: 4,27/5
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, the son of a little-educated boat owner in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, had an unparalleled career as a defence scientist, culminating in India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. As chief of the country’s defence research and development program, Kalam demonstrated the great potential for dynamism and innovation in seemingly moribund research establishments.
This is the story of Kalam’s rise from obscurity and his personal and professional struggles, as well as the story of Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul, and Nag missiles, that have become household names in India and that have raised the nation to the level of a missile power of international reckoning.
Why do we recommend this book?
This is also the saga of independent India’s struggle for technological self-sufficiency and defensive autonomy—a story as much about domestic and international politics as it is about science.
To buy Wings of Fire: An Autobiography by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam now:
All the books helped me a lot in knowing about India and also discovering some amazing facts about India. There is nothing stronger than the power of the word, and reading books of such Indian authors and their wisdom is inspiring and enjoyable.
Summarizing, here’s the list of 20 books by Indian authors to understand India better and the links to buy them.
| 1 | A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food by K.T. Achaya | Buy now |
| 2 | An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India by Shashi Tharoor | Buy now |
| 3 | All Roads Lead To Ganga by Ruskin Bond | Buy now |
| 4 | Dongri To Dubai: Six Decades of The Mumbai Mafia by S. Hussain Zaid | Buy now |
| 5 | Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar | Buy now |
| 6 | India: A Wounded Civilization by V.S. Naipaul | Buy now |
| 7 | India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha | Buy now |
| 8 | ISRO: A Personal History by Gita Aravamudan and R. Aravamudan | Buy now |
| 9 | Mrs. Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna | Buy now |
| 10 | Olympics: The India Story by Boria Majumdar, Nalin Mehta | Buy now |
| 11 | Parliamental by Meghnad S | Buy now |
| 12 | Playing It My Way: My Autobiography by Sachin Tendulkar, Boria Majumdar (Contributor) | Buy now |
| 13 | Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra | Buy now |
| 14 | Satyajit Ray on Cinema by Satyajit Ray | Buy now |
| 15 | The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen | Buy now |
| 16 | The Collected Short Stories by Satyajit Ray | Buy now |
| 17 | The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor | Buy now |
| 18 | The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru | Buy now |
| 19 | Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh | Buy now |
| 20 | Wings of Fire: An Autobiography by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam | Buy now |
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