Indian publishing is having its biggest moment. Readers across the UK, India and the world are discovering Indian authors who are telling fresh, funny, sharp and deeply moving stories — and selling millions of books in the process.
These are the 5 Indian authors that readers right now cannot stop talking about, with their standout books and Amazon UK links.
1. Wise and Otherwise — Sudha Murty
Sudha Murty is one of the most loved Indian authors of the past twenty years. A philanthropist, former teacher and the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, she writes with warmth, simplicity and a deep understanding of ordinary Indian lives. Wise and Otherwise is a collection of 51 real stories from her years working across rural India — encounters with people she met, helped and learned from. Each story is short, human and quietly profound.
Sudha Murty’s books regularly top Indian bestseller charts. She writes in a way that reaches readers of every age and background. You will finish this book in a day and think about it for weeks.
Buy Wise and Otherwise on Amazon UK
2. My Gita — Devdutt Pattanaik
Devdutt Pattanaik is India’s most read mythology writer. A doctor turned author and Chief Belief Officer at Future Group, he has written over 50 books retelling and reinterpreting Indian mythology for modern readers. My Gita is his most personal work: his own reading of the Bhagavad Gita, told through 108 chapters, each one short and direct.
Pattanaik does not translate the Gita. He interprets it. He asks what it means to a person living now, working in a competitive world, managing relationships and trying to find meaning. The result is one of the most accessible and useful books on Indian philosophy available. No prior knowledge of the Gita or Hinduism required.
3. Mrs Funnybones — Twinkle Khanna
Twinkle Khanna is a former Bollywood actress who became one of India’s bestselling authors with her debut book Mrs Funnybones. The book is a collection of sharp, funny essays about marriage, motherhood, domestic life and the bizarre rituals of Indian society. Khanna writes like no other Indian author — sardonic, self-deprecating and genuinely laugh-out-loud funny.
Mrs Funnybones was the bestselling book in India in 2015 and launched a career that has since produced two more bestselling books. It works particularly well for readers in the UK who already know Twinkle Khanna and for anyone who wants Indian humour that does not apologise for being Indian.
Buy Mrs Funnybones on Amazon UK
4. The Zoya Factor — Anuja Chauhan
Anuja Chauhan is the queen of Indian romantic comedy fiction. The Zoya Factor follows Zoya Singh Solanki, an advertising executive who accidentally becomes the Indian cricket team’s lucky charm during the World Cup. It is fast, funny and completely unputdownable. Chauhan writes dialogue the way people actually speak — in a mix of Hindi and English that captures how urban Indians communicate without making it inaccessible to non-Indian readers.
The Zoya Factor was adapted into a Bollywood film in 2019 starring Sonam Kapoor and Dulquer Salmaan. The book is better. Her follow-up novels, Battle for Bittora and Those Pricey Thakur Girls, are equally good.
Buy The Zoya Factor on Amazon UK
5. Serious Men — Manu Joseph
Manu Joseph is one of the most distinctive voices in Indian fiction. Serious Men is about Ayyan Mani, a Dalit clerk at a scientific institute in Mumbai, who decides to pass his son off as a genius to escape the world they were born into. The novel is funny, savage and uncomfortably sharp about class, ambition, caste and the things people do to gain status in a society that keeps most of them locked out of it.
Serious Men was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, adapted into a Netflix film and is consistently named one of the finest Indian novels of its era. Manu Joseph’s journalism is equally sharp — he is one of India’s most provocative cultural commentators.
For more reading recommendations, see our guides on best popular Indian authors, best mindset books 2026 and best true crime books 2026.
External reference: Publishing Perspectives: India’s English Language Book Market | Economic Times: Sudha Murty India’s Most Loved Author
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the most popular Indian authors to read right now?
Sudha Murty, Devdutt Pattanaik, Twinkle Khanna, Anuja Chauhan and Manu Joseph are among the most widely read Indian authors right now. Sudha Murty regularly tops Indian bestseller charts, Devdutt Pattanaik has written over 50 books on Indian mythology, and Twinkle Khanna’s Mrs Funnybones was the bestselling book in India in 2015. All are available on Amazon UK.
What is Sudha Murty’s best book?
Wise and Otherwise is Sudha Murty’s most widely recommended book. It is a collection of 51 real stories from her years working across rural India. Short, warm and deeply human, it is the ideal introduction to her writing and works for readers of any age and background.
What does Devdutt Pattanaik write about?
Devdutt Pattanaik writes about Indian mythology, symbols and stories. He retells and reinterprets Hindu mythology for modern readers who want to understand the stories, their meaning and their relevance to life today. My Gita is his most personal book. Jaya, his retelling of the Mahabharata, and Sita, his retelling of the Ramayana, are his most popular.
Are Indian author books available on Amazon UK?
Yes. Books by Sudha Murty, Devdutt Pattanaik, Twinkle Khanna, Anuja Chauhan and Manu Joseph are all available on Amazon UK in paperback and Kindle editions. Most are available on Prime with fast delivery and are priced lower than most mainstream UK fiction.
Which Indian book is best for UK readers?
Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna is particularly well suited for UK readers because Khanna is known in the UK and her humour translates seamlessly. The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan is excellent for readers who enjoy romantic comedy. Wise and Otherwise by Sudha Murty works for any reader who wants short, moving human stories from across India.
