Top Indian Writers and their Home-towns

Ever wondered where your favourite Indian writers hail from? Where they first saw the ray of light (or the lack of it) in themselves and the world around? And where they started their journey? Where they were first inspired? Where they made their initial discovery that they had a story to tell and tell it with a twist strange to commoners? #13;Their home-towns and their place of birth would have naturally contributed to their personality and their writings. Admit it or not, their original abode would have inspired many of their writings. Its either the nostalgia of those places or the living reality. The setting of their writings would instinctively incorporate something of their past and the present. If it is the colonial obedience for a few; it is the post-colonial uprising for a few others. #13;All in all, the places they dwell in or hail from is very integral to the style of their writings. Here is a list of some of the (arguably) top Indian writers in English and their home-towns - an interesting sneak peak into what influenced and inspired them to write... #13; One of Indias best writers in English, Amitav Ghosh hails from Kolkata, West Bengal. Be it The Calcutta Chromosome or the Ibis Trilogy, they are set in his home-town and display such authentic knowledge about the place that it truly charms the reader. Born in Shornur, Kerala - Anita Nair has taken a lot from her birthplace straight to her novels and poems. Having studied in Chennai and currently living in Bangalore, her works reflect a sacred bit of all these places. Author of That Long Silence, the story of every middle-class Indian household. Born in Dharwad, Karnataka - Shashi Deshpande tells her readers something very original to Dharwad but can be attributed to every woman. Born in Shillong, Meghalaya and brought up in Kerala, Arundhati Roy brought the best of both worlds in her writings. She owes her international fame to her first novel The God of Small Things set in Aymanam, a village in Kottayam district of Kerala. Whether you love him or hate him, you just cannot ignore him. All of Chetan Bhagats works reflect phases of his life and are mainly set in New Delhi. Also a travel writer, Vikram Seth in his A Suitable Boy portrays the newly independent India. Human emotions and familiar yet unusual settings in his writings are unparalleled. Born in Madras (now Chennai) in Tamil Nadu, Aravind Adiga grew up in Mangalore, Karnataka. His novels are rich imaginings of raw and romanticised India. His novel The White Tiger was well received by the Indian audiences. Educated in Delhi, Kushwant Singh is Indias heartthrob for his wit and ways. His writings are mainly set in Delhi and Punjab region. A pleasure to read, his books show the rich complexities of the locations. Bengals pride, Rabindranath Tagore represented his land like no other. Whether it was poetry, short stories or novels, he made it a point to present a piece of his land in words with a slant only he could manage. No other Indian writer has been influenced by his surroundings like Ruskin Bond. Born in Kasuali, Solan, Himachal Pradesh - Ruskin Bond continues to live in the area and inspire hundreds through his works. His poems reflect the beauty and solitude of the hill station.