Tarun J Tejpal is a journalist, publisher, and novelist. In a 27-year career, he has been an editor with the India Today and the Indian Express groups, and the managing editor of Outlook, India’s premier newsmagazine. In March 2000, he started Tehelka, a news organisation that has become famed for its aggressive public interest journalism, with a singular reputation on the Indian mediascape.

In 2001, Asiaweek listed Tejpal as one of Asia’s 50 most powerful communicators, and BusinessWeek declared him among 50 leaders at the forefront of change in Asia. In 2007 the Guardian named him among the 20 who constitute India’s new elite.

Tarun’s debut novel, The Alchemy of Desire, published in 2005, was hailed by The Sunday Times as “an impressive and memorable debut”. Le Figaro called it a “masterpiece”; and Nobel Laureate V.S. Naipaul declared, “At last – a new and brilliantly original novel from India.” Translated into more than a dozen languages, in France the book won the Prix Millepages and was the finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina award for best foreign novel.

Tarun’s second novel, The Story of My Assassins has been published in 2009 to rave reviews. Pankaj Mishra has said, “It sets new and dauntingly high standards for Indian writing in English”, while Altaf Tyrewala has called it “an instant classic.”