#Bookstagram: Author Nihal Parashar recommends Hindi authors worth exploring for a deep dive into Hindi literature!

From Swadesh Deepak and Mithilesh Priyadarshi to Vinod Kumar Shukl and more, here are some recommendations by Nihal Parashar to dive into the worlds created by Hindi authors!

Reading Hindi is like dipping into a river that carries centuries of memory, folklore, humour, and resistance. Its writers capture the rhythm of everyday life with a sharpness that makes you pause. They tell stories that are deeply local yet universal in their reach. And in contemporary times, some of these voices are at their fiercest and most inventive. Whenever I’m asked about the writers who shaped me, my instinct is to reach for Hindi books on my shelf. I write in both English and Hindi, but when it comes to reading for sheer pleasure or for that spark of insight, I return to Hindi. The language has given me not just stories, but a way of looking at the world- its humour, its politics, its tenderness. As a Hindi writer, I feel compelled to share some of the voices that continue to inspire me, challenge me, and remind me of the richness of this literature.

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Here are a few writers and poets I believe every reader (if you can read in Hindi) should spend time with.

Swadesh Deepak

A rare and haunting voice in Hindi literature. Swadesh Deepak’s writing is deeply personal, often blurring the line between life and literature. His memoir Maine Mandu Nahi Dekha is unforgettable- not just because of what it says about his battles with mental health, but because of how honestly it lays bare a writer’s vulnerability. It’s a book that makes you confront silence and pain, but also the resilience of the human spirit.

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Mithilesh Priyadarshi

From Jharkhand comes one of the most incisive contemporary Hindi voices. Mithilesh Priyadarshi writes stories that are layered with politics, resistance, and the everyday struggles of ordinary people. His short story collection Lohe ka Baqsa aur Bandook is a brilliant example of how literature can hold up a mirror to society while still being tender, precise, and beautifully crafted.

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Uday Prakash

Known for his sharp social critique, Uday Prakash has become one of the most widely read Hindi writers of our time. His stories often weave the personal with the political, exposing the absurdities of modern life. Start with Tirich or Ram Sajivan Ki Prem Katha, both stories that showcase his ability to capture human contradictions with empathy and wit. His stories are available widely on internet to start with.

Kashinath Singh

Few writers have written about a city the way Kashinath Singh has written about Banaras. His novel Kashi ka Assi is at once satirical, nostalgic, and full of affection. It’s a book that immortalises the life, humour, and debates of the city’s tea stalls and ghats. His memoir Yaad Ho ki Na Yaad Ho is equally rewarding- a doorway into the literary world of Hindi writers seen through Kashinath Singh’s sharp and affectionate eye.

Hindi Poets to Read

Poetry in Hindi is a universe of its own, and here are two voices that stand out for me.Kunwar Narain: One of the most respected modern Hindi poets, his work spans decades and reflects an extraordinary range- from philosophical musings to political reflections. Kunwar Ji writes with clarity and restraint, yet his poems open vast spaces of thought and imagination. His verse often asks timeless questions about history, morality, and our place in the world. And Vinod Kumar Shukl: A poet and novelist whose work is deceptively simple. He writes of small towns, everyday objects, fleeting moments- and yet, his poems are profound meditations on existence. There is a childlike wonder in his language, paired with the wisdom of someone who notices what the world tends to ignore. Reading him is like slowing down and rediscovering beauty in the ordinary. I was fortunate to have been involved in creating a documentary film on Shukl ji. You can watch our film ‘Chaar Phool Hain Aur Duniya Hai’ on YouTube

A Bonus: Read Urdu Writers in Hindi

One of the great advantages of being a Hindi reader is that you also have access to Urdu literature. The two languages share so much that the boundaries often dissolve on the page. Thanks to the invaluable contribution of Prakash Pandit, the treasure of Urdu poetry and prose is easily available in Hindi editions. I am sharing some names to seek out:

Khalid Javed: His novel Maut ki Kitaab (recently translated into English as The Book of Death) is a striking meditation on mortality and memory.

Waseem Barelvi: A contemporary Urdu poet whose ghazals are widely loved for their tenderness and poignancy.

Ibne Insha: Perhaps my favourite. His Urdu ki Aakhiri Kitaab is witty, playful, and satirical- one of the finest examples of humour in Urdu literature. His poems, meanwhile, carry the lightness of wit alongside the weight of longing.

Why This Matters

For me, reading in Hindi is not just about books—it’s about remembering who I am and where I come from. Hindi is the language in which I think, dream, and argue with myself. It carries the cadences of home, the humour of conversations overheard on the street, and the weight of our collective memory. That is why Hindi Diwas matters. It is not merely a day marked on the calendar; it is a celebration of a language that shapes how millions of us see the world. By reading in Hindi, we keep that celebration alive every single day.

Which book are you picking up first? Let us know in the comments below!

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