For as long as I can remember, I have looked up to Anita Desai as the foremost contemporary Indian writer. The first book I read of hers, Clear Light of Day, was a part of my undergraduate syllabus. I fell in love with her instantly. Her writing vividly brought to life an era I was not alive but felt deep affection for. It was a time of great hope – when India was still finding a footing in the world as its people adjusted to these shifting realities and identities. As conflicting forces rock the world outside, Desai’s stories become...