Adivasi Writers: An Introduction to India's Indigenous Literature

List of Adivasi Writers (70+ writers)

Since reliable general knowledge about Adivasi writers is still emerging, we felt it would be important to make an inclusive list of Adivasi writers in various genres. We're starting with lists from Wikipedia, but we are also adding additional names as we come across them. Some writers on these lists are creative writers who published fiction, poetry, or drama. Others are journalists, activists, and educators. 

The lists of writers below come mostly from the Hindi-language and English-language Wikipedia pages for Adivasi writers. Interestingly, the two lists do not overlap very extensively -- there is no entry for Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar in the Hindi language list of Adivasi writers, for example, and the English-language list is missing many names at present. Also, neither list has entries for writers like Dakxin Chhara or Laxman Gaikwad. (Laxman Gaikwad is a Marathi writer who had been described by earlier generations of critics as a Dalit, but we believe he should properly be understood as an Adivasi -- from the Pardhi community.) 

The first list is from the Hindi-language Wikipedia page for Adivasi writers. As of June 2025, it contains the names of 52 writers. Where we can find English-language Wikipedia pages for the same writers, we have indicated those as well: 
 
  1. Mennas Odeya
  2. Sushila Samad (our page on Sushila Samad) (English Wikipedia here)
  3. Jaipal Singh Munda (English Wikipedia here) (1903-1970) Member of Constituent Assembly; advocate for creation of an Adivasi state (Jharkhand); author of Adivasiyat (translated into English as Adivasidom)
  4. Raghunath Murmu (English Wikipedia here) (1905-1982) Santhali writer who created the Ol Chiki script for writing the Santhali language
  5. Lako Bodra (English Wikipedia here) (1919-1986) Ho writer who created the Warang Chiti script for writing the Ho language. 
  6. Pyara Kerketta Kharia writer who published the first short story in the Kharia language. Our translation of his short story "Bertha's marriage" can be found here
  7. Alice Ekka (our page on Alice Ekka) (English Wikipedia here) (1917-1978) Our translation of her short story "Durgi's Children and Elma's Dreams" can be found here 
  8. Kanuram Devgam
  9. Ayta Oraon
  10. Temsula Ao (1945-2022) (English Wikipedia here) Ao Naga writer. Author of These Hills Called Home: Stories of the War Zone (2005), Laburnum for my Head (2009) , and The Tombstone in My Garden: Stories from Nagaland (2009). Also author of The Ao-Naga Oral Tradition (1999)
  11. Mamang Dai (English Wikipedia here)
  12. Ram Dayal Munda (English Wikipedia here)
  13. Baldev Munda
  14. Rose Kerketta (English Wikipedia here)
  15. Dulay Chandra Munda
  16. Peter Paul Ekka (English obituary here)
  17. Walter Bhengara 'Tarun'
  18. Narayan (English Wikipedia here)
  19. Hariram Meena
  20. Jacinta Kerketta (Our page on Jacinta Kerketta)
  21. Mahadev Toppo (Our author profile here)
  22. Vahru Sonawane (also spelled as Waharu Sonawane) (his poem "Stage" is quoted here)
  23. Grace Kujur (English Wikipedia here)
  24. Ujjwala Jyoti Tigga
  25. Nirmala Putul
  26. Kajal Demta
  27. Sunil Kumar 'Suman'
  28. Kedar Prasad Meena
  29. Joram Yalam Nabam
  30. Vandana Tete (Our page on Vandana Tete) 
  31. Sunil Minj
  32. Gladson Dungdung (English Wikipedia here) (Our author profile here)
  33. Anuj Lugun (Our page on Anuj Lugun) (English Wikipedia here)
  34. Ruplal Bedia
  35. Ganga Sahay Meena
  36. Jyoti Lakra (Page at Hindi Kahaniyan, including a Hindi short story. Our English translation of the story here)
  37. Nitisha Khalkho
  38. Anu Suman Big
  39. Diamond Meena
  40. Arun Kumar Oraon
  41. Sundar Manoj Hembram
  42. Sardar Singh Meena
  43. Jamuna beanie
  44. Nuas Kerketta
  45. Janardan Gond
  46. Najubai Gavit
  47. K. M. Maitree
  48. Sushila Dhurve
  49. Ushakiran Atram (essay in Caravan) Gond writer based in Maharashtra. Our translation of her poem, "Mother, Don't Kill Me in the Womb," is here
  50. Moti Ravan Kangali (1949-2015) Ushakiran Atram's profile of him here
  51. Mahendra Nath Sardar
  52. Lusku Samad

And here is a list of names from the English Wikipedia Adivasi Writers list that are not on the Hindi Wikipedia list:
  1. Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar (1983- ) (fiction) See our profile of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar)
  2. Dayamani Barla
  3. Turia Chand Baskey
  4. Majhi Ramdas Tudu (1854-1951) (Santhali educator; published the first work of Santhali literature in 1882) 
  5. Haldhar Nag (1950- ) (Poet) (See Our profile here)
  6. Sadhu Ramchand Murmu
  7. Sarada Prasad Kisku (also spelled Sharda Prasad Kisku)
  8. Shyam Sundar Hembram
  9. Gomasta Prasad Soren
  10. Kalpana Soren
  11. Thakur Prasad Murmu
  12. Timotheas Hembrom (Theologian)
Finally, here is our list of writers who show up on neither Wikipedia list of Adivasi writers:
  1. Dakxin Bajrange Chhara (Sahapedia profile)
  2. Laxman Gaikwad
  3. Easterine Kire (Naga writer)
  4. Paddam Anasuya (short story collection in Telugu)
  5. Maipati Arun Kumar (discussed here; also here)
  6. Chandramohan Kisku (Hindi language poetry here) (Santhali poet)
  7. Salu Majhi (Odia poet; translation of one of his poems here)
  8. Raghunath Tudu (Amazon link for a Hindi volume)

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