Railsong
Sweeping, elegiac, comic, Railsong is a powerful portrait of a woman forging a life for herself amid the social and political upheavals of twentieth-century India
Winner, Book of the Year, Fiction, FICCI Publishing Awards
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A book of the year, India Today, Hindu, Frontline, Mint, Deccan Herald;an NPR Favourite Fiction Read of 2026 So Far
Shortlisted, Valley of Words Book Awards; longlisted, Kalinga Book Prize, Crossword Book Awards
‘Magnificent. I would follow Miss Chitol to the ends of the earth.’ Kamila Shamsie
‘A testament to the depth and brilliance of Bhattacharya’s craft.’ Vivek Shanbhag
‘Rahul Bhattacharya is an extraordinary writer, and Railsong is a majestic yet profoundly tender novel.’ Megha Majumdar
‘Bhattacharya has created an epic out of a single life.’ Karan Mahajan
UPDATES
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Brooklyn Book Festival 2026
Sep 20, 3pm EST, with A. Igoni Barrett, Ananda Devi, Andy Tepper Read More »
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‘Original, exceptional, riveting’: Railsong press round-up #2
‘Brims with heart and compassion’: The Guardian Read More »
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The songs of Railsong
Culture Club, Kishore, Rafi, Salil, ABBA, Farka Toure, Geeta, Madhuri, Grateful Dead, Vilayat & Bismillah Read More »
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Railsong on Writespace
Online conversation with Derek Niemann, May 2 Read More »
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Railsong in Gurugram
With Janice Pariat, Quill and Canvas, April 26, 5pm Read More »
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
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A dazzling novel, propelled by a singularly forceful voice, Rahul Bhattacharya captures the heady adventures of travel, the overheated restlessness of youth, and the paradoxes of searching for life’s meaning in the escape from home. Winner of the Ondaatje Prize, and the Hindu Literary Prize
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One of the best-loved cricket books, ‘Pundits from Pakistan’ will always remind us of what was and what could be. Funny, warm and uplifting, it is a fascinating account of a beautiful game in a crucial setting, as told by a young Indian discovering Pakistan.