Namita Gokhale and Anuradha Sarma Pujari talk about the invisible inhibitions and taboos on women’s social, sexual, and professional identities and how it impacted their breakthrough novels and writing trajectories. In conversation with Shrabani Basu, they discuss their literary influences and the echoing voices of the subversive women writers in the subcontinent. Writer and Festival Co-Director Namita Gokhale's debut novel, Paro: Dreams of Passion, has just been issued as a Penguin Modern Classic. She is the author of 23 books. Journalist and author Anuradha Sarma Pujari serves as the Editor of the prestigious Assamese weekly Sadin and a prominent Assamese literary magazine, Satsori. She is the author of My Poems Are Not for Your Ad Campaign and has written 12 novels and 6 short stories beyond this.

Namita Gokhale is the author of twenty three works of fiction and non-fiction. She is co-founder and co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival (with William Dalrymple) . Her debut novel, Paro: Dreams of Passion, published in 1984 reissued as a Penguin modern classic, remains a cult classic. Her new novel, Never Never Land is a 2024 publication. Her recent non-fiction includes Mystics and Sceptics- Searching Himalayan Masters and the anthology Treasures of Lakshmi. Gokhale’s work spans different genres, including novels, short stories, Himalayan studies, mythology, several anthologies, books for young readers, and a play. Gokhale is committed to platforming literary dialogue and showcasing the rich diversity of multilingual Indian identity . She is the recipient of various prizes and awards, including the prestigious Sahitya Akademi (National Academy of Literature) Award 2021 for her novel Things to Leave Behind.

Anuradha Sarma Puzari began her career as a journalist and columnist in 1991. Her 1998 Assamese novel was a bestseller and was published by Penguin Random House in 2023 as My Poems Are Not For Your Ad-Campaign, translated by eminent writer Aruni Kashyap. She has continued with her literary career with 13 novels, 6 short story collections, one travelogue and 10 books on autobiographical essays. Her works have been translated into English, Hindi and other major Indian languages. She was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2021. At present, she is the editor of a premier Assamese weekly and literary magazine.

Shrabani Basu is a journalist and Sunday Times best-selling author. Her books include the critically acclaimed The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer, For King and Another Country, Victoria & Abdul (now a major Oscar-nominated motion picture starring Dame Judi Dench) and Spy Princess. She has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of London for services to literature.

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