Must-Read Indian English Poets

Indian English poets who are worth reading. 

Indian poetry is like a giant buffet—there’s something for everyone, from ancient delicacies to contemporary treats.India as a country has long contributed the genre of poetry, from vedic texts to modern musings. Some of the Indian poets in the last century (or more) have composed great poems in the English language. Whenever I hear someone say that India hasn't produced monumental literature (poems in the context of this blog post), it disheartens me to see an Indian underestimating their own literature and being ignorant of the perennial poems written by people of their country. English is as much an Indian language as it is of the UK and US. Indian stalwarts have widened the canon of English poetry or have made a canon of their own which can compete with British poems in the context of content and language. 

During my under-graduation course and currently in my Masters, I have come across such beautiful poems composed by Indians and Indian diasporas on various topics — love, feminism, marginalization, homelessness and so much more. I am thankful for my college professors for keeping such elegant verses with profound substance, which I may have never come across if not as a part of the syllabus. 

From beautiful poetic language to impactful ideas, the poems left me in awe, and I could not help but share some of the names of Indian poets and their major works (or one I've read and loved) in this blogpost for people across the world to read. As I lean more towards Indian literature, diasporic literature, psychological literature and literature of the marginalized (feminist, Dalit, LGBTQIA+), some of the given poets or their works will have these themes. 

So here we go.

Indian English poets worth spending your time and money on-

 1. Meena Kandasamy - Her poems are a strong critic of the discrimination women and Dalits have been facing in our country. 3 which I loved are One -eyed, Mascara, and Love and War. I have been trying to get hold of her poetry collection 'Touch' which I can't find on online shopping platforms or even pdf versions of the collection. These poems hooked me to her writing style and poems. 

2. Rabindranath Tagore- We all had his timeless poems as part of our school syllabus. There are so many of his poems written and translated in English that I have forgotten the titles. One that I read recently and loved is Authorship and Death. 

3. Kamala Das- Also known as Madhavikutty or Kamala Surayya, she was an Indian bilingual poet, author, and columnist who wrote in Malayalam and English. She wrote about women's issues, female sexuality, child care, politics, etc. Her poem An Introduction is one I have read as of  yet and really liked, which talks about the life of a woman in a patriarchal society. 

4. Nissim Ezekiel- Ezekiel had a unique style of writing. His Very Indian Poem in Indian English  had the touch of chutnification of English and humour, while The Hill is a motivational poem about working for your goals. His poem The Jewish Wedding in Bombay  satirizes the way religions copy each other in traditions and "customs" like Dowry, with themes of marriage and love. 

5. Sarojini Naidu- Her Indian Weavers is the only poem I remember at the moment, which tells the story from birth to death as weavers make clothes suitable for the event.

6. Henry Derozio- A Portuguese-originated Indian poet and radical thinker who wrote poems, including The Harp of India and To India- My Native Land.

7. Toru Dutt- Her poem, Lakshman, a ballad, retells the golden deer episode from Ramayana. It is in form of conversation between Sita and Lakshman. Her another poem, Lotus, gives the fictional backdrop of how the flower came to be and intertwines Indian/Asian and Western ideology.

8. Ashish Bagrecha- Started as an Instagram poet and soon became famous; he has 2 poetry anthologies Love, Hope and Magic and All This Love (purchase it by 31st Jan 2025 as it will permanently go out of stock after that). He also has penned 2 poems + open letters collections Dear Stranger, I Know How You Feel and Dear Stranger, You Deserve To Be Loved. Though he may not be an Indian classic poet like the above ones and may not be considered mainstream literature to be taught in schools/colleges by many, his poems are a great way to get into poetry. His colloquial diction and relatability are the factors that have struck chords in his readers' (and listeners') hearts. His poems are the ones that got me into poetry and psychology, and sure, his poems will hit home for many others too, as they would pick up poems (written by an Indian).

Here are some of the names of Indian poets and their poems that I have read, liked/loved, and well, remembered at this moment. Like my previous post, I will keep adding new names to this, so keep an eye here too and check regularly for any new poet/poem recommendations. You can add these anthologies to your TBR list or read it on the internet. 

Do comment if you have read any of these poems and what you thought about them. Also, follow and subscribe to get notified about new blog posts in your email.

Tata! Happy Reading. 

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