Did you know that the readers worldwide pick up books by South Asian authors to celebrate the South Asian Heritage Month from 18^th of July to 17^th of August every year?

The concept of South Asian Heritage Month was launched in 2019 by the South Asian community in the UK to commemorate, mark, and celebrate the diverse cultures and histories of the South Asian region. Ever since, the community of readers and writers have been using this opportunity to shine their light upon the innumerable books that enrich South Asian literature everywhere.

{Check out our post about South Asian Literature.}

As per Brittanica, the modern South Asian region covers the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Home to some of the oldest civilizations in the world, this sub-region of Asia has given birth to centuries old epics such as Mahabharata as well as books that are grappling with the experiences of a post-colonial life. Apart from a rich historical significance, the region of South Asia is also a hoard of hundreds of different languages and dialects. Hence, it is obvious that the South Asian literature encompasses works written in various languages. According to the organizers of the 13^th International Conference of South Asian Languages and Literatures in 2018, South Asia is one of the most linguistically diverse regions globally with four language families, each comprising of more than 650 individual languages.

In the current times, several South Asian authors are choosing to write in English to reach a global readership but their unique experiences never fail to come alive on the pages no matter the language chosen for expression. As for the books written in local languages, they are being embraced by a pool of talented translators who are connecting readers from all over world to the works of South Asian authors.

Keeping all of this in mind, it becomes a task when it comes to choosing what to read from this vast assortment of books by south Asian authors. Here’s a list of books by authors of each country of South Asian region that you might find interesting.

{Here’s a list of 10 Indian Short Stories Translated to English that make for entertaining reads.}

Afghanistan

1. The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan Kochai
   Genre: Short Stories; Literary Fiction
   Winner of Aspen Words Literary Prize and O. Henry Prize in 2023, this collection of short stories captures the haunting experiences of war and its effect on displacement through the lives of Afghan characters of the current era. Jamil Jan Kochai, born in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan, grew up in the United States, travelled to his homeland at the age of twelve, and found the inspiration he needed for his first book, 99 Nights in Logar. Several of his short fiction are also housed by The New Yorker.
   
2. Raising my Voice or A Woman Among Warlords by Malalai Joya
   Genre: Memoir
   “The bravest woman in Afghanistan”, as called by the BBC, Malalai Joya is an activist, a writer, and a politician from Afghanistan. Published in 2009 in the US and Canada, A Woman Among Warlords is a memoir she wrote with Derrick O’Keefe, about her experiences as a woman activist in the Afghan parliament where she never fails to raise her voice against the warlords. She writes about her struggles against the horrors of an oppressive regime and is often openly critical of western influences on her country. This book should be a must read if one is on the lookout for real life stories of immense courage.
   
3. Dancing in the Mosque: An Afghan Mother’s Letter to Her Son by Homeira Qaderi
   Genre: Memoir
   There’s no shortage of stories born out of the bloody experiences under the oppressive regime of Taliban in Afghanistan. This memoir, though, gives a unique perspective of a mother who was forced to leave behind her son. Author of several short stories and novels, in both Persian and English, Qaderi is also a fierce advocate for women’s rights. Translated into several languages such as French, German, and Italian, her memoir speaks about her challenges in childhood, marriage, and her struggles as a woman and a writer under the clutches of a society that tries to stifle both.

   
   {While you are at it, do check out our list of 12 Best Books by Ruskin Bond.}
   

4. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
   Genre: Fiction
   From one of the most popular authors from Afghanistan, Khaled Hosseini’s second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns not only won awards but also remained a New York Times bestseller for several weeks. At the core, this is a story of two women and the strength of their friendship in a fragile world that is bent on tearing apart several lives but especially, of women. Hosseini’s power-packed writing leaves an impact on the readers for years after reading the book as it touches upon the rawest of all human emotions: love and hope.
   
5. A House without Windows by Nadia Hashimi
   Genre: Murder Mystery
   Despite being a murder mystery, this book is mostly a story of unusual sisterhood in a world that has turned their backs on women. Accused of breaking various rules, these women have found a haven in their punishment wondering if the other is truly a criminal or was only labelled as such. The compelling narrative of the book grips the reader as the main character, Zeba, navigates through the complexities of her own morals. Born to Afghan immigrant parents, Nadia Hashimi is a pediatrician in the US along with being the author of three international bestselling novels including A House without Windows.

{Here’s our list of Top 10 Indian books for kids around the world.)

Bangladesh

1. Fragments of Riversong by Farah Ghuznavi
   Genre: Short Stories
   A dozen short stories weaved together to breathe life into the chaotic and yet beautiful lives in a contemporary Bangladesh. Published in 2013, the book still manages to evoke the sense of helplessness in its young cast of characters and brings forth the picture of the fragments coming together to reflect a familiar theme of the search for love. Farah Ghuznavi is not only an author from Bangladesh but also a journalist, a translator, and development worker. Her flash fiction, Judgement Day, won the Highly Commended story in the Commonwealth Short Story competition in 2010.
   
2. Beloved Strangers: A Memoir by Maria Chaudhari
   Genre: Memoir
   An uncertain space called home. A mother who longs to escape somewhere else and grieves the lost life of being a singer. A father who is unable to adapt and incapable to express his emotions. Maria’s memoir deals with her dreams of escaping the seemingly suffocating life in Bangladesh and about her rocky encounters with people she met during her years in the United States as a young student. Marked as a brilliant new voice from Bangladesh, Maria’s universal theme of searching for a home and a sense of belongingness makes this memoir a must read from a south Asian author.
   
3. Djinn City by Saad Z. Hossain
   Genre: Speculative Fiction
   With Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, as the setting, Djinn City is a young adult fantasy book from the perspective of a lonely kid named Indelbed. With a mother as a djinn and a father as a magician, his world was already turned upside down. But it wasn’t until when his father fell into a coma and Indelbed was forced to partner with the most evil djinn, he grasped the truth of the impending threat to the world. Drawing from the Arabic mythology, Hossain builds a world that plays with the politics among the mythical creatures of djinn and the relationships between a djinn and a human. An ambitious addition to the speculative literature by south Asian authors, this book promises to deliver an adventure to desi fantasy readers.
   
4. A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   Winner of Best First Book in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2008, A Golden Age touches upon the experiences of a family through the months of Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. From the perspective of a widowed mother, Rehana Haque, the book highlights how the war affects the lives of the women, even if they’re not on the battlefield. Born in Bangladesh, Tahmima Anam grew up in cities outside her country and learned about the history of Bangladesh from her parents, eventually writing stories derived from the post-colonial history of her country. A Golden Age is the first of a three books bundle, followed by The Good Muslim and The Bones of Grace.
   
5. Lajja by Taslima Nasrin
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   Originally written in Bengali, and published in 1993, it was banned in the country of Bangladesh. Based out of the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, and the consequent unrest that erupted in Bangladesh against Bengali Hindus, the book was an indication toward the rising communal violence in the country. Dealing with the characters’ love for their motherland, and struggles of being the “other” in their own homeland, Lajja paints the cruel picture of war and its resulting violence, lootings, and killings. Translated into several languages all over the world, this book is quite popular and easily available for the readers to grab.

{Do not forget to check out our list of 10 Best Books by Anita Desai.}

Bhutan

1. The Talisman of Good Fortune and Other Stories from Rural Bhutan by Rinzin Rinzin
   Genre: Short Stories; Bhutanese Folklore
   Not widely known but steeped in local Bhutanese culture and beliefs, this collection of nine short stories light up the simple lives of people in rural Bhutan. The titular story has been adapted into a local feature film in 2007 and another story from the collection has been included in the high school curriculum by the Ministry of Education in Bhutan in 2005.
   
2. Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck
   Genre: Travel Memoir
   Written by Her Majesty, the Queen of Bhutan, this book is a travel memoir of her journeys on foot to the farthest corners of her motherland. Regarded as Druk Yul, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a tiny country nestled in the crooks of Himalayan mountains, is home to a vast variety of landscapes such as dense alpine forests and pristine lakes. The author writes about her journeys along these landscapes and provides a visual treat for everyone who turns the pages of this book.
   
3. The Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden
   Genre: Fiction
   This novel was originally written in Dzongkha, later translated into English, but it is the first novel written by a woman from Bhutan. The Circle of Karma is about a girl born in a village in Bhutan where her desire to learn how to read and write and travel clashes against the traditional idea of being a woman. After losing her mother at the age of twelve, the protagonist is burdened with the role of a mother to her younger siblings. With beautiful prose and the vagabond-ish life of the main character, this book is just one of the many written by Kunzang Choden.
   
4. Home Shangrila: A Novel from Bhutan by Lingchen Dorji
   Genre: Fiction
   Set in various lands such as Bhutan, Delhi, London, and Scottland, this book is about a boy named Rinzin who just graduated college. Naturally, he feels scared by the uncertainty of life and its possibilities and begins his hunt for a job. This book is about a story akin to The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho where protagonists go all over the world in search of treasures that are most probably hidden right under their nose.

{Check out our list of 12 Best Books on Writing.}

India

1. The Nine-Chambered Heart by Janice Pariat
   Genre: Short Stories
   As the title subtly suggests, these collection of nine short stories are connected by a single character. Each story is written from the perspective of a person the main character knew and had relationships with. One of the odd and most fascinating things about this book is that it is written in the second-person narrative. With brilliant prose and vivid imagery, this book deals with the idea of how a person is perceived only in parts and fragments by the people they meet in their lives.
   
2. Teething by Megha Rao
   Genre: Poetry and Short Fiction
   Story of a broken and dysfunction family, told in the form of poems and short stories, Megha Rao’s Teething has the power to captivate a reader for eternity. It’s a story that’s already in pieces but is being put together like a puzzle by the main character and ending up realizing that one might have to start again, from the very beginning.
   
3. Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard by Kiran Desai
   Genre: Fiction
   Inspired by a real-life story of a man who lived up a tree for a decade and a half, this novel tells the story of the main character, Sampath Chawla, who is fed up of his adult-life responsibilities. Despite being her debut book, it won the Betty Trask Award in 1998 and still manages to capture readers into a lighthearted reading experience.
   
4. Pyre by Perumal Murugan
   Genre: Domestic Fiction
   Longlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature in 2017, this novel was originally published in Tamil. The story is largely about the sharp social discriminations faced by the couple for their inter-caste marriage in a society that is strictly against it. The forbidden romance or marriage in a “different” caste, religion, region, is quite a common theme in Indian stories of love and the resulting rebellion. However, Murugan’s writing also brings out the sheer intolerance of humans against such notions.
   
5. The Ten-Percent Thief or Analog/Virtual by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
   Genre: Speculative Fiction
   Set in a futuristic landscape of Bangalore, called Apex City, the novel is about a dystopian (or utopian?) life governed by technocratic corporation named Bell Corp. Shortlisted for 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award, the book deals with the ever-present caste system in a society but now on the basis of technological capabilities. Hitting too close to present day situations, the book has garnered a lot of attention along with the emergence of a fresh new talented voice in South Asian Speculative literature.

{Check out our blog post on 25 Writers of India.}

Nepal

1. Tilled Earth by Manjushree Thapa
   Genre: Short Stories
   A collection of twenty-one micro and macro short fiction stories dealing with a wide range of characters from the country of Nepal. Mostly about the daily lives of people living in Nepal or abroad. Some stories are also about characters who are expatriates and their experiences of living in the tiny Himalayan country.
   
2. Blue Mimosa by Parijat
   Genre: Fiction
   Originally published in Nepali language in 1964, this novel was awarded the Madan Puraskar in 1965. Narrated from the point of view of a war veteran, the story is about how his perspective towards certain acts committed by him in the thick of war changes over time. The novel is considered as a progressive piece of work and a turning point in Nepali literature. The author Parijat is the first woman to win the Madan Puraskar.
   
3. Palpasa Café by Narayan Wagle
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   Set in the backdrop of Nepalese Civil War, this debut novel creates a sales record for a Nepali book of 25,000 copies in its first year. With a familiar theme of a love story amidst war, the novel was originally written in Nepali and later was translated into English and Korean. The book also won the most prestigious award in Nepalese literature, Madan Puraskar.
   
4. The Royal Ghosts by Samrat Upadhyay
   Genre: Literary Fiction, Short Stories
   Winner of Society of Midland Authors Award for Adult Fiction, this collection of complex short stories are set in the backdrop of the political upheaval in the Nepali society. The author crafts stories with a web of characters that tries to manage the conflict between their duties and desires.
   
5. Alikhit by Dhruba Chandra Gautam
   Genre: Speculative Fiction
   Considered as an experimental piece of Nepali literature, the book is set in a fictitious village that is unmarked in any of the maps. Also, a winner of the Madan Puraskar, the book plays with surrealism and has gained significance due to its artistic narrative.

{Check out our list of the 10 Best Books on Mental Health in India.}

Maldives

1. Dhon Hiyala and Ali Fulhu by Abdullah Sadiq
   Genre: Maldivian Folklore, Romance, Speculative
   This is a centuries-old Maldivian tale, originally written in Dhivehi, but later translated into English. It is often regarded as the Maldivian version of Romeo and Juliet because of the two ill-fated characters in love but subjected to a lot challenges from the society. It is full of magic and runs on the themes of love, birth, and death among others.
   
2. I Am a Whale Shark by Ibrahim Shameel and Mariyam Sara Naseem
   Genre: Non-Fiction
   This is a much-needed illustrated book on various facts about the whale sharks residing in the oceans surrounding the Maldives.
   
3. Damir and the Hidden Atoll by Hamdhaan A. Ghani
   Genre: Fantasy Fiction
   Perfect for the adventure-hungry young readers, this is a novel that follows three characters, Damir, Sarah, and Mala, as they go on a quest across the Maldives to unlock ancient secrets of the land.
   

{Here’s how to make the habit of reading books.}

Pakistan

1. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
   Genre: Short Stories
   The book consisting of eight connected short stories has collected several honours in its bucket such as The Story Prize and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. It also became a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize. Set in the late twentieth century Pakistan, the author tells the stories of Pakistani culture, social expectations and obligations, through the lives of the characters in his stories. The stories often portray how poverty and unvoiced class system runs the everyday lives of the people in Pakistan.
   
2. Ice Candy Man or Cracking India by Bapsi Sidhwa
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   Originally published in 1988 in England, this novel is set during the tumultuous years from 1943 to 1948 when India gained independence and resulted with a crack separating the land. The story is about the strange relationship between a little girl and her ayah (caretaker) as she spends a lot of time with her. While also touching upon the themes of sexual awakenings, the plot primarily involves the impact of partition and its resulting violence that started forming cracks in relationships, families and of course, the homeland.
   
3. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
   Genre: Memoir
   Malala, a Pakistani female education activist and the winner of Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the age of 17, wrote this autobiography with Christina Lamb. The book spans her life experiences from an early age, where she writes about her father being an inspiration, and also about the assassination attempt on her for openly performing her duties as an activist for female education in Pakistan.
   
4. A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif
   Genre: Humorous Fiction
   Inspired by the real-life incident of aircraft crash that killed the sixth president of Pakistan, the book won the Commonwealth Foundation’s Best First Book in 2009. It was also longlisted for The Man Booker Prize in 2008 and shortlisted for Guardian First Book Award. It’s a well-received political satire that builds a fictitious story around the real incident encompassing themes of corruption and political violence.
   
5. House Number 12 Block Number 3 by Sana Balagamwala
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   Set in the backdrop of various wars and political turmoil, this story is told by a house. The house narrates the story as it observes its inhabitants through the years. The story handles trauma and the consequences of living in a land that is being constantly teared apart through several political turbulences leading to wars and partitions.

{We have curated a list of 24 must-read books for children to ignite their love for reading. Do check it out.}

Sri Lanka

1. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
   Genre: Speculative Fiction
   Initially published in the Indian subcontinent as Chats with the Dead, this novel merges a number of genres together to form a queer speculative fiction story that is essentially a murder mystery. Using the Sri Lankan civil war as the setting for the novel, the author writes about a closeted gay war photographer who ends up dead but is determined to find out how he died or who killed him.
   
2. Reef by Romesh Gunesekera
   Genre: Historical Fiction
   A story about a servant boy talented in cooking and his desire to please his master, a marine biologist, that he is wrapped in a bubble of his own, aloof of the political unrest happening all over his country.
   
3. Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala
   Genre: Memoir
   You’ll find several memoirs by south Asian authors covering the horrific experiences of surviving through war. But this memoir, by the economist and educator, Sonali Deraniyagala, is about her grief as she lost her family in the Tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean in 2004. This first hand account of someone who survived the killer waves makes for an insightful read indeed.
   
4. Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera
   Genre: Literary Fiction
   Winner of Commonwealth Regional Prize for Asia in 2013, this piece of literary fiction is narrated by two women characters, one from the majority Sinhala population and the other from the minority Tamil population. Each character was wrapped up in their own worlds until the rising political unrests that led to Sri Lankan Civil War that lasted for more than two decades.
   
5. The Ceaseless Chatter of Demons by Ashok Ferrey
   Genre: Fiction
   Partly set in Sri Lanka and partly in England, this is the fifth novel by the Sri Lankan writer, Ashok Ferrey. Nominated for DSC Prize for South Asian Literature in 2017, this novel manages to touch upon the evil and the devil residing in almost all of us. Frustrated with family politics at home, the main character leaves Sri Lanka to only find that the devil he’s trying to escape has followed him along.

{Here is a list of 12 Best Books by Ruskin Bond, India’s most beloved author for children’s books.}

When it comes to exploring South Asian literature, there’s no scarcity of books to read from. Starting from folklore to memoirs, self-help to speculative, horror to humour, you’ll find books from every genre and on every theme. However, if you are just starting out, this curated list is one of the best approaches to dive into the vast pool of books written by south Asian authors.