Literary Genius: Indian Women Authors Who Have Won the Booker Prize

By: WE Staff

Arundhati Roy - The God of Small Things (1997)

The first Indian woman to win the coveted Booker Prize is Indian author, political activist, and public intellectual, Arundhati Roy. With her debut novel, God of Small Things, she gained international recognition due to her lyrical style and nonlinear narrative structure, which charmed readers.

Based on a story of Estha and Rahel, fraternal twins growing up in a troubled Syrian Christian family in the small town of Ayemenem, Kerala, the story depicts their childhood in 1969 and their reunion as adults in 1993. The story also explores the lingering effects of casteism in India and British colonialism in India.

Beyond fiction, Arundhati is a fearless activist and essayist. She has consistently used her platform to speak out against social injustice, environmental degradation, and human rights abuses.